cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative phase-field modeling of dendritic growth in two and three dimensions

We report the results of quantitative phase-field simulations of the dendritic crystallization of a pure melt in two and three dimensions. These simulations exploit a recently developed thin-interface limit of the phase-field model [A. Karma and W.-J. Rappel, Phys. Rev. E 53, R3017 (1996)], which is given here a detailed exposition. This limit makes it possible to perform efficient computations with a smaller ratio of capillary length to interface thickness and with an arbitrary interface kinetic coefficient. Simulations in one and two dimensions are first carried out to test the accuracy of phase-field computations performed within this limit. Dendrite tip velocities and tip shapes are found to be in excellent quantitative agreement with exact numerical benchmarks of solvability theory obtained by a boundary integral method, both with and without interface kinetics. Simulations in three dimensions exploit, in addition to the asymptotics, a methodology to calculate grid corrections due to the surface tension and kinetic anisotropies. They are used to test basic aspects of dendritic growth theory that pertain to the selection of the operating state of the tip and to the three-dimensional morphology of needle crystals without sidebranches. For small crystalline anisotropy, simulated values of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{*}$ are slightly larger than solvability theory predictions computed by the boundary integral method assuming an axisymmetric shape, and agree relatively well with experiments for succinonitrile given the uncertainty in the measured anisotropy. In contrast, for large anisotropy, simulated ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{*}$ values are significantly larger than the predicted values. This disagreement, however, does not signal a breakdown of solvability theory. It is consistent with the finding that the amplitude of the $\mathrm{cos}4\ensuremath{\varphi}$ mode, which measures the departure of the tip morphology from a shape of revolution, increases with anisotropy. This departure can therefore influence the tip selection in a way that is not accurately captured by the axisymmetric approximation for large anisotropy. Finally, the tail shape at a distance behind the tip that is large compared to the diffusion length is described by a linear law $r\ensuremath{\sim}z$ with a slope $dr/dz$ that is nearly equal to the ratio of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional steady-state tip velocities. Furthermore, the evolution of the cross section of a three-dimensional needle crystal with increasing distance behind the tip is nearly identical to the evolution of a two-dimensional growth shape in time, in accord with the current theory of the three-dimensional needle crystal shape.
The Protest of a 6-Month-Old Girl: Is This a Prodrome of Autism?

This article describes the infant-parent psychotherapy of a 6-month-old girl. This anxious, almost inconsolable, baby girl used withdrawal, dissociation, self-harm, auto-stimulation, and passive to active reversal, especially with her mother. Both her parent's feared she was autistic. Indeed, the baby, as if protesting what she felt to be a painful interaction with her mother, developed defenses that, to the author, looked autistic. During five months of infant-parent psychotherapy, her parents learned to contemplate her emotional life and helped her become a normally developing toddler. This case raises the question: If the child's defenses had become entrenched, would she have eventually been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder?
Joint Probability Formulation for Multiobjective Optimization Under Uncertainty

This paper presents a new approach to solve multiobjective optimization problems under uncertainty. Unlike the existing state-of-the-art, where means/variances of the objectives are used to ensure optimality, we employ a distributional formulation. The proposed formulations are based on joint probability, i.e., probability that all objectives are simultaneously bound by certain design thresholds under uncertainty. For minimization problems, these thresholds can be viewed as the desired upper bounds on the individual objectives. The tradeoffs are illustrated using the so-called decision surface, which is the surface of maximized joint probabilities for a set of design thresholds. Two optimization formulations to generate the decision surface are proposed, which provide the designer with the distinguishing capability that is not available in the existing literature, namely, decision making under uncertainty, while ensuring joint objective performance: (1) Maximum probability design: Given a set of thresholds (preferences within each objective), find a design that maximizes the joint probability while using a probabilistic aggregation as against an ambiguous weight-based method. (2) Optimum threshold design: Given a designer-specified joint probability, find a set of thresholds that satisfy the joint probability specification while allowing for a specification of preferences among the objectives.
Saving behavior of older households: Rate-of-return, precautionary and inheritance effects

Abstract We estimate a model of household saving behavior using data from a panel of men nearing retirement age. We seek and find statistically significant rate-of-return, precautionary and intergenerational-transfer effects embedded within a retirement-consumption life-cycle model.
Review: screening for depression reduces persistent depression.

Source Citation Pignone MP, Gaynes BN, Rushton JL, et al. Screening for depression in adults: a summary of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med. 2002 May 21;136:...
Merge recommendations for driver assistance: A cross-modal, cost-sensitive approach

In this study, we present novel work focused on assisting the driver during merge maneuvers. We use an automotive testbed instrumented with sensors for monitoring critical regions in the vehicle's surround. Fusing information from multiple sensor modalities, we integrate measurements into a contextually relevant, intuitive, general representation, which we term the Dynamic Probabilistic Drivability Map [DPDM]. We formulate the DPDM for driver assistance as a compact representation of the surround environment, integrating vehicle tracking information, lane information, road geometry, obstacle detection, and ego-vehicle dynamics. Given a robust understanding of the ego-vehicle's dynamics, other vehicles, and the on-road environment, our system recommends merge maneuvers to the driver, formulating the maneuver as a dynamic programming problem over the DPDM, searching for the minimum cost solution for merging. Based on the configuration of the road, lanes, and other vehicles on the road, the system recommends the appropriate acceleration or deceleration for merging into the adjacent lane, specifying when and how to merge.
Glial Reactions and Degeneration of Myelinated Processes in Spinal Cord Gray Matter in Chronic Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) result in inflammatory white matter lesions in the CNS. However, information is sparse with regard to the effects of autoimmune demyelinating disease on gray matter regions. Therefore, we studied the late effects of chronic EAE in C57BL/6 mice on the spinal cord gray matter using immunohistochemistry. Here, EAE induced marked astrocytic, microglial, and macrophage activation in the ventral horn gray matter, without any motoneuron loss. Activated caspase-3 was also increased in the ventral horn gray matter. Furthermore, activated poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), another apoptotic marker, co-localized with myelin basic protein (MBP) of oligodendrocyte processes, but not with the oligodendroglial cell body marker, adenomatous polyposis coli gene clone CC1 (APC-CC1), or with neurofilament marker (RT-97) or synaptophysin of axonal arbors. However, there was no associated increase in the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) mediated-dUTP nick end labeling positive nuclei in the spinal cord gray matter of EAE mice. In addition, co-localization of MBP and the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor, p75, was demonstrated, further supporting the notion of apoptotic oligodendrocyte process degeneration in the gray matter of EAE mice.
Methods of Formal Consensus in Classification/Diagnostic Criteria and Guideline Development

Guidelines or diagnostic criteria in clinical practice assist physicians in their clinical decision-making and improve health outcomes for patients. Diagnostic and classification criteria should be based on evidence from rigorously conducted controlled studies. Formal group consensus methods have been developed to organize subjective judgments and to synthesize them with the available evidence. This review discusses 4 types of formal consensus methods used in the health field and their applications in rheumatology: the Delphi method, Nominal Group Technique, RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, and National Institutes of Health consensus development conference.
Bifunctional plasmonic metamaterials enabled by subwavelength nano-notches for broadband, polarization-independent enhanced optical transmission and passive beam-steering

In this work, we present the design, numerical experiments, and analysis of a plasmonic metamaterial thin film based on subwavelength nano-notch loaded modified fishnet structures. The resulting device offers a simultaneous bandpass filtering functionality with a broad enhanced optical transmission window and a gapless negative-zero-positive index transition to enable polarization-independent passive beam-steering. This unique characteristic is made possible by the introduced subwavelength nano-notches, which provide fine tuning and hybridization of the external and internal surface plasmon polariton modes. This allows tailoring of the dispersive properties of the plasmonic metamaterial for broadband operation. Specifically, a multilayer nanostructured modified fishnet with feature sizes accessible by modern nanofabrication techniques is presented, exhibiting a broad passband at the mid-infrared wavelengths from 3.0 to 3.7 µm and stopbands elsewhere in the 2.5 ~4.5 µm window. The transmittance normalized to area is around 3 dB within the broad 20% bandwidth of the passband. Additionally, the effective index undergoes a smooth transition from negative unity through zero to positive unity with low loss within the passband. The physical mechanism and the angular dispersion of the metamaterial are analyzed in detail. Finally, full-wave simulations of a prism formed from this metamaterial are performed to demonstrate that the proposed structure achieves simultaneous polarization-insensitive passive beam-steering and filtering functionalities.
Increased cyclic GMP and decreased cyclic AMP levels in the hyperplastic, abnormally differentiated epidermis of psoriasis

Summary The genetic skin disease psoriasis has been examined as a model system that may provide an understanding of the control of normal epidermal specialization (differentiation) and the perturbed regulatory processes in proliferatioe diseases . The excessive glycogen accwnulation, increased proliferation and decreased tissue specialization characteristic of psoriasis involve cellular pro- cesses that have been shown to be regulated by cyclic AMP in other cells and tissues . It has also been suggested that cyclic GMP is a cellular ef- fector that may be involved in promoting cell pro- liferation and other events that oppose those be- lieved to be mediated by cyclic AMP . It was postulated, therefore, that the epidermis of the psoriasis lesion might exhibit an imbalance in the cellular concentrations of these two cyclic nucleo- tides . In this study the levels of cyclic AMP were measured in the involved epidermis (IE) and unin- volved epidermis (UE) from 25 psoriasis patients . The concentrations of cyclic AMP were found as reported previously using a different analytical procedure, to be significantly lower in IE based on protein and DNA . A comparison of the levels of cyclic .GMP in IE versus UE of 12 other psoriasis patients showed the levels of this cyclic nucleo- tide to be significantly increased in IE based on protein, DNA and wet weight . We suggest that this imbalance in the ratio of these two cyclic nucleo- tides may have pathophysiological relevance to the initiation and/or the maintenance of the psoriasis lesion .
Urinary Catheterization During Epidural Anesthesia

© 2010, AWHONN 11 tThe Joint Commission has declared that pain is a critical nursing assessment (Joint Commission, 2009). Nurses must therefore carefully attend to the pain of their clients, including those in labor. The pain of labor has been managed by many different methods, including breathing techniques, showering and position change, as well as analgesics and regional anesthesia. In the United States, epidural anesthesia has become the most commonly employed tool to manage the pain of labor. Indeed, 71 percent of a representative sample of Urinary Catheterization During Epidural Anesthesia
Isolated symptomatic cardiac recurrence of endometrial stromal sarcoma treated successfully with surgical resection

Abstract Background: Despite its favorable prognosis, endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) commonly recurs in the abdomen and pelvis. Rarely, it recurs in the cardiovascular system. A case of isolated cardiac ESS recurrence without concurrent vascular or abdominal disease is presented in this report. Case: A 53-year-old woman with previously diagnosed and treated ESS presented to her physician with tachycardia and fatigue. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed an intra-atrial pedunculated mass without caval involvement. Results: Surgical resection was performed successfully with alleviation of the patient'sher symptoms. Pathology confirmed isolated intracardiac recurrent ESS. Conclusions: This is the first documented case of intracardiac recurrence of ESS without concurrent abdominal or intracaval disease. This isolated recurrence supports a hematogenous mechanism of spread for ESS rather than intracavitary diffusion. Aggressive surgical management continues to be an option for treatment. (J GYNECOL SURG 28:140)
Why do heats of adsorption of simple gases on platinum surfaces vary so little with surface structure

Abstract Heats of adsorption of atoms on metal surfaces have been measured for many years. One key unexplained observation is that experimental heats of adsorption vary only modestly with changing surface structure. The heats of adsorption of most simple molecules on stepped or kinked surfaces are very similar to their heats of adsorption on closely packed planes, even though the coordination numbers of the atoms in the stepped surfaces can be quite different from those in the flat surface. At present, these experimental observations are largely unexplained. In this paper, we discuss one possible reason why heats of adsorption show so little variation with surface structure. The embedded atom method was used to calculate how much the coordinative unsaturation of a stepped surface changes due to surface relaxations. We find that surface relaxation reduces the coordinative unsaturation. We define an electronic coordination number for the surface atoms and show that the average electronic coordination number of the atoms in a relaxed stepped surface is always about nine: i.e. almost the same as Pt(111). This similarity of the electronic coordination numbers among surfaces after relaxation provides a possible explanation of why heats of adsorption of gases on platinum vary so little with surface structure.
Misconceptions about fats and cholesterol: Implications for dietary guidelines

To be effective, dietary guidelines must be understandable by their audiences. Misconceptions interfere with acceptance of correct but conflicting information, contributing to unhealthy dietary behavior. This study was undertaken to identify, from a cognitive perspective, misconceptions about dietary fat and cholesterol and their roots. Eighty‐eight women and men participated in semistructured interviews that identified their knowledge structure and misconceptions. Women had slightly more numerous and serious (potential to lead to inappropriate food choices) misconceptions than men. Both groups had numerous misconceptions in common (saturated fats have more fat or calories than unsaturated fats). Most misconceptions could be attributed to missing or incomplete information, yet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans bulletin on fat and cholesterol was ineffective in changing them. These results have implications for public health education efforts: common misconceptions need to be identified and addressed, o...
Intentional vital pulp extirpation in periodontal prosthesis

Abstract Endodontics is recognized as an integral part of the treatment of patients with periodontal disorders. However, vital pulp extirpation seems to have been neglected. There seems to be a certain reluctance to admit to intentional pulpectomy, even among those who utilize the procedure. The feeling of guilt associated with the intelligent, indicated sacrifice of pulp tissue is no more justified than would be a similar feeling related to the removal of enamel and dentin in crown preparation. Some of the indications for endodontic therapy in this context have been discussed. These include the restoration of a harmonious occlusal plane, the reduction of the crown-root ratio, and the establishment of parallelism. The necessity for intelligent treatment planning when vital pulp extirpation is considered has been stressed.
The moral appeal of assisted suicide in end-of-life decisions.

This article identifies conceptual distinctions, eg, killing, letting die, causing, refraining from causing, and moral principles, eg, autonomy, beneficence, utility, and their implications for the debate on assisted suicide.
Theory in Ethno-Logic*

Because thought processes underlie all human action and can distinguish one culture from another, the social sciences must face the problem of determining how people think. Reasoning can be viewed as abstract and not connected to any particular human activity, as it is in philosophical logic, or it can be seen as a process in a particular linguistic, social and cultural setting, as it is in ethno-logic. Recently anthropologists, developmental psychologists and other scholars working under the general rubric of cognitive science have studied issues in ethno-logic but these studies are flawed because the researchers accepted philosophical logic as the norm under which they judged the actions of their subjects. Good theory in ethno-logic can only come from study which describes thought processes from the natives point of view. One such theory states that conclusions are logically established on the semantic structure of the argument. This theory accounts for both universal and culture specific aspects of reasoning, is testable, opens new areas of research and provides researchers with a firmly grounded method for using meaning to account for behavior.
What have we learned about burnout and health

Abstract It has been a decade since an international group of scholars came together to discuss and debate the construct of job burnout. That conference, which took place in Krakow, Poland in 1990, was a major turning point in the development of this field. Not only did it bring together a wide range of theoretical perspectives and empirical data, it generated new directions for the work that needed to be done in the future (Schaufeli et al., 1993). Now that we are 10 years into that future, it would be worthwhile to assemble a new group of international scholars and discover what progress has been made. In essence, that is what the editors of this Special Issue have done. They have invited several of the leading burnout researchers from several continents to contribute their newest studies on this important social phenomenon. Thus this Special Issue affords us the opportunity to assess the strides that have been made since that first meeting in Krakow. So what have we now learned about burnout and its re...
Transient Overvoltage on a Bipolar HVDC Overhead Line Caused by DC Line Faults

Digital programs are used to investigate the overvoltages induced in one pole of a bipolar HVDC overhead line, and caused by a line-ground fault on the other dc pole. Various digital tests are carried out, bearing in mind in particular the nature of dc line termination at the converter stations, which may include filter circuits and a surge capacitor. It is shown that the terminal that looks inductive to a wavefront coming from the dc line is undesirable because it would cause high overvoltages at the terminal of the unfaulted pole. It is also shown that in order to reduce the risk of developing a double-pole outage from a single-pole fault, it is desirable to do away with the surge capacitor, if a suitable dc lightning arrester can be designed. Tests are presented in stages to isolate the effects of fault resistance, grid control, and line resistance. Results also indicate the restraints to be put upon the dv/dt line fault detection in order to avoid operation of this protection in the unfaulted pole.
Reduced Urinary Calcium on a Vegetarian Diet May Reflect Reduced Calcium Absorption With Phytic Acid, Not Calcium Conservation With Less Meat Protein

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To consider phytic acid, not just meat protein, as a dietary variable that influences urinary calcium excretion in vegetarians. Dietary protein, especially meat protein, is frequently cited as a risk factor for osteoporosis. Although protein from purified sources is calciuretic, protein from meat is not (Spencer, et al., Am J Clin Nutr 31: 2167, 1978; Hunt, et al., Am J Clin Nutr 62: 621, 1995), probably because the phosphorus from meat reduces urinary calcium. A recent balance study comparing mineral balance on a lacto-ovo-vegetarian and nonvegetarian diet emphasized the influence of phytic acid, rather than meat protein, in reducing urinary calcium. Twenty-one women, age 33±7 (20 to 42) y, consumed both weighed diets for 8 wk each in a cross-over design. Calcium balance was determined during the last 2 wk by inductively coupled argon plasma spectrophotometry. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian and nonvegetarian diets provided, respectively, (by analysis) 973 and 995mg calcium, 1457 and 1667mg phosphorus, and (by calculation) 12 and 16% protein energy, 40 and 16g dietary fiber, and 2.5 and 0.8mmol phytic acid. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian, compared to the nonvegetarian diet, reduced apparent calcium absorption (dietary calcium minus fecal calcium) (211 vs. 292mg/d, pooled SD=130, p
Application of A-C Techniques to the Study of Lithium Diffusion in Tungsten Trioxide Thin Films

The small signal a-c impedance of the cell Li]LiAsF6 (0.75M) in propylene carbonatel Lip V~O3 thin film on tin oxide covered glass substrate has been measured at room temperature as a function of frequency from 5  10 -4 Hz to 5 X l0 s Hz at various open-circuit voltages. The diffusion equations have been solved for the appropriate finite boundary conditions, and analysis of the impedance data by the complex plane method yields values for the chemical diffusion coefficient, the component diffusion coefficient, the partial ionic conductivity of lithium, and the thermodynamic enhancement factor for LiyWO3 as a function of y. The films of WO3 were prepared by vacuum evaporation and were largely amorphous to x-rays. The chemical diffusion coefficient has a value of 2.4  10 -12 cm2/sec at y _-- 0.1, increasing to 2.8 X 10 -11 cm2/sec at y ---- 0.26. At short times (t ~ 0.5 sec) the interracial charge transfer reaction is important, but at longer times the rate of lithium injection is determined by the diffusion kinetics.
Day Care Room Transitions for Toddlers: Recommendations for a Supportive Physical Environment

The physical setting can be used to facilitate room transitions for toddlers in day care centers. A case study approach is taken to provide specific examples of supportive physical features for toddler transitions. Recommendations that support the transition process are provided.
Automatic photometric restoration of historical photographic negatives

The majority of early photographs were captured on acetate-based film. However, it has been determined that these negatives will deteriorate beyond repair even with proper conservation and no suitable restoration method is available without physically altering each negative. In this paper, we present an automatic method to remove various nonlinear illumination distortions caused by deteriorating photographic support material. First, using a High-Dynamic Range structured-light scanning method, a 2D Gaussian model for light transmission is estimated for each pixel of the negative image. Estimated amplitude at each pixel provides an accurate model of light transmission, but also includes regions of lower transmission caused by damaged areas. Principal Component Analysis is then used to estimate the photometric error and effectively restore the original illumination information of the negative. Using both the shift in the Gaussian light stripes between pixels and their variations in standard deviation, a 3D surface estimate is calculated. Experiments of real historical negatives show promising results for widespread implementation in memory institutions.
Plutonium(IV) sorption by soluble anion-exchange polymers

Soluble anion-exchange polymers have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their ability to take up Pu(IV) from nitric acid solutions. These polymers, based on linear poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) are soluble in aqueous and strong acid solutions. Weak-base sites on the polymers are protonated under experimental conditions, and, in most cases, have been converted by alkylation to form mono- and bifunctional strong-base anion-exchange sites. Distribution of Pu(IV) onto these polymers was determined by comparing visible spectroscopic data in the presence and absence of the soluble polymer. Overall plutonium affinity for the anion-exchange sites in the soluble materials is found to be much lower than for comparable solid resins, but the distribution behavior follows similar trends in that bifunctionalized materials are superior to monofunctionalized and a five-atom “spacer” between the two cationic sites is superior to other spacer lengths.
VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 enhance ALL migration across brain microvascular endothelial cell monolayers.

Objective Infiltration of the central nervous system (CNS) by leukemia is a problematic disease manifestation of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The mechanisms by which leukocytes interact with human brain−derived microvasculature endothelial cells (HBMEC) and enter the CNS are largely derived from models of inflammation. However, our data indicate that ALL cells do not elicit an inflammatory phenotype by HBMEC. Our current investigation focuses on the contribution of the unique coexpression of vascular endothelial (VE)−cadherin and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule−1 (PECAM-1) by ALL in mediating leukemic cell interactions with HBMEC as an in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier. Materials and Methods Primary ALL and ALL cell lines were evaluated for VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 expression. Lentiviral-mediated transduction of VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 into REH cells and antibody neutralization of VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 in SUP-B15 cells was used to delineate the role of these two proteins in mediating ALL adhesion to, and migration through, HBMEC monolayers. Results Although cell line models indicate that VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 expression is found on the surface Philadelphia chromosome−positive ALL, evaluation of primary ALL demonstrates that VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 are expressed independent of Philadelphia status. Expression of VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 by ALL enhanced the adhesion of ALL to HBMEC, while expression of PECAM-1 enhanced ALL adhesion to, and migration through, HBMEC. Conclusions Expression of VE-cadherin and PECAM-1 by ALL cells positions them to interact with HBMEC. By increasing our understanding of molecular mechanisms through which ALL cells gain entry into the CNS, new strategies may be designed to prevent leukemia cell entry into the CNS.
Thermometer or sauna?: Performance measurement and democratic assistance in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

This article presents a case study of performance measurement in the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) democracy and governance program. Its purpose is to illustrate the juxtaposition (and sometimes contradiction) between the high standards of causal logic and accuracy required of performance measurement, and the untidiness involved in the ‘politics of democratization’. Based on USAID experiences in numerous countries, the article concentrates on four specific themes drawn mainly from the literature on re-engineering but also from new public administration. These are: the complexity of politics; the challenge of attribution; the danger of distortive incentives; and the interrelated questions of product and process and quantitative and qualitative measures. Problems of measurement are clearly complicated by the fact that the Agency does not deliver service directly, has limited control over its expenditures, and, in the case of democracy assistance, by the need to operate in a complex and sensitive area, across international borders and diverse political systems and cultures. The article includes a discussion of some innovative qualitatively-oriented USAID responses to these problems.
Association of gastroesophageal reflux and O2 desaturation: a novel study of simultaneous 24-h MII-pH and continuous pulse oximetry.

Proof of the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and respiratory symptoms remains a challenge. Our aim was to determine the association between reflux events and O2 desaturation in GERD patients with primary respiratory symptoms (RS) compared to those with primary esophageal symptoms (ES) using ambulatory monitoring systems. One thousand eight hundred fifty-one reflux episodes were detected by multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII)–pH testing in 30 patients with symptoms of GERD (20 RS, ten ES.) All patients underwent simultaneous 24-h MII–pH and continuous O2 saturation monitoring via pulse oximetry. Reflux-associated desaturation events were determined by correlating synchronized 24-h esophageal pH and/or impedance and O2 desaturation. One thousand one hundred seventeen reflux events occurred in patients with RS and 734 in those with ES. Nearly 60% of these 1,851 reflux events were associated with O2 desaturation. Markedly more events were associated with O2 desaturation in patients with RS (74.5%, 832/1,117) than in patients with ES (30.4%, 223/734, p < 0.0001). The difference in reflux desaturation association was more profound with proximal reflux—80.3% with RS vs. 29.4% with ES (p < 0.0001). A remarkably high prevalence of O2 desaturation associated with gastroesophageal reflux was noted in patients with RS. Given further study, simultaneous combined esophageal reflux and O2 saturation monitoring may prove a useful diagnostic tool in this difficult group of patients.
Identification of a Filamin Docking Site on PTP-PEST *

PTP-PEST is a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) implicated in the regulation of biological processes such as cell motility, cytokinesis, focal adhesion disassembly, and lymphocyte activation. Using a proteomics approach, filamin-A was identified as a novel interacting protein that bound to GST-PTP-PEST. This interaction was confirmed in vitro and in cells by coimmunoprecipitation. The site of filamin interaction on PTP-PEST was mapped to the fourth proline-rich region (Pro4). PTP-PEST has previously been implicated in the regulation of cytokinesis. In further support of this finding, expression of PTP-PEST in HeLa cells resulted in the formation of multinucleated cells. A PTP-PEST mutant lacking Pro4 and unable to bind filamin-A failed to induce the multinucleated phenotype. Further, depletion of filamin-A in HeLa cells was found to reduce the PTP-PEST-dependent multinucleation phenotype. Hence, we conclude that the interaction of PTP-PEST with filamin-A may function in the control of cytokinesis in mammalian cells.
Indentation of strained silicate-glass films on alumina substrates

The understanding of mechanical properties of thin films on substrates requires an understanding of the stresses in the film structures and a knowledge of mechanisms by which thin films deform. These stresses may compromise the performance of integrated circuits, magnetic media, etc. Similarly, in structural multiphase ceramics, the presence of residual and thermal stresses between the matrix and intergranular films is a common source of failure causing deformation and fracture. A variety of techniques and methods have been developed to study the effect of processing and testing conditions on the mechanical behavior of thin films. The technique introduced in the present paper offers a new method of studying residual stresses in thin films. It combines the approaches developed for a bimaterial bending test frequently used to measure interfacial fracture energies in a purely brittle ceramic system with the new developments in nanoindentation techniques. Emphasis is given to the stress-related effects that occur in brittle films on brittle substrates such as silicate-glass films on single-crystal alumina; changes are observed in both the surface morphologies and the indentation data.
The transport properties and defect chemistry of Na+, K+ and Ag+β″-aluminogallates

Abstract A series of Na+β″-aluminogallate crystals with gallium substitution for aluminum ranging from 30 to 52 at% was grown by flux evaporation. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that the structure is analogous to the rhombohedral Na+β″-alumina, and the a- and c-axis lattice parameters increase with increasing gallium content. Two-point ac impedance measurements indicate that the Na+β″-aluminogallates are fast ion conductors with conductivities equal to and slightly lower than that of Na+β″-alumina, 0.36 to 1.18 S/cm at 300°C, with comparable activation energies. Despite the increase in c-axis lattice parameter, the conductivities of the Na+ aluminogallates are actually somewhat lower as the c-parameter becomes larger. Conductivities of K+ and Ag+ ion exchanged crystals are also presented.
Opposed flow diffusion flame extensions

The Opposed Flow Diffusion Flame (OFDF) apparatus has been used for estimating the thermochemical properties of materials related to fire safety and for diffusion flame structure studies. Here the extension of the flame beyond the pyrolyzing fuel surface and the excess pyrolyzate are predicted. Since flame and stagnant plane locations may be sensitive to the usual Le=1 assumption, these additional predictions which are not so sensitive can provide useful estimates of fuel properties. Shvab-Zeldovich variables are used in analysis of steady, laminar, non-radiative, axisymmetric and Cartesian two-dimensional boundary layers. The thin diffusion flame lies within the boundary layer on the oxidant side of the stagnation plane. Much of the behavior of the velocity, enthalpy and species profiles is similar to the analogous free convection flame profiles. The results depend on five parameters; r, the mass consumption number; B, the mass transfer number; Dc, a dimensionless heat of combustion: ϑw, the fuel surface temperature; and Pr, the Prandtl number. The fuel pyrolysis rate is controlled primarily by B, while the flame extension is dominated by r and the flame temperature is influenced by Dc. In comparison with polymer experiments, care is required to insure that the apparatus satisfies the model assumptions and that radiative emission from the fuel surface is taken into account. Good aggreement is obtained between predicted and experimental flame extensions for polymethylmethacrylate.
Robust asset prices with bubbles

Abstract We generally establish equilibrium asset prices than can include price bubbles yet (a) be robust to truncations of the economy and (b) exclude trade in non-consumables, like money, stock certificates, or land deeds.
CIRCUITS, THE GROUPS OF RICHARD THOMPSON, AND coNP-COMPLETENESS

We construct a finitely presented group with coNP-complete word problem, and a finitely generated simple group with coNP-complete word problem. These groups are represented as Thompson groups, hence as partial transformation groups of strings. The proof provides a simulation of combinational circuits by elements of the Thompson–Higman group G3,1.
Searching for Continuous Gravitational Waves with Pulsar Timing Arrays: Detection and Characterization

Gravitational Waves (GWs) are tiny ripples in the fabric of space-time predicted by Einsteins theory of General Relativity. Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) offer a unique opportunity to detect low frequency GWs in the near future. Such a detection would be complementary to both LISA and LIGO GW efforts. In this frequency band, the expected source of GWs are Supermassive Black Hole Binaries (SMBHBs) and they will most likely form in an ensemble creating a stochastic GW background with the possibility of a few nearby/massive sources that will be individually resolvable. A direct detection of GWs will open a new window into the fields of astronomy and astrophysics by allowing us to constrain the coalescence rate of SMBHBs, providing further tests on the theory of General Relativity, and giving us access to properties of black holes not accessible by current astronomical techniques. Here we will discuss the development of a robust detection pipeline for single resolvable GW sources that is fully tailored to the unique aspects of PTA data analysis.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone-Regulated Expression of Serum/Glucocorticoid-Inducible Kinase in Rat Ovarian Granulosa Cells: A Functional Role for the Sp1 Family in Promoter Activity

Recently, a family of novel, serine/threonine protein kinases has been identified. One of these transcriptionally inducible, immediate-early genes encodes serum/glucocorticoid inducible-protein kinase, sgk. By in situ hybridization, we show that sgk expression in the rat ovary is selectively localized to granulosa cells. In culture, FSH or forskolin, activators of the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway, rapidly (2 h) and transiently increased sgk mRNA levels in undifferentiated granulosa cells. Sgk mRNA exhibited a biphasic expression pattern, with maximal levels observed at 48 h of FSH/forskolin as granulosa cells differentiate to the preovulatory phenotype. Deletion analyses using sgk promoter-reporter constructs (−4.0 kb to −35 bp) identified a region between −63 and− 43 bp that mediated FSH and forskolin-responsive transcription in undifferentiated and differentiated granulosa cells. This G/C-rich region 1) conferred both basal and inducible transcription to the minimal −35 sgk promoter chloramphenicol ac...
Statistical confirmation of indirect land use change in the Brazilian Amazon

Expansion of global demand for soy products and biofuel poses threats to food security and the environment. One environmental impact that has raised serious concerns is loss of Amazonian forest through indirect land use change (ILUC), whereby mechanized agriculture encroaches on existing pastures, displacing them to the frontier. This phenomenon has been hypothesized by many researchers and projected on the basis of simulation for the Amazonian forests of Brazil. It has not yet been measured statistically, owing to conceptual difficulties in linking distal land cover drivers to the point of impact. The present article overcomes this impasse with a spatial regression model capable of linking the expansion of mechanized agriculture in settled agricultural areas to pasture conversions on distant, forest frontiers. In an application for a recent period (2003‐2008), the model demonstrates that ILUC is significant and of considerable magnitude. Specifically, a 10% reduction of soy in old pasture areas would have decreased deforestation by as much as 40% in heavily forested counties of the Brazilian Amazon. Evidently, the voluntary moratorium on primary forest conversions by Brazilian soy farmers has failed to stop the deforestation effects of expanding soy production. Thus, environmental policy in Brazil must pay attention to ILUC, which can complicate efforts to achieve its REDD targets.
Testing for Colon Neoplasia Susceptibility Variants at the Human COX2 Locus

BACKGROUND Siblings and other first-degree relatives of patients with "sporadic" (i.e., apparently nonfamilial) colorectal cancer or precursor adenomatous colon polyps have an increased risk of developing colon neoplasia. This observation suggests the presence of inherited genetic determinants for sporadic colon neoplasia. Mice homozygous for a null cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) (also called PTGS2) allele have a dramatically reduced susceptibility to the development of intestinal adenomas. In humans, use of pharmacologic inhibitors of COX2 enzyme activity are associated with reduced risk of colon neoplasia. This study examined whether the human COX2 locus may be linked to colon neoplasia in humans. METHODS We used the affected sibling-pair method to test for linkage of the human COX2 locus to colon neoplasia. RESULTS We examined 74 concordantly affected sibling pairs from 46 sibships with colon neoplasia. One hundred five siblings from these sibships were diagnosed with either colorectal cancer or colon adenomatous polyps before age 65 years. No linkage between COX2 and colon neoplasia was found by use of a multipoint model-free linkage analysis (estimate of allele sharing was 0.44; standard error = +/-0.04; 95% confidence interval = 0.36 to 0.52). Moreover, even allowing for heterogeneity, the potential that a COX2 colon neoplasia susceptibility variant was present within a substantial subset of these sibships was strongly excluded under either a recessive or a dominant inheritance model (95% confidence to exclude a model in which 2.7% or more of the sibling pairs harbor a dominant susceptibility allele). CONCLUSIONS This study of concordantly affected sibling pairs thus demonstrates that variations in the COX2 gene are unlikely to be a source of individual susceptibility to colon neoplasia in humans.
Psychological Perspectives on the Stigmatization of Italian Americans in the American Media

SUMMARY A central sociopolitical and psychological problem confronting Italian Americans in the United States today is the media's relentless stereotyping of Italian Americans as criminals who are in some way connected to Mafiosi. These negative representations are controlling images because they are created and perpetuated by dominant social institutions to make the ethnic treatment of Italian Americans seem natural and normative. Stereotypes of Italian Americans have strong negative connotations that reflect the history of this identity group in the United States and in Italy. These historically based negative stereotypes underlie representations of Italian Americans in the print and entertainment media today. Such negative representations continue to disfigure and misrepresent Italian Americans in American society. There is now significant cross-disciplinary evidence that Italian Americans have occupied an ambiguous identity in American society as stigmatized marginalized whites.1 Unfortunately, resear...
Risk of perforation from a colonoscopy in adults: a large population-based study

Background Previous studies that reported the incidence of perforation from a colonoscopy are limited by small sample sizes, restricted age groups, or single-center data. Objective To determine the incidence and risk factors of colonic perforation from a colonoscopy in a large population cohort. Design Retrospective, population-based, cohort study, followed by a nested case-control study. Setting California Medicaid program claims database. Patients A total of 277,434 patients (aged 18 years and older) who underwent a colonoscopy during 1995 to 2005, age, sex, and time matched to 4 unique general-population controls. Main Outcome Measurements Perforation incidence in the 7 days after colonoscopy (or matched index date for controls) with odds ratio (OR); multivariate logistic regression to calculate adjusted ORs for subsequent analysis of risk factors. Results A total of 228 perforations were diagnosed after 277,434 colonoscopies, which corresponded to a cumulative 7-day incidence of 0.082%. The OR of getting a perforation from a colonoscopy compared with matched controls (n = 1,072,723) who did not undergo a colonoscopy was 27.6 (95% CI, 19.04-39.92), P Limitations Validity of coding and capturing of all perforation diagnoses may possibly be deficient. Conclusion The risk of perforation from a colonoscopy is low, but, despite increased experience with the procedure, it remains unchanged over time.
Age-dependent evolution of the yeast protein interaction network suggests a limited role of gene duplication and divergence.

Proteins interact in complex protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks whose topological properties—such as scale-free topology, hierarchical modularity, and dissortativity—have suggested models of network evolution. Currently preferred models invoke preferential attachment or gene duplication and divergence to produce networks whose topology matches that observed for real PPIs, thus supporting these as likely models for network evolution. Here, we show that the interaction density and homodimeric frequency are highly protein age–dependent in real PPI networks in a manner which does not agree with these canonical models. In light of these results, we propose an alternative stochastic model, which adds each protein sequentially to a growing network in a manner analogous to protein crystal growth (CG) in solution. The key ideas are (1) interaction probability increases with availability of unoccupied interaction surface, thus following an anti-preferential attachment rule, (2) as a network grows, highly connected sub-networks emerge into protein modules or complexes, and (3) once a new protein is committed to a module, further connections tend to be localized within that module. The CG model produces PPI networks consistent in both topology and age distributions with real PPI networks and is well supported by the spatial arrangement of protein complexes of known 3-D structure, suggesting a plausible physical mechanism for network evolution.
DNA gyrase activities from Rhodobacter capsulatus: analysis of target(s) of coumarins and cloning of the gyrB locus

Bacterial DNA gyrase is composed of two subunits gyrase A and B, and is responsible for negatively supercoiling DNA in an ATP-dependent manner. The coumarin antibiotics novobiocin and coumermycin are known inhibitors of bacterial DNA gyrase in vivo and in vitro. We have cloned, mapped, and partially sequenced Rhodobacter capsulatus gyrB which encodes the gyrase B subunit that is presumably involved in binding to coumarins. DNA gyrase activities from crude extracts of R. capsulatus were detected and it was shown that the R. capsulatus activity is (1) inhibited by novobiocin and coumermycin, (2) ATP-dependent and, (3) present in highly aerated and anaerobically grown cells. We previously observed that when R. capsulatus coumermycin-resistant strains are continuously recultured on media containing coumermycin they sometimes acquired mutations in hel genes (i.e., cytochromes c biogenesis mutations). We discuss the possibility that coumarins may inhibit cytochromes c biogenesis as a second target in R. capsulatus via hel (i.e., a putative ATP-dependent heme exporter).