cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytical period-3 motions to chaos in a hardening Duffing oscillator

In this paper, bifurcation trees of period-3 motions to chaos in the periodically forced, hardening Duffing oscillator are investigated analytically. Analytical solutions for period-3 and period-6 motions are used for the bifurcation trees of period-3 motions to chaos. Such bifurcation trees are based on the Hopf bifurcations of asymmetric period-3 motions. In addition, an independent symmetric period-3 motion without imbedding in chaos is discovered, and such a symmetric period-3 motion possesses saddle-node bifurcations only. The switching of symmetric to asymmetric period-3 motions is completed through saddle-node bifurcations, and the onset of asymmetric period-6 motions occurs at the Hopf bifurcations of asymmetric period-3 motions. Continuously, the onset of period-12 motions is at the Hopf bifurcation of asymmetric period-6 motions. With such bifurcation trees, the chaotic motions relative to asymmetric period-3 motions can be determined analytically. This investigation provides a systematic way to study analytical dynamics of chaos relative to period-m motions in nonlinear dynamical systems.
Real-space quantum renormalization group and Anderson localization.

We discuss the application of a quantum real-space renormalization-group approach to the Anderson-localization problem. States obtained by applying combinations of fixed and free boundary conditions to the system are used as a truncated basis at each iteration. We discuss the problem of intruder states, which occurs when the renormalization-group procedure is used to find states at the center of the band; we also discuss some possible solutions. We present numerical results for the conductance, the localization length, and the scaling function for the Anderson-localization problem in one dimension.
Impact of brief exercise on peripheral blood NK cell gene and microRNA expression in young adults.

Natural killers (NK) cells are unique innate immune cells that increase up to fivefold in the circulating blood with brief exercise and are known to play a key role in first-response defense against pathogens and cancer immunosurveillance. Whether exercise alters NK cell gene and microRNA (miRNA) expression is not known. Thirteen healthy men (20–29 yr old) performed ten 2-min bouts of cycle ergometer exercise at a constant work equivalent to an average of 77% of maximum O2 consumption interspersed with 1-min rest. Blood was drawn before and immediately after the exercise challenge. NK cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells using a negative magnetic cell separation method. We used Affymetrix U133+2.0 arrays for gene expression and Agilent Human miRNA V2 Microarray for miRNAs. A stringent statistical approach (false discovery rate < 0.05) was used to determine that exercise significantly altered the expression of 986 genes and 23 miRNAs. Using in silico analysis, we found exercise-related gene pathways where there was a high likelihood of gene-miRNA interactions. These pathways were predominantly associated with cancer and cell communication, including p53 signaling pathway, melanoma, glioma, prostate cancer, adherens junction, and focal adhesion. These data support the hypothesis that exercise affects the gene and miRNA expression pattern in the population of NK cells in the circulation and suggest mechanisms through which physical activity could alter health through the innate immune system.
Mate switching as a function of mate quality in convict cichlids, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum.

We examined mate switching between mated pairs of monogamous convict cichlids as a function of mate quality (size). A mated pair was established in each half of a 284-litre aquarium, an opaque partition separating the two pairs. When the partition was removed, mis-assorted pairs (large males with small females competing with small males with large females) re-sorted themselves such that the larger male and the larger female paired with each other 46% of the time. In contrast, when we exposed initially assorted pairs to each other, large pairs remained intact most of the time and dominated smaller pairs. The pair containing the large male, whether re-sorted or intact, dominated over the other pair and was the only one seen to spawn. Re-sortment resulted both from a preference of males for larger females and of females for larger males, and from the ability of larger individuals to displace their smaller consexual. Small females, however, when paired with a large male, often dominated large females and prevented the large female from mating with the large male. Re-sortment was also influenced by the compatibility of large individuals in their initial pairing situation. Large individuals that had been more compatible with their initial mates were less likely to switch mates. Our results support both the better-option and the incompatibility hypotheses of mate-switching. The availability of more than one breeding site in the aquarium had no effect on the frequency of re-sortment.
Nasal Obstruction and Epistaxis

A preteen boy presented with a 1-year history of right-sided nasal obstruction and a 4-day history of intermittent right-sided epistaxis following blunt trauma to the nose. The epistaxis occurred 3 to 4 times a day and resolved with pressure. He did not have facial pain, facial paresthesia, or visual changes. There was no family or personal history of bleeding disorders. Nasal endoscopy revealed a large, well-vascularized, polypoid mass filling the right anterior nasal cavity. A computed tomographic scan showed a right nasal cavity mass (4.5 × 1.7 cm) extending to the posterior choana with opacification and bony remodeling of the right maxillary sinus. The mass had heterogeneous intermediate signal intensity on T2-weightedmagnetic resonance imaging (Figure, A). The patient was taken to the operating room for biopsy and possible excision of the nasal mass. As the lesion was biopsied, there was brisk bleeding. However, the lesion was found to have a narrow pedicle of attachment and was resected in its entirety. The mass was based on the superior aspect of the nasal septum and cribriform plate. Hematoxylin-eosin stain showed a sheet-like proliferation of epithelioid and polygonal cells with pale eosinophilic granular cytoplasm and relatively uniform vesicular nuclei (Figure, B). The cells were arranged in nests. Branching, staghorn-like blood vessels were scattered throughout the tumor. The tumor cells stained positive for smooth muscle actin (Figure, C), muscle specific actin, Bcl-2, INI-1, and transcription factor E3 (Figure, D). A B
Erratum to: Individual and Contextual Effects of School Adjustment on Adolescent Alcohol Use

Erratum to: Prev Sci (2009) 10:236–247DOI 10.1007/s11121-009-0124-2The original version of this article unfortunately containedtwo typographical errors. The first occurs on page 241, thefinal sentence in the first paragraph of the second column.The sentence should read: We calculated the within-schooland between-school R
Anxiety disorders in advanced cancer patients: correlates and predictors of end-of-life outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The authors explored associations between anxiety disorders and advanced cancer patients' physical performance status, physician-patient relationships, end-of-life (EOL) treatment preferences and outcomes, and quality of death. METHODS: The Coping with Cancer study was a National Cancer Institute/National Institute of Mental Health-sponsored, prospective, longitudinal, multicenter cohort study of patients with advanced cancer. Six hundred thirty-five patients completed the anxiety disorders module of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV. The results were compared with patients' baseline physical performance status, treatment preferences, perceptions of the physician-patient relationship, and advance care planning (ACP). RESULTS: Approximately 7.6% of patients met criteria for an anxiety disorder. Patients who were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder were more likely to be women and younger and to have a worse physical performance status. Although there were no significant differences in patients' EOL treatment preferences or care, ACP, hospice enrollment, or patients' location of death, there were significant differences in how patients with anxiety disorders perceived the physician-patient relationship. Patients with anxiety disorders had less trust in their physicians, felt less comfortable asking questions about their health, and felt less likely to understand the clinical information that their physicians presented. They also were more likely to believe that their physicians would offer them futile therapies and would not adequately control their symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Women, patients who were more physically impaired, and younger patients with advanced cancer were more likely to meet criteria for an anxiety disorder. Patients with advanced cancer who had an anxiety disorder were more likely to experience greater challenges to the physician-patient relationship. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Single Molecule Evidence for Long Range Interactions During Commitment Complex Formation

The spliceosome is a multimegadalton ribonucleoprotein (RNP) consisting of five small nuclear RNPs (snRNPS) that assemble on precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) in an ordered, dynamic pathway to remove introns. Commitment complex (CC) is the earliest stage of spliceosome assembly and is composed of pre-mRNA, the U1 snRNP, the branchpoint bridging protein (BBP)/mud2 heterodimer, and the cap binding complex (CBC). During CC formation U1 recognizes a short conserved sequence that identifies the 5’ end of the intron known the 5’ splice site (5′SS) through snRNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions. The U1/5′SS interaction is thought to be additionally stabilized by interactions with the CBC and BBP/mud2; however, the quantitative contribution of each participant is not well understood. Here we use Colocalization Single Molecule Spectroscopy (CoSMoS) to monitor the interaction between fluorescently labeled U1 and pre-mRNA. By selectively disrupting individual CC interactions and monitoring the stability of the U1/5′SS complex we have been able to quantify the contributions from individual CC components. Our results provide the first description of how cross-intron interactions formed between the U1 snRNP and other CC components impact the kinetics of the U1/5′SS interaction. Furthermore, our single molecule results provide kinetic evidence for the synergy between the CBC, BBP/Mud2, and the U1 snRNP: long-lived U1/5′SS association requires the presence of either CBC or BBP/Mud2 even though each individually only makes minor contributions. This is in agreement with a “buffering” model obtained using yeast genetics by Schwer et al. for CC interactions. Finally, we have used this system to dissect the roles of snRNP proteins and the snRNA in U1/5′SS association. Our data is consistent with a multi-step pathway for U1 recruitment to the pre-mRNA that may rely on CC components to efficiently trigger stable U1 binding.
Troponin, B-type natriuretic peptides and outcomes in severe heart failure: differences between ischemic and dilated cardiomyopathies.

Background Ischemic (ISCM) and idiopathic dilated (IDCM) cardiomyopathies have different responses to therapy and outcomes. Both may demonstrate elevations in troponin and B-type natriuretic peptides, but biomarker levels have not been reported to differ as a function of the etiology of heart failure (HF). Accordingly, we compared these biomarkers in patients with chronic HF. Hypothesis Biomarker levels of troponin T, troponin I, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are quantitatively different between ischemic and idiopathic dilated etiologies of chronic HF. Methods Forty patients (27 male, 68 ± 2 years; LVEF 25 ± 1%; NYHA Class III–IV) admitted to hospital for acute HF were studied. Biomarkers were drawn at admission prior to treatment intervention. Results Of the 40 patients, 27 had ISCM and 13 IDCM. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar with the exception of GFR. cTnT, cTnI, and BNP levels were higher in ISCM patients (cTnT: 0.373 ± 0.145 vs. 0.064 ± 0.016 ng/mL, p < 0.05; cTnI: 2.02 ± 0.76 vs. 0.21 ± 0.11 ng/mL, p < 0.05; BNP: 776 ± 91 vs. 532 ± 85 pg/mL, p < 0.05). Cardiovascular mortality during follow up (10 ± 1 months) was 48% in patients with ISCM and 23% with IDCM (p < 0.05). Conclusions Patients with acutely decompensated chronic HF have elevations in troponin and BNP. These elevations, as well as mortality are significantly higher in patients with ISCM compared to IDCM. The differential levels in biomarkers may be due to differences in disease pathogenesis, and fit with the adverse prognosis in these patients. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Depressed renal and vascular nitric oxide synthase expression in cyclosporine-induced hypertension

Depressed renal and vascular nitric oxide synthase expression in cyclosporine-induced hypertension. Background. Introduction of cyclosporine (CsA) for clinical use has greatly enhanced the outcome of organ transplantation. However, CsA can cause nephrotoxicity and hypertension (HTN). This study was designed to test the hypothesis that CsA-induced HTN is related to depressed nitric oxide (NO) production. Methods. Urinary excretion of NO metabolites (NOx) and endothelial and inducible NO synthase (eNOS and iNOS) pro- teins were determined in thoracic aortas and kidneys of CsA- treated (given CsA 18 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks) and placebo-treated rats. In addition, renal tissue eNOS and iNOS mRNA and aorta iNOS activity were measured. Results. CsA administration resulted in a significant rise in arterial blood pressure (BP) coupled with a steady decline in urinary NOx excretion, suggesting depressed NO production. This was accompanied by a significant reduction in iNOS protein abundance in the kidney and thoracic aorta but no change in eNOS protein abundance. The fall in renal iNOS protein in CsA-treated rats was accompanied by a parallel decline in iNOS mRNA abundance and enzymatic activity. Conclusion. Administration of CsA for three weeks resulted in a significant rise in BP together with marked reductions in urinary NOx excretion, and renal and vascular iNOS expression. These observations suggest that CsA-induced HTN may be, in part, related to impaired NO production. If true, strategies designed to restore NO availability may mitigate HTN and other vascular complications of CsA therapy.
INHIBITION OF THE GENERALIZED SHWARTZMAN REACTION IN THE PREGNANT GOLDEN HAMSTER BY ORAL STREPTOKINASE.

Abstract The generalized Shwartzman reaction developed in pregnant hamsters following single intraperitoneal doses of colchicine. In the present study we were able to confirm the simplicity and reproducibility of Galton's method for provoking disseminated renal glomerular capillary thrombosis and cortical necrosis in the hamster. It is of further interest that, in this study, oral doses of streptokinase appeared to inhibit the colchicine induced Shwartzman reaction.
Efficient 3-D range searching in external memory

We present a new approach to designing data structures for the important problem of externalmemory range searching in two and three dimensions. We construct data structures for answering range queries in O ( (log log log~ N) logB N + K/B) 1/0 operations, where N is the number of points in the data structure, B is the 1/0 block size, and K is the number of points in the answer to the query. We base our data structures on the novel concept of B-approximate boundaries, which are manifolds that partition space into regions based on the output size of queries at points within the space. Our data structures answer a longstanding open problem by providing three dimensional results comparable to those provided by [8, 10] for the two dimensional case, though completely new techniques are used. Ours is the first 3-D range search data structure that simultaneously achieves both a base-B logarithmic search overhead (namely, (log log log~ N) logB N) and a fully blocked output component (namely, K/B). This gives us an *Supported in part by the U.S. Army Research Office under grant DAAH04–93–G–O076 and by the National Science Foundation under grant DMR–9217290. Portions of this work were conducted while visiting the University of Michigan. +Supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant CCR–9522047, and by the U.S. Army Research Office under grant DAAH04-93-G-O076. Permission to make digitellhard copies of all or pan of thk material for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage, the copyright notice, the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice ia given that copyright ia by permission of the ACM, Inc. To copy olherwiae, to reoublish. to ooat on servers or to radktribute to tists, requiraa specific perrsr fee. STOC’96, Philadelphia PA, USA 01996 ACM ()-89791-785-5/96/05. .$3.50 Jeffrey Scott Vittert Duke University
Longitudinal follow-up of depressive symptoms among normal versus cognitively impaired elderly.

Objectives This prospectively designed longitudinal study assesses prevalence, incidence and prognosis of depressive symptoms among cognitively normal elderly volunteers compared with patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT), and vascular dementia (VAD). Possible relationships between depressive symptoms, cognitive performance, disease types, and effects of antidepressant treatment were analyzed. Methods Two hundred and ninety four subjects exhibiting different levels of cognitive performance were admitted to this study. Demographics, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative risk factors, together with measures of neuropsychological test performance, were obtained at sequential visits. Depressive symptoms were selectively treated with antidepressant medications. Results One hundred and forty six subjects with normal cognition, 19 subjects with MCI, 42 patients with DAT, and 32 patients with VAD were followed for a mean of 3.5 years. With the passage of time, there were trends showing prevalence of depressive symptoms to decrease among DAT and to increase among VAD patients. VAD patients exhibited the highest incidences of new-onset depressive symptoms, followed in incidence by DAT and MCI groups. Depressive symptoms among VAD and MCI patients were more persistent and refractory to antidepressant medications than for DAT patients. Trends suggested that antidepressant treatment might benefit MCI and VAD subjects more than DAT patients. Motivationally related depressive symptoms accounted for major components of elevated Hamilton depression rating scale scores. Conclusions Depressive symptoms among DAT patients have higher rates of spontaneous resolution, without requiring intensive drug treatment, than among VAD patients in whom depressive symptoms are more persistent and refractory to drug treatment. Early depressive symptoms among subjects with MCI may represent a preclinical sign and should be considered as a risk factor for impending DAT or VAD among the elderly. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MODULATION OF CAFFEINE CONTRACTURES IN MAMMALIAN SKELETAL MUSCLES BY VARIATION OF EXTRACELLULAR POTASSIUM

Caffeine contractures were induced after K(+)-conditioning of skeletal muscles from pigs and mice. K(+)-conditioning is defined as the partial depolarization caused by increasing external potassium (K+0) with [K+]x[Cl-] constant. Conditioning depolarizations that rendered muscles refractory to brief electrical stimulation still enhanced the contracture tension elicited by subsequent direct caffeine stimulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium release. The effects of K(+)-conditioning on caffeine-induced contractures of intact cell bundles reached a maximum at 15-30 mM K+0 and then progressively declined at higher [K+]0. Conditioning with 30 mM K+ for 5 min, which inactivates excitation-contraction (EC) coupling in response to action potentials, both increased the magnitude of caffeine contractures 2-10-fold and shifted the contracture threshold toward lower caffeine concentrations. Enhanced sensitivity to caffeine was inhibited by dantrolene (20 microM) and its watersoluble analogue azumolene (150 microM). These drugs decreased caffeine-induced contractures following depolarization with 4-15 mM K+ to 25-50% of control tension. The inorganic anion perchlorate (CIO-4), which like caffeine potentiates twitches, increased caffeine-induced contractures approximately twofold after K(+)-conditioning (> 4 mM). The results suggest that CIO-4 and dantrolene, in addition to caffeine, also influence SR calcium release either directly or by mechanism(s) subsequent to depolarization of the sarcolemma. Moreover, since CIO-4 is known to shift the voltage-dependence of intramembrane charge movement, CIO-4 may exert effects on the transverse-tubule voltage sensors as well as the SR.
WE-C-BRB-12: Comprehensive Image-Based Dosimetric Analysis of Alpha Particle Dose in Bone Marrow

Purpose: In this study, a comprehensive analysis of alpha particle dose to bone marrow was developed. Using autopsy spongiosa samples and an in house Monte Carlo program, dosimetry data was calculated for macroscopic dosimetry (MIRD schema) to microdosimetric methods. This investigation provides a uniform comparison of these different methodologies. Methods: Autopsy samples of spongiosa from two bone sites (iliac crest and vertebrae) were sectioned and immunohistochemically stained (anti‐CD34) to identify hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). Digitized 2‐dimensional image was segmented based on pixel intensity to differentiate between bone trabeculae, red bone marrow and adipocytes. Individual HSPC were also identified. The processed image was used as input for an alpha‐particle Monte Carlo radiation transport program where dosimetric data was calculated for absorbed fractions, hit probabilities and z‐values. Results: Energies of 0.5‐10 MeV were investigated. Source distributions (bone, fat, red bone marrow and bone surface) of alpha particles were obtained. Absorbed fraction of each tissue region and HSPC were obtained. Probability of receiving hit of alpha particles of HSPC and nucleus were also calculated. Data for each source and target combination indicated significant dose differences to the HSPC depending on the methodology used to calculate the final dose estimate. Conclusions: Results of this study indicate the discrepancy between macroscopic and microscopic dose methods. While the microscopic methods provide a more detailed assessment of HSPC dosing they lack clinical utility. Additional work is required to bridge these two dosimetric spatial domains before bone marrow dose calculations may be clinically implemented.
Evaluation of Kaufman, Ishikuma, and Kaufman-Packer's Short Forms for Use with Psychiatric African American Children

Three short forms of the WAIS-R, a dyad, triad, and tetrad suggested by Kaufman, Ishikuma, and Kaufman-Packer (1991), were adapted for the WISCIII and evaluated for a group of 137 6- to 16-year-old African American psychiatric inpatients. These short forms were also compared with a dyad and a tetrad suggested by Silverstein (1982) for the WAIS-R and by Kaufman (1976) for the WISCR. Kaufman et al's (1991) tetrad, which consists of Similarities, Arithmetic, Picture Completion, and Coding (the WISCIII analog of Digit Span), was judged superior, based on its brief administration time, ease of scoring, reliability, and predictive accuracy. The advisability of administering certain subtest combinations to African American children is questioned and discussed.
Two synthetic phosphonate analogs of lecithin

The diether-phosphonate lecithin analog DL-2-hexadecoxy-3-octadecoxypropyl-phosphonylcholine was prepared in 55% overall yield by reaction of 2-hexadecoxy-3-octadecoxypropylphosphonic acid with choline iodide andp-toluenesulfonyl chloride, and purified chromatographically.
Au-catalyst-free epitaxy of InAs nanowires

Abstract Semiconducting nanowires have been intensively studied in order to exploit unique optical and electrical properties that develop at the nano-scale. Commonly, nanowires are produced using Au nanoparticles (∼50 nm diameter) as seed particles on the surface applied prior to epitaxy. The Au particle acts as a preferred nucleation site for nanowire growth. This report demonstrates InAs nanowire epitaxy on GaAs(1 0 0) and GaAs(1 1 1) substrates without the use of Au nanoparticles. InAs nanowires are formed by using in-situ generated metallic droplets via decomposition of the metalorganic source during OMVPE. The InAs nanowires grow preferentially in the [1 1 1] direction, although evidence of [1 0 0] growth is observed. InAs nanowires in excess of 0.5 μm in length have been observed on GaAs(1 0 0) substrates. The effect of OMVPE conditions such as substrate orientation, V/III ratio, and growth temperature on the InAs nanowire structure is described.
Selective inhibitors of methyl parathion-resistant acetylcholinesterase from Heliothis virescens

Abstract Acetylcholinesterase activity from the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens, was 22-fold less sensitive to inhibition by methyl paraoxon in larvae or adults of a methyl parathion-resistant Woodrow strain when compared to a susceptible, Florence strain. Resistant acetylcholinesterase was also less sensitive to the closely related structural analogues fenitrooxon and ethyl paraoxon, and to the N-methyl carbamates eserine, propoxur, and methomyl. Methyl paraoxon-resistant acetylcholinesterase was selectively inhibited by the nonanalogous organophosphate inhibitors monocrotophos and dicrotophos. This enzyme was also sensitive to 4-nitrophenyl di-2-thienylphosphinate, 4-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphinate, and N-n-propyl 1-naphthylcarbamate. Individual adult tobacco budworms were diagnosed as SS, RS, or RR genotypes by clusters formed in scatterplots contrasting pairs of inhibitors. Methyl paraoxon-resistant preparations were more active toward both acetylthiocholine and butyrylthiocholine substrates and were not inhibited by high substate concentrations. Inhibition results suggest that there has been a qualitative change in the resistant acetylcholinesterase producing greater sensitivity to certain inhibitors. The resistant strain may also possess a greater quantity of enzyme; however, this is not clear due to substrate inhibition in the susceptible strain and apparent substrate activation in the resistant strain.
More on the Fragility of Performance: Choking Under Pressure in Mathematical Problem Solving

In 3 experiments, the authors examined mathematical problem solving performance under pressure. In Experiment 1, pressure harmed performance on only unpracticed problems with heavy working memory demands. In Experiment 2, such high-demand problems were practiced until their answers were directly retrieved from memory. This eliminated choking under pressure. Experiment 3 dissociated practice on particular problems from practice on the solution algorithm by imposing a high-pressure test on problems practiced 1, 2, or 50 times each. Infrequently practiced high-demand problems were still performed poorly under pressure, whereas problems practiced 50 times each were not. These findings support distraction theories of choking in math, which contrasts with considerable evidence for explicit monitoring theories of choking in sensorimotor skills. This contrast suggests a skill taxonomy based on real-time control structures.
A selective attenuation feedback mechanism for rate oscillation avoidance

We have studied the delay-related rate oscillation within Diffserv. The rate oscillation can come from large round trip latency. Enforcing low feedback overhead can also cause the rate oscillation. The Selective Attenuation Feedback via Estimation (SAFE) is proposed to reduce the oscillation while maintaining fast response to network dynamics. SAFE has no per-flow accounting. Furthermore, the hashing technique is adopted to keep the operating overhead of SAFE to its minimum. System analysis supports the effectiveness of SAFE. Simulation result also shows that SAFE significantly reduces rate oscillation, therefore achieves high link utilization and small queue size while maintaining very low control overhead.
A chemical/microwave technique for the measurement of bulk minority carrier lifetime in silicon wafers

A chemical/microwave technique for the measurement of bulk minority carrier lifetime in silicon wafers is described. This method consists of a wet chemical treatment (surface cleaning, oxidation in solution, and measurement in HF solution) to passivate the silicon surfaces, a laser diode array for carrier excitation, and a microwave bridge measuring system which is more sensitive than the microwave systems used previously for lifetime measurement. Representative experimental data are presented to demonstrate this technique. The result reveals that this method is useful for the determination of bulk lifetime of commercial silicon wafers.
Sensory Biology: How the Nose Knows

Sensory information is encoded as patterns of synaptic activity. Recent evidence suggests that differential synaptic release and use of postsynaptic glutamate receptors is critical for encoding information from polymodal neurons.
the crucible of cultural politics: reworking "development" in Zimbabwe's eastern highlands

dispel any misconceptions, he pointedly announced that the chief had no authority to allocate land in Kaerezi since it was state property administered by government officials. I lived with one of the affected families inside the resettlement scheme but outside the planned residential grids-an anthropologist among squatters. A group of Kaerezians had asked me to help them articulate alternatives to the state land use plan, and the District Administrator was initially receptive to the idea. But over the course of numerous meetings in his office, he defended the ecological benefits of resettlement policy with crisp scientific rhetoric honed at Syracuse University where he had majored in molecular biology. As he spoke to the gathering, I feared he might employ what he once described as government's "necessary coercive mechanisms" to enforce state policy. Recent evictions of squatters from a nearby state forest, the burnt rubble of huts freshly inscribed on the landscape, and the presence of armed police made tangible the sting of state power. The resulting camp of displaced squatters huddled under Red Cross tents was a prominent landmark along the rural bus route servicing Kaerezi. Alluding to the torched
Oxidation behavior of the aligned lamellar eutectic alloy Ni3Al-Ni3Nb

The oxidation behavior of the directionally aligned Ni3Al-Ni3Nb lamellar eutectic alloy has been examined as a function of lamellar spacing for two interlamellar spacings (1.7 and 3.3μ) in the temperature range from 600 to 1155°C. At the low and high temperatures examined, 600 and 1155°C, no dependency of the oxidation behavior on the interlamellar spacing is observed. However, in the intermediate temperature regime, 800 and 990°C, such a dependency is seen, with the finer spacing structure oxidizing more rapidly at 800°C and more slowly at 990°C. The oxide scale formed on these alloys is very complex and varies markedly as a function of oxidation temperature. The structure of the oxidized aligned samples and their thermogravimetric behavior during oxidation differ from the behavior reported for the cast alloys.
The synthesis and characterization of mono- and dinuclear cobaloxime-seleno-cyanate complexes☆

Abstract Complexes of the type trans -[Co(dmgH) 2 (L)SeCN] and trans -[(L)Co(dmgH) 2 -SeCN-Co(dmgH) 2 SeCN] have been synthesized, by the reaction between trans -[Co(dmgH) 2 (L)Cl] and SeCN − in a variety of solvents (dmgH = monoanion of dimethylglyaxime and L = 4-acetylpyridine, triphenylphosphine, tri-n-butylphosphine, methyldiphenyphosphine, n-butyldiphenylphosphine, triphenytphosphite, tri-n-butylphosphite, tri-i-propylphosphite, trimethylphosphite). The formation of dinuclear complexes resulted from reactions carried out in solvents having low dielectric constants, while predominately mononuclear complexes resulted in solvents of high dielectric. All of the terminal SeCN − groups exhibit coordination via the selenium atom, regardless of the nature of L, both in the solid state and in solution A possible mechanism for the formation of the dinuclear complexes it presented. These results demonstrate symbiotic electronic control of the selenocyanate's bonding mode by the other ligands present in the coordination sphere, and are consistent with the considerable π-donor capability of the Se-bound selenocyanate, as reflected in its low position in the spectrochemical series.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Ten patients with pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee were treated in a double-blind cross-over study with two weeks of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and placebo. There was statistically significant pain relief by TENS and half of the patients chose to continue using TENS for pain control after the test month. However, at one year's follow-up, only two patients had sufficient benefit to continue using the device.
Enhancing therapeutic vaccination by blocking PD-1–mediated inhibitory signals during chronic infection

Therapeutic vaccination is a potentially promising strategy to enhance T cell immunity and viral control in chronically infected individuals. However, therapeutic vaccination approaches have fallen short of expectations, and effective boosting of antiviral T cell responses has not always been observed. One of the principal reasons for the limited success of therapeutic vaccination is that virus-specific T cells become functionally exhausted during chronic infections. We now provide a novel strategy for enhancing the efficacy of therapeutic vaccines. In this study, we show that blocking programmed death (PD)-1/PD-L1 inhibitory signals on exhausted CD8+ T cells, in combination with therapeutic vaccination, synergistically enhances functional CD8+ T cell responses and improves viral control in mice chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. This combinatorial therapeutic vaccination was effective even in the absence of CD4+ T cell help. Thus, our study defines a potent new approach to augment the efficacy of therapeutic vaccination by blocking negative signals. Such an approach may have broad applications in developing treatment strategies for chronic infections in general, and perhaps also for tumors.
The validity and reliability of the navicular fat stripe as a screening test for detection of navicular fractures

Study objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if the navicular fat stripe (NFS) is a valid and reliable screening tool in assessing potential navicular fractures. Design: Retrospective analysis. Setting: Minor trauma section of the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center emergency department. Type of participants: Study population included patients seen for wrist injury between January 1987 and December 1988. The individuals who interpreted the radiographs included eight observers with varying degrees of radiographic experience. Interventions: None Measurements and main results: The positive predictive value averaged 12% or 15% depending on how we counted a straight NFS, and the negative predictive value averaged 93% or 95%, again depending on how we counted a straight NFS. A straight NFS was ten times as likely to occur among normal wrists than among those with navicular fractures. Inter-observer reliability was found to be high with a Hoyt reliability coefficient of .79. Conclusions: An abnormal NFS is a poor predictor of a navicular fracture while both a straight and a normal NFS are good predictors of no navicular fracture. A normal NFS may allow less stringent treatment by the emergency physician. Extremes of radiographic experience were found to have no significant effect on NFS interpretation.
Torsion of the Uterine Adnexa: A Review

Abstract Torsion of the fallopian tube and ovary has an interesting and extensive history in the gynecologic literature. Frequent occurrence of this malady in children gives the topic added importance. Early diagnosis is made difficult by the symptoms, history, and physical findings that may be confusing and result in delayed initiation of a definitive therapy. Rapid and precise diagnosis of torsion is expected and necessary for early intervention to prevent loss of reproductive organs and function.
Glycated Collagen Decreased Endothelial Cell Fibronectin Alignment in Response to Cyclic Stretch Via Interruption of Actin Alignment

Hyperglycemia is a defining characteristic of diabetes, and uncontrolled blood glucose in diabetes is associated with accelerated cardiovascular disease. Chronic hyperglycemia glycates extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen, which can lead to endothelial cell dysfunction. In healthy conditions, endothelial cells respond to mechanical stimuli such as cyclic stretch (CS) by aligning their actin cytoskeleton. Other cell types, specifically fibroblasts, align their ECM in response to CS. We previously demonstrated that glycated collagen inhibits endothelial cell actin alignment in response to CS. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of glycated collagen on ECM remodeling and protein alignment in response to stretch. Porcine aortic endothelial cells (PAEC) seeded on native or glycated collagen coated elastic substrates were exposed to 10% CS. Cells on native collagen aligned subcellular fibronectin fibers in response to stretch, whereas cells on glycated collagen did not. The loss of fibronectin alignment was due to inhibited actin alignment in response to CS, since fibronectin alignment did not occur in cells on native collagen when actin alignment was inhibited with cytochalasin. Further, while ECM protein content did not change in cells on native or glycated collagen in response to CS, degradation activity decreased in cells on glycated collagen. Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and membrane-associated type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) protein levels decreased, and therefore MMP-2 activity also decreased. These MMP changes may relate to c-Jun N-terminal kinase (Jnk) phosphorylation inhibition with CS, which has previously been linked to focal adhesion kinase (FAK). These data demonstrate the importance of endothelial cell actin tension in remodeling and aligning matrix proteins in response to mechanical stimuli, which is critical to vascular remodeling in health and disease.
Delinquency and Abuse Among Juvenile Sexual Offenders

Background information obtained from 450 male juvenile sexual offenders and their families was examined to explore two important questions: Are juvenile sexual offenders referred for more serious offenses more likely to have a history of aggressiveness or delinquency? Are more serious sexual offenses committed by juveniles who themselves have previously been victims of abuse? The results did not indicate a strong association between the more serious referral sexual offenses and histories of aggressive or property-destructive behavior, but did confirm that the more serious offenses were committed by juveniles who had themselves been abused. Violence and abuse within offenders' families, even though not directly involving the offender himself, were also found to be associated with more serious offenses.
Vision-based Motion Detection for Safety Behavior Analysis in Construction

Workers’ unsafe actions are likely to result in injuries and are regarded as precursors of incidents. Behavior measurement can thus be used to evaluate safety performance and prevent serious accidents. However, the time-consuming task involved in field observation has made it difficult to monitor workers’ behavior on a jobsite. To address this limitation, this paper introduces vision-based motion capture techniques to detect unsafe actions in site videos. First, prior models representing unsafe actions are collected through experiments and used to identify similar actions in site videos. Then, 3D human skeleton models are extracted from these videos, and both these skeleton models and prior models are transformed onto the same space for motion detection. As a case study, motion data for actions during ladder-climbing are collected and tested. The result reveals that the proposed approach may work well for detecting particular actions with motion data.
THE BETA-BINOMIAL MODEL: ACCOUNTING FOR INTER-TRIAL VARIATION IN REPLICATED DIFFERENCE AND PREFERENCE TESTS

Binomial tests are commonly used in sensory difference and preference testing under the assumptions that choices are independent and choice probabilities do not vary from trial to trial. This paper addresses violations of the latter assumption (often referred to as overdispersion) and accounts for variation in inter-trial choice probabilities following the Beta distribution. Such variation could arise as a result of differences in test substrate from trial to trial, differences in sensory acuity among subjects or the existence of latent preference segments. In fact, it is likely that overdispersion occurs ubiquitously in product testing. Using the Binomial model for data in which there is inter-trial variation may lead to seriously misleading conclusions from a sensory difference or preference test. A simulation study in this paper based on product testing experience showed that when using a Binomial model for overdispersed Binomial data, Type I error may be 0.44 for a Binomial test specification corresponding to a level of 0.05. Underestimation of Type I error using the Binomial model may seriously undermine legal claims of product superiority in situations where overdispersion occurs. The Beta-Binomial (BB) model, an extension of the Binomial distribution, was developed to fit overdispersed Binomial data. Procedures for estimating and testing the parameters as well as testing for goodness of fit are discussed. Procedures for determining sample size and for calculating estimate precision and test power based on the BB model are given. Numerical examples and simulation results are also given in the paper. The BB model should improve the validity of sensory difference and preference testing.
The Ethical Complex of Corporate Food Power

In this paper I explore how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the popular media in Britain have been able to pressure Britain's top supermarkets to undertake ‘ethical’ reforms of their globa...
Brainstem pathology in DYT1 primary torsion dystonia

DYT1 dystonia is a severe form of young-onset dystonia caused by a mutation in the gene that encodes for the protein torsinA, which is thought to play a role in protein transport and degradation. We describe, for the first time to our knowledge, perinuclear inclusion bodies in the midbrain reticular formation and periaqueductal gray in four clinically documented and genetically confirmed DYT1 patients but not in controls. The inclusions were located within cholinergic and other neurons in the pedunculopontine nucleus, cuneiform nucleus, and griseum centrale mesencephali and stained positively for ubiquitin, torsinA, and the nuclear envelope protein lamin A/C. No evidence of inclusion body formation was detected in the substantia nigra pars compacta, striatum, hippocampus, or selected regions of the cerebral cortex. We also noted tau/ubiquitin-immunoreactive aggregates in pigmented neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta and locus coeruleus in all four DYT1 dystonia cases, but not in controls. This study supports the notion that DYT1 dystonia is associated with impaired protein handling and the nuclear envelope. The role of the pedunculopontine and cuneiform nuclei, and related brainstem brainstem structures, in mediating motor activity and controlling muscle tone suggests that alterations in these structures could underlie the pathophysiology of DYT1 dystonia [corrected]
Buffer sizing for clock power minimization subject to general skew constraints

In this paper, we investigate the problem of buffer sizing for clock power minimization subject to general skew constraints. A novel approach based on sequential linear programming is presented. By taking the first-order Taylor's expansion of clock path delay with respect to buffer widths, the original nonlinear problem is transformed to a sequence of linear programs, which incorporate clock skew scheduling and buffer sizing to minimize clock power dissipation. For each linear program, the sensitivities of clock path delay with respect to buffer widths are efficiently updated by applying time-domain analysis to the clock network in a divide-and-conquer fashion. Our approach can take process variations and power supply noise into account. We demonstrate experimentally that the proposed technique is not only capable of effectively reducing clock power consumption, but also able to provide more accurate delay and skew results compared to the traditional approach.
Trends of ambulatory sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

Background We sought to examine the trends in rates and demographics of ambulatory endoscopic and open sinus surgery for chronic sinusitis over a 7-year period in the state of California. Methods Patient records with Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for endoscopic or open sinus surgery, and diagnosis codes for chronic rhinosinusitis were extracted from the California Ambulatory Surgery Datasets from 2005 to 2011. Population-adjusted surgery rates were calculated as the number of surgeries per 100,000 California residents. Location of surgery was analyzed in 2 contexts: freestanding ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) vs any hospital setting, and academic (university medical centers) vs nonacademic centers (ASCs and non-university hospitals combined). Patients’ demographics were also examined. Results A total of 91,984 sinus surgeries were performed during 2005 to 2011. The overall population-adjusted surgery rate declined 24%, from 38.9 to 29.6 (p = 0.004). Although the rates for both endoscopic and open surgeries declined, the percentage of endoscopic procedures increased from 87.3% to 92.5% of all surgeries (p = 0.002). Over the studied period, there was an increase in the proportion of sinus surgeries performed in hospitals (73.2% to 91.3%; p = 0.01), in academic centers (5.9% to 10.1%; p = 65 years (14.7% to 17.8%; p = 0.003), and on non-Caucasians (10.3% to 16.9%; p < 0.001). Gender distribution remained unchanged (51% male; p = 0.25). Conclusion The overall rate of ambulatory sinus surgery in California declined over the study period. A shift from open to endoscopic procedures, from ASCs to hospitals, and from nonacademic to academic centers was observed. Further investigation of the observed trends may be warranted.