cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
14 Skin bridging as a result of untreated onychocryptosis in a ten-year-old boy

A 10-year-old boy was examined for a problem with his right big toe that had been present for two years. In the family history there was no onychocryptosis. The child had not presented any worthy of note diseases in the past history. For two years he had presented a painful swelling of the lateral folds of the right big toe with repeated episodes of suppurative inflammation. The latter had always been treated with topical antiinflammatory and antibiotic therapy. He had never undergone surgery for fear of the scalpel. Physical examination showed a distally dystrophic nail with blood crusts at the level of the lateral grooves. The periungual skin presented chronic inflammation and above all formed cutaneous bridge that passed over the nail. The child underwent radical removal of the nail and its matrix under local anaesthesia. The ingrown toenail of the big toe is a non-exceptional condition in children. When not treated properly it can become chronic. As in our case, the fear of the needle and the scalpel, which is frequent in children, can contribute to the chronicity. When chronic onychocryptosis is not treated adequately, it can be responsible for fibrous lesions, skin bridges and keloids. Although few cases of supraungual skin bridges have been described so far, it is known that hypertrophic granulation tissue can give rise to fibrous tissue covered by epidermis and then to skin bridges that join the two lateral folds. Two pathogenetic mechanisms have been hypothesized for this condition as follows: fusion of the highly inflamed lateral folds and penetration of the nail plate into the distal nail groove.
2021 Charles H. McCloy Lecture: "You're Not in Kansas Anymore" by Charles H. McCloy.

In this article I envision how Charles H. McCloy might assess the current state of kinesiology in relation to how it evolved from its parent profession of physical education into a field comprised ...
On detecting and identifying faulty internet of things devices and outages

As internet of things (IoT) devices play an integral role in our everyday life, it is critical to monitor the health of the IoT devices. However, fault detection in IoT is much more challenging compared with that in traditional wired networks. Traditional observing and polling are not appropriate for detecting faults in resource-constrained IoT devices. Because of the dynamic feature of IoT devices, these detection methods are inadequate for IoT fault detection. In this paper, we propose two methods that can monitor the health status of IoT devices through monitoring the network traffic of these devices. Based on the collected traffic or flow entropy, these methods can determine the health status of IoT devices by comparing captured traffic behavior with normal traffic patterns. Our measurements show that the two methods can effectively detect and identify malfunctioned or defective IoT devices.
Unusual and Bizarre Forms of Melanoma

In this chapter we group melanomas with unusual but distinctive features. A few of them have a peculiar architectural pattern (i.e., polypoid melanoma and verrucous melanoma), whereas others have distinct cytological features (i.e., balloon cell melanoma and rhabdoid melanoma). Their peculiar features occasionally make these lesions the cause of misdiagnosis (Rongioletti and Smoller 2005; Magro et al. 2006, Barnhill and Gupta 2009). In general, these variants are too rare for prognostic studies, but there is no current evidence that, aside from their recognition, there are significant differences in clinical outlook. Polypoid and verrucous melanoma may present difficulties in establishing thickness measurements.
Proceedings of the 2003 international symposium on Symbolic and algebraic computation

ISSAC 2003 is the 28th meeting in the well-established series of the International Symposia on Symbolic and Algebraic Computation. The first meeting of the series (1966) was held in Washington, and sponsored by ACM. Since then, the abbreviated name of the meeting has evolved from SYMSAM, SYMSAC, EUROSAM, EUROCAL to finally settle on the present name ISSAC. In 2003, ISSAC will be held at the Drexel University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA from August 3rd to August 6th. The topics of the conference includes, but are not limited to: . Algorithmic mathematics. Algebraic, symbolic and symbolic-numeric algorithms. Simplification, function manipulation, equations, summation, integration, ODE/PDE, linear algebra, number theory, group and geometric computing. . Computer Science. Theoretical and practical problems in symbolic computation. Systems, problem solving environments, user interfaces, software, libraries, parallel/distributed computing and programming languages for symbolic computation, concrete analysis, benchmarking, theoretical and practical complexity of computer algebra algorithms, automatic differentiation, code generation, mathematical data structures and exchange protocols. . Applications. Problem treatments using algebraic, symbolic or symbolic-numeric computation in an essential or a novel way. Engineering, economics and finance, physical and biological sciences, computer science, logic, mathematics, statistics, education. . Following the tradition, ISSAC 2003 features invited talks, contributed papers, tutorials, poster sessions, and software exhibitions. This volume contains all the contributed papers to be presented at the meeting as well as the abstracts of the invited talks. The cover (design: Ed Shields) shows the Drexel University billboard at the intersection of 30th and Market Streets in Philadelphia. A total of 68 papers were submitted, and each was distributed to members of the program committee and external reviewers. An average of 3 referee reports were obtained for each submission, and finally 36 papers were selected for presentation. As a consequence, we are convinced that the contributions in these proceedings represent excellent and wide, though not complete, spectra of areas spanning most of symbolic and algebraic computation. Our congratulations and warmest thanks to all contributors and lecturers.
Assessing land-use impacts on biodiversity using an expert systems tool.

Habitat alteration, in the form of land-use development, is a leading cause of biodiversity loss in the U.S. and elsewhere. Although statutes in the U.S. may require consideration of biodiversity in local land-use planning and regulation, local governments lack the data, resources, and expertise to routinely consider biotic impacts that result from permitted land uses. We hypothesized that decision support systems could aid solution of this problem. We developed a pilot biodiversity expert systems tool (BEST) to test that hypothesis and learn what additional scientific and technological advancements are required for broad implementation of such a system. BEST uses data from the U.S. Geological Survey's Gap Analysis Program (GAP) and other data in a desktop GIS environment. The system provides predictions of conflict between proposed land uses and biotic elements and is intended for use at the start of the development review process. Key challenges were the development of categorization systems that relate named land-use types to ecological impacts, and relate sensitivities of biota to ecological impact levels. Although the advent of GAP and sophisticated desktop GIS make such a system feasible for broad implementation, considerable ongoing research is required to make the results of such a system scientifically sound, informative, and reliable for the regulatory process. We define a role for local government involvement in biodiversity impact assessment, the need for a biodiversity decision support system, the development of a prototype system, and scientific needs for broad implementation of a robust and reliable system.
Challenges in the Use of Cosmogenic Exposure Dating of Moraine Boulders to Trace the Geographic Extents of Abrupt Climate Changes : The Younger Dryas Example

Cosmogenic exposure dating has sometimes been used to identify moraines associated with short-lived climatic events, such as the Younger Dryas (12.9-11.7 ka). Here we point out two remaining challe ...
Proteolytic cleavage of the amino terminus of the U(L)15 gene product of herpes simplex virus type 1 is coupled with maturation of viral DNA into unit-length genomes.

The UL15 gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), like UL6, UL17, UL28, UL32, and UL33, is required for cleavage of concatameric DNA into genomic lengths and for packaging of cleaved genomes into preformed capsids. A previous study indicated that the UL15 gene encodes minor capsid proteins. In the present study, we have shown that the amino-terminal 509 amino acids of the UL15-encoded protein are sufficient to confer capsid association inasmuch as a carboxyl-terminally truncated form of the UL15-encoded protein with an Mr of approximately 55,000 readily associated with capsids. This and previous studies have shown that, whereas three UL15-encoded proteins with apparent Mrs of 83,000, 80,000, and 79,000 associated with wild-type B capsids, only the full-length 83,000-Mr protein associated with B capsids purified from cells infected with viruses lacking functional UL6, UL17, UL28, UL32, and UL33 genes (B. Salmon and J. D. Baines, J. Virol. 72:3045–3050, 1998). Thus, all viral mutants that fail to cleave viral DNA into genomic-length molecules also fail to produce capsid-associated UL15 80,000- and 79,000-Mr proteins. In contrast, the 80,000- and 79,000-Mr proteins were readily detected in capsids purified from cells infected with a UL25 null virus that cleaves, but does not package, DNA. The conclusion that the amino terminus of the 83,000-Mr protein is truncated to produce the 80,000- and/or 79,000-Mr protein was supported by the following observations. (i) Whereas the C termini of the 83,000-, 80,000-, and 79,000-Mr proteins are identical, immunoreactivity dependent on the first 35 amino acids of the UL15 83,000-Mr protein was absent from the 80,000- and 79,000-Mr proteins. (ii) The 79,000- and 80,000-Mr proteins were detected in capsids from cells infected with HSV-1(UL15M36V), an engineered virus encoding valine rather than methionine at codon 36. Thus, initiation at codon 36 is unlikely to account for production of the 80,000- and/or 79,000-Mr protein. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that capsid-associated UL15-encoded protein is proteolytically cleaved near the N terminus and indicate that this modification is tightly linked to maturation of genomic DNA.
1. Stabilizing diode lasers to high-finesse cavities

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the issues involved in diode laser locking. The chapter describes in detail the various steps needed to lock the laser to a cavity resonance: (1) Derivetion of the error (locking) signal, (2) design of the electronic feedback circuitry, (3) initial locking of the laser, (4) adjustment of the feedback design, and (5) evaluation of the lock performance. The chapter illustrates this discussion by frequency locking an extended-cavity diode laser, reducing the linewidth to a few hertz relative to the cavity. The chapter concludes with an example in which the locking apparatus is modified for a cavity ring-down demonstration. Included are results showing the laser repetitively locking and unlocking to the cavity.
Leadership and Design of Data-Driven Professional Networks in Schools

Normal 0 21 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE Using data from a multi-method comparative case study of two matched schools, this paper adds to the growing body of applications of social network analysis to the study of distributed leadership and accountability.We contrast two approaches to instructional leadership, prescriptive and discretionary, to investigate how leaders design professional networks to increase the availability and access of individuals with the expertise needed to perform the analysis required to conduct data-driven instructional improvement. We found that the prescriptive approach to instructional leadership uses comprehensive school reform as a focal artifact to facilitate the widespread use of data for learning when compared to a leadership perspective that aimed at cultivating teacher discretion. We conclude with a discussion of how the concept of cognitive load helps illustrate the design principles leaders can use to create data-driven professional networks in schools.
Regulatory Properties of the Flavoprotein l-Lysine Monooxygenase

Abstract The steady state kinetic properties of l-lysine monooxygenase from Pseudomonas fluorescens have been investigated. The enzyme has been shown to exhibit both oxygenase and oxidase activity with different substrates, the oxidase activity being much less efficient. Lysine is an oxygenase-type substrate while ornithine is an oxidase-type substrate (Nakazawa, T., Hori, K. and Hayaishi, O. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 3439–3444). During steady state analysis, both substrates exhibit sigmoidal saturation curves. Hill plots for lysine and ornithine are biphasic, with the Hill coefficient n = 2.9 at low substrate concentrations and n = 1 at higher concentrations. With lysine as substrate, the reaction does not go to completion, and the per cent completion of the reaction is a function of the initial lysine concentration. e-Aminocaproic acid has been found to act as a nonsubstrate effector by permitting the reaction to reach completion. Furthermore, e-aminocaproate reduces the cooperative effect of lysine, converting the biphasic Hill plot to a monophasic one, with a Hill coefficient of 1 obtaining over most of the concentration range of lysine studied. e-Aminocaproate is also a competitive inhibitor toward lysine with a Ki of 2.6 x 10-4 m. e-N,N-Dimethyl-l-lysine is a poor substrate except in the presence of lysine, in which case the reaction proceeds with both substrates, but stops short of completion, as seen with lysine alone as substrate. These results indicate that lysine itself is an effector, and that at least two sites per flavin are important to catalysis, i.e. one catalytic site and one or more effector sites.
Mutation analysis of a cohort of US patients with hemophilia B

Hemophilia B (HB) is a disorder resulting from genetic mutations in the Factor 9 gene (F9). Genotyping of HB patients is important for genetic counseling and patient management. Here we report a study of mutations identified in a large sample of HB patients in the US. Patients were enrolled through an inhibitor surveillance study at 17 hemophilia treatment centers. A total of 87 unique mutations were identified from 225 of the 226 patients, including deletions, insertions, and point mutations. Point mutations were distributed throughout the F9 gene and were found in 86% of the patients. Of these mutations, 24 were recurrent in the population, and 3 of them (c.316G>A, c.1025C>T, and c.1328T>A) accounted for 84 patients (37.1%). Haplotype analysis revealed that the high recurrence arose from a founder effect. The severity of HB was found to correlate with the type of mutation. Inhibitors developed only in severe cases with large deletions and nonsense mutations. None of the mild or moderate patients developed inhibitors. Our results provide a resource describing F9 mutations in US HB patients and confirm previous findings that patients bearing large deletions and nonsense mutations are at high risk of developing inhibitors.
New Contribution to Scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles on Nuclei

A weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) is perhaps the most promising candidate for the dark matter in the Galactic halo. The WIMP detection rate in laboratory searches is fixed by the cross section for elastic WIMP-nucleus scattering. Here we calculate the contribution to this cross section from two-nucleon currents from pion exchange in the nucleus and show that it may, in some cases, be comparable to the one-nucleon current that has been considered in prior work and perhaps help resolve the discrepancies between the various direct dark-matter search experiments. We provide simple expressions that allow these new contributions to be included in current calculations.
Phosphatidyl glycerophosphate phosphatase.

An enzyme (phosphatidyl glycerophosphate phosphatase) that catalyzes the formation of phosphatidyl glycerol from phosphatidyl glycerophosphate has been rendered soluble by treatment of the particulate fraction of E. coli with Triton X-100 in the presence of EDTA, and has been partially purified. The enzyme is specific for phosphatidyl glycerophosphate and does not catalyze the hydrolysis of other simple phosphomonoesters. It requires Mg++ for activity and is inhibited by sulfhydryl agents. Some other properties of the enzyme are also described.
Physiological Mapping of Local Inhibitory Inputs to the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus

Local inhibitory synaptic inputs to neurons of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were studied by using glutamate microstimulation and conventional intracellular and whole-cell patch-clamp recording in coronal, horizontal, and parasagittal slices of rat hypothalamus. PVN cells were classified as magnocellular or parvocellular neurons on the basis of electrophysiological and post hoc immunohistochemical analyses; GABA-producing neurons were localized with in situ hybridization. Glutamate microstimulation of different sites around the PVN evoked volleys of postsynaptic potentials in 43% of the PVN neurons tested. Some responses to stimulation at each site were blocked by bicuculline, suggesting that they were mediated by the activation of presynaptic GABA neurons. In the coronal plane, presynaptic inhibitory sites were located lateral to the PVN and ventral to the fornix, corresponding to the lateral hypothalamic area and the posterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). In the horizontal plane, presynaptic inhibitory sites were found rostral, lateral, and caudal to the nucleus, corresponding to parts of the anterior hypothalamic area, the posterior BNST, the medial preoptic area, and the dorsomedial hypothalamus. In the parasagittal plane, presynaptic inhibitory neurons were revealed at sites rostral and caudal to the nucleus, corresponding to the medial preoptic area and the dorsomedial hypothalamus, and in a site dorsal to the optic chiasm that included the suprachiasmatic nucleus. These presynaptic sites each contained GABA-producing neurons based on in situ hybridization with a glutamic acid decarboxylase riboprobe and together formed a three-dimensional ring around the PVN. Unexpectedly, both magnocellular and parvocellular neurons received inhibitory synaptic inputs from common sites.
Pharmacologic treatment of congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure is a clinical syndrome producing symptomatic deterioration, functional impairment, and shortened life span. The syndrome is complex in that it includes both peripheral and cardiac effects which contribute to the progression of heart failure. In the periphery, elevations in the sympathetic nervous system and renin-angiotensin system increase afterload and contribute to further salt and water retention. The central cardiac abnormalities include remodeling of the heart and downregulation of beta receptors. Traditional heart failure therapy has included treatment of fluid retention with diuretics, although their effect on mortality has never been addressed. The most proven therapy in heart failure is treatment with vasodilators, particularly angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Improved survival with ACE-inhibitor therapy has been demonstrated in patients with severe heart failure (CONSENSUS), mild to moderate heart failure (SOLVD), and in comparison with vasodilator therapy with hydralazine isosorbide dinitrate (VHeFT II). Improved survival has also been noted in postmyocardial infarction when the ejection fraction is decreased (SAVE). The ACE inhibitors have now become standard therapy for heart failure regardless of severity. Additive vasodilator therapy with calcium-channel antagonists is under investigation. Inotropic therapy is controversial at present because of disappointing mortality results. The clinical mainstay digitalis remains without convincing mortality reduction data. Other inotropic agents, particularly phosphodiesterase inhibitors, have shown uniformly negative survival results. However, the new mixed action agents vesnarinone and pimobenden have shown favorable data, with vesnarinone demonstrating a mortality reduction effect. Beta-blocker therapy in heart failure has also found renewed interest, particularly with the new agents carvedolol and bucindolol which also have vasodilating properties.
Freedom in speech: Freedom and liberty in U.S. presidential campaign discourse, 1952–2004

Abstract “Freedom” is a flexible and powerful word. When a speaker describes a soldier as a “freedom fighter,” the New Deal as a way to achieve “freedom from poverty,” or taxation as a threat to freedom, he or she implicitly identifies heroes, villains, rights, and violations of rights. To identify the ways freedom – and its close cousin “liberty” – have been used in American presidential campaign discourse, I analyzed 88 speeches from 28 Republican and Democratic presidential nominating conventions (1952–2004). This study is the first to code and categorize the variable meanings of freedom and liberty language. I found that freedom and liberty terms were most often used in reference to Communism, economic freedom, individual liberty from government, and in ways that did not reference anything specific. I identify how such freedom language may encourage particular policies, citizen identities, and national memories.
A class of probability distributions on the integers

Abstract Let p s (n) = n −s ζ(s) for n = 1,2,3,… and s > 1 be used to define a probability distribution Ps on the positive integers. If (m1, m2) = 1, then divisibility by m1 is statistically independent of divisibility by m2. Euler's product formula for the Zeta function becomes p s (1)= 1 ζ(s) = prob. 8 (n has no prime factors )=π D (1−p −8 ). Many heuristic probability arguments, based on the fictitious uniform distribution on the positive integers, become rigorous statements in the distribution Ps. The entropy of the distribution Ps is shown (in two different ways) to be log ζ(s)− sζ′(s) ζ(s) .
Near-Infrared Photo- and Electroluminescence of Alkoxy-Substituted Poly(p-phenylene) and Nonconjugated Polymer/Lanthanide Tetraphenylporphyrin Blends

The photoluminescent and electroluminescent properties of near-infrared (near-IR) emitting lanthanide monoporphyrinate complexes, Ln(TPP)L (L = hydridotris(1-pyrazolyl)borate (Tp) or (cyclopentadienyl)tris(diethylphosphinito)cobaltate(I) L(OEt)) blended into conjugated and nonconjugated polymer hosts were characterized. A blue-emitting alkoxy-substituted poly(p-phenylene) (PPP-OR11) was used as the conjugated polymer host and nonconjugated hosts included polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate), and poly(bisphenol A-carbonate). Complete quenching of the PPP-OR11 host fluorescence (i.e., > 95%) is observed at 5 mol % of Ln(TPP)Tp, and host quenching is accompanied by sensitization of near-IR emission from the lanthanide complex. The photoluminescence results suggest that energy transfer occurs from PPP-OR11 to Ln(TPP)L, presumably via the Forster mechanism. Near-IR light emitting diodes (PLEDs) consisting of Yb(TPP)Tp blended into PPP-OR11 and the nonconjugated polymer hosts were ...
Transformation ofSchizophyllum commune: An analysis of parameters for improving transformation frequencies

Abstract The procedure used for transforming protoplasts prepared from germinated basidiospores of Schizophyllum commune has been improved to yield 10 3 transformants per microgram of DNA when using 10 7 protoplasts. Important to the protocol are keeping the protoplasts on ice and creating an osmotic shock when mixing DNA and protoplasts. Protoplasts may be stored at −70°C; this eliminates the need to prepare fresh protoplasts for each experiment. Titrations of CaCl 2 , polyethylene glycol, DNA, and protoplasts were tested individually to maximize the effect of each. Transformation does not occur without CaCl 2 or polyethylene glycol. The optimal concentration for CaCl 2 is 50 m M and that for polyethylene glycol ( M r = 3350) is 25% (w/v). At optimal polyethylene glycol and CaCl 2 concentrations, the number of transformants obtained and the calculated transformation frequencies (transformants per microgram of DNA) are dependent on protoplast and DNA concentrations.
Very frequent p53 mutations in metastatic prostate carcinoma and in matched primary tumors

BACKGROUND The frequency of mutant p53 in bone marrow metastases of patients with carcinoma of the prostate (CaP) and in matched sets of metastatic and primary lesions from the same patients was investigated. The data were examined in relation to prior treatment with androgen ablation (AA) therapy and were compared with the frequency of mutant p53 reported for primary CaP. METHODS Seventeen patients with M1b (bone metastasis: TNM Stage IV) CaP had either unilateral or bilateral bone marrow biopsies taken for these studies. Specimens were divided and the outer one-third examined histologically to confirm the presence of CaP cells. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for accumulated p53 protein was performed by an antibody cocktail technique. RNA was extracted from the remaining portion of the biopsy, and p53 transcripts were amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and screened for base sequence changes in the exon 4-11 region using nonisotopic single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and direct DNA sequencing. RESULTS Ten of 17 metastases (59%) demonstrated accumulation of p53. Six of 7 (86%) of the p53 IHC positive bone marrow samples contained RT-PCR-SSCP abnormalities, as did 2 of 3 IHC negative samples. Overall, 12 of 17 metastases (71%) contained mutant p53. Four of 7 biopsies (57%) retrieved prior to AA contained mutant p53, whereas 8 of 10 post-AA biopsies (80%) contained mutant p53. One patient showed identical SSCP abnormalities in right and left iliac crest metastases after therapy, and in this patient DNA sequencing demonstrated a missense mutation at codon 126 (TAC GGC, Tyr Gly). Archival primary cancers from seven patients were retrieved. All seven were IHC positive for p53 accumulation. CONCLUSIONS p53 mutations are associated with increased metastatic potential of CaP. Abnormalities are found at approximately twice the frequency in metastases than in unselected samples of primary CaP, whereas in matched specimens there is a high rate of consonance. Mutant p53 may contribute to systemic therapy resistance, due to increased association with post-AA CaP specimens. Cancer 1998;83:2534-2539. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Simulium (Phosterodoros) penobscotensis, a new species of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Maine, U.S.A.

A new species of black fly, Simulium penobscotensis, is described from tributaries of the Penobscot River, Maine, U.S.A. This species is a major late-season biting pest of man. Adults are similar to other members of the subgenus Phosterodoros, but the larvae and pupae are quite distinct. The pupal cocoon is unique because it has a definite collar with no windows on the anterior margin, as do other members of this subgenus.
Loss of Myocardial Ischemic Postconditioning in Adenosine A1 and Bradykinin B2 Receptors Gene Knockout Mice

Background— Ischemic postconditioning (PostC) is a recently described cardioprotective modality against reperfusion injury, through series of brief reflow interruptions applied at the very onset of reperfusion. It is proposed that PostC can activate a complex cellular signaling cascade, in which cell membrane receptors could serve as the upstream triggers of PostC. However, the exact subtypes of such receptors remain controversial or uninvestigated. To this context, the purpose of present study was to determine the definitive role of adenosine A1 and bradykinin B1 and B2 receptors in PostC. Methods and Results— The hearts isolated from adult male C57BL/6J wild-type mice or the mice lacking adenosine A1, or bradykinin B1 or B2 receptors subjected to zero-flow global ischemia and reperfusion in a Langendorff model. PostC, consisting of 6 cycles of 10 seconds of reperfusion and 10 seconds of ischemia, demonstrated significantly reduced myocardial infarct size (22.8±3.1%, mean±SEM) as compared with the non-Po...
A Novel Projection Moiré System for Measuring PWBA Warpage During Simulated Optimized Convective Reflow Process

The shadow moire technique is a widely used method of measuring printed wiring board (PWB) warpage. It has a high resolution, high accuracy and is suitable for use in an online environment. A shortcoming of the shadow moire technique is that it cannot be used to measure PWBs populated with chip packages. In this paper, a novel warpage measurement system based on the projection moire technique is presented. The system can be used to measure bare PWBs as well as PWBs populated with chip packages. In order to use the projection moire system to accurately determine the warpage of PWBs and chip packages separately, an automated chip package detection algorithm based on active contours is utilized. Unlike the shadow moire technique which uses a glass grating, the projection moire technique uses a virtual grating. The virtual grating sizes can be adjusted, making it versatile for measuring various PWB and chip package sizes. Without the glass grating, which is a substantial heat inertia, the PWB/PWBA/chip package sample can be heated more evenly during the thermal process. The projection moire system described in this paper can also be used to measure PWB/PWBA/chip package warpage during convective reflow processes. In this paper, the characteristics of the projection moire warpage measurement system will be described. In addition, the system will be used to measure the warpage of a PWB and plastic ball grid array (PBGA) packages during a Lee optimized convective reflow process. It is concluded that this projection moire warpage measurement system is a powerful tool to study the warpage of populated PWBs during convective reflow processes.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Novel inhibitors of advanced glycation endproducts

A number of natural or synthetic compounds as AGE inhibitors have been proposed, discovered or currently being advanced by others and us. We have identified two new classes of aromatic compounds; aryl- (and heterocyclic) ureido and aryl (and heterocyclic) carboxamido phenoxyisobutyric acids, and benzoic acid derivatives and related compounds, as potential inhibitors of glycation and AGE formation. Some of these novel compounds also showed "AGE-breaking" activities in vitro. Current evidence is that chelation of transition metals and/or trapping or indirect inhibition of formation of reactive carbonyl compounds are involved in the mechanisms of action of these novel AGE inhibitors and breakers. Here, we review the inhibitors of glycation and AGE-breakers published to date and present the results of our in vitro and in vivo investigations on a number of these novel AGE inhibitors. These AGE-inhibitors and AGE-breakers may find therapeutic use in the treatment of diseases that AGE formation and accumulation may be responsible for their pathogenesis such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis.
Calibration of the NBS black neutron detector at 2.3 MeV using the time-correlated associated-particle method

Abstract A time-correlated associated-particle measurement capability using the D(d, n)3He source reaction has been developed at the National Bureau of Standards 3-MV positive-ion Van de Graaff Accelerator Laboratory. The facility has been used to measure the efficiency of the NBS Black Neutron Detector at a neutron energy of 2.3 MeV. The associated 3He particles are detected at an angle of 45° with respect to the beam axis which is a more forward angle than conventionally employed. The kinematically more energetic 3He particles detected at the forward angle are readily separated from scattered deuterons at an incident beam energy of 250 keV. The time-correlated coincidence requirement on events detected in the Black Neutron and associated-particle detectors virtually eliminates the need for background corrections to the Black Neutron Detector rate. A result for the efficiency of the Black Neutron Detector at 2.3 MeV has been obtained with an accuracy of about ± 1% and agrees well with a Monte Carlo calculated value. The measurement extends the usefulness of the Black Neutron Detector as an absolute neutron flux monitor to the higher energy region.
Simultaneous CBF and [HbO] Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Mice

The interpretation of altered functional connectivity (fc) in disease is potentially complicated by concurrent alterations in neurovascular coupling. Creating maps of fc from spontaneous blood will potentially help clarify signatures of dysfunction.
Reversible dissociation/association of D-amino acid transaminase subunits: properties of isolated active dimers and inactive monomers.

The crystal structure of dimeric d-amino acid transaminase shows that the two Trp-139 sites are located in a hydrophobic pocket at the interface between the subunits and that the two indole side chains face one another and are within 10 A of coenzyme. This enzyme prefers an aromatic character at position 139, as previously demonstrated by the finding that Phe-139 but no other substitution tested provides the maximum degree of thermostability and catalytic efficiency. Here we show that an equilibrium between active dimers and inactive monomers can be demonstrated with the W139F mutant enzyme, whereas with the wild-type enzyme the subunit interface is so tight that a study of this equilibrium is precluded. We show how the processes of dimerization of monomers and dissociation of dimers to monomers are controlled. Lower pH (5.0) favors monomer formation from dimers. Gel filtration and activity analysis show that at higher pH (7.0) the monomers combine to form active dimers with a Kd of 0.17 μM. This assembly...
Thermoplastic interpenetrating polymer networks of a triblock copolymer elastomer and an ionomeric plastic. I. Rheology and morphology

The thermoplastic interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) are combinations of two physically crosslinked polymers. Thermoplastic IPNs were prepared by combining polymer I, an SEBS triblock elastomer with polymer II, an ionomer prepared from a random copolymer of styrene, methacrylic acid, and isoprene (90/10/1 by volume). Neutralization of the acid groups to form the ionomer was carried out on a Brabender Plasticorder. Two subclasses of the thermoplastic IPNs were identified. Chemically blended systems, prepared by a sequential polymerization method, were compared with compositionally equivalent mechanically blended systems prepared by melt blending the separately synthesized polymers. The chemically blended thermoplastic IPNs (CBT IPNs) exhibited lower melt viscosities than compositionally equivalent mechanically blended thermoplastic IPNs (MBT IPNs). Moreover, the melt viscosities of many of the CBT IPNs were even lower than that of either homopolymer component, leading to an explanation in terms of an unusually low value of the rubbery modulus front factor. Although both types of thermoplastic IPNs underwent a phase inversion during neutralization of polymer II, the phase inversions were often incomplete. Morphological studies revealed that more equal dual phase continuity existed in the MBT IPNs than in the CBT IPNs after ionomer formation.
Low cell density: the unifying principle for unicell development in Scenedesmus (Chlorophyceae)

Scenedesmus strain F3 is identified as S. armatus (Chod.) Chod. Morphological expression of the strain was dependent on the age of the culture. Low cell densities stimulated the development of the unicell stage. As cell densities increased, spine-bearing coenobia became more frequent. Spineless coenobia were formed as the cultures approached the carrying capacities of the media. Two types of spine-bearing coenobia were classified. Type I coenobia were observed in young cultures. Two different forms were identified. Type Ia coenobia possessed elongate cells with terminal cells shorter than median cells. This coenobium was most common in media with elevated phosphorus levels. Type Ib coenobia were most common in media with elevated levels of ammonium. The elongate cells of this latter type were generally equal in length, and were often arranged sub-alternately in series. Spine lengths of Types Ia and Ib coenobia exceeded cell lengths. Unicells were formed only by Type I coenobia. The cells of Type II coenob...
Magnesium emitted by snails alters swimming behaviour of Schistosoma mansoni miracidia.

Schistosoma mansoni is a parasitic flatworm transmitted by snails which infects millions of people in tropical countries with poor sanitation, where new irrigation schemes, population growth and continued poverty have increased the prevalence of infection. Larval worms, emerging from freshwater snails, penetrate human skin and mature in intestinal veins where they lay eggs. Many eggs remain in and damage tissues while others pass out in excreta and hatch in water, releasing embryos called miracidia. These short lived, multicellular, ciliated, free-swimming miracidia must find, penetrate and reproduce within certain snails whence emerge the larvae infective for man. Snails emit substances (“miraxones”) which alter the swimming behaviour of miracidia and may help them to locate and attack the snails1–3. Miracidial behaviour is reportedly affected by snail-elaborated amino acids4,5 and by various other agents, including fatty acids6,7. We now report that magnesium appears in water in which uninfected Biomphalaria glabrata (a snail host of Schistosoma mansoni) is confined, and that magnesium ions alter miracidial swimming patterns.
Theories of Learning

1. The Nature of Learning Theory. I. BEHAVIORAL-ASSOCIATIONIST THEORIES. 2. Thorndike's Connectionism. 3. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning. 4. Guthrie's Contiguous Conditioning. 5. Hull's Systematic Behavior Theory. 6. Human Associative Learning. 7. Skinner's Operant Conditioning. 8. Este's Stimulus Sampling Theory. 9. Recent Developments in Behavioral Theories. II. COGNITIVE-ORGANIZATIONAL THEORIES. 10. Gestalt Theory. 11. Tolman's Sign Learning. 12. Information-Processing Theories of Behavior. 13. Recent Developments in Cognitive Theories. III. RELATED FIELDS. 14. Neurophysiology of Learning. 15. Applications to Education. Reference Section. Author Index. Subject Index.
Economic evaluation of delivering hepatitis B vaccine to injection drug users.

Background Injection drug users (IDUs) are at high risk of hepatitis B (HBV) infection, and hepatitis B vaccination coverage in IDUs is low. Recent studies demonstrate that syringe exchange programs are effective venues to reach and immunize IDUs. The purpose of this paper was to determine if targeting IDUs for HBV vaccination through syringe exchange programs is economically desirable for the healthcare system and to assess the relative effectiveness of several different vaccination strategies. Methods Active IDUs in Chicago IL and Hartford and Bridgeport CT (N=1964) were recruited and screened through local syringe exchange programs, randomized to a standard (0, 1, 6 months) or accelerated (0, 1, 2 months) vaccination schedule, and followed from May 2003 to March 2006. Analyses were conducted in 2007. The vaccination program's costs were balanced against future HBV-associated medical costs. Benefits in terms of prevented acute HBV infections and quality-adjusted life years were estimated based on a Markov model. Results HBV vaccination campaigns targeting IDUs through syringe exchange programs are cost-saving. The most cost-saving strategies include giving the first dose to everyone at screening, administering the vaccination under the accelerated schedule (0, 1, 2 months), and obtaining highly discounted vaccine from local health departments. Conclusions It is economically inappropriate to offer HBV screening in the absence of vaccination. Existing syringe exchange programs in the U.S. should include HBV vaccination.
Early Mortality and Morbidity in First 60 Days in Adult Heart Transplant Recipients with Prior History of Cardiac Surgery: Analysis of United Network for Organ Sharing Database

Purpose Patients (pts) with history of prior cardiac surgery (PCS) may have worse outcomes after heart transplant (HTx) from higher perioperative complications. The amount of risk from PCS has not been well established. Therefore, we analyzed the UNOS database for early morbidity and mortality and long-term survival after HTx for pts with and without PCS. Methods and Materials 11,266 pts with 1st HTx between (btw) 1997 & 2011 were examined: First group (gp) without PCS (6005, 53.3%) & Redo gp with at least 1 PCS (5261, 46.7%). Multivariate cox model was used to identify predictors of mortality. Results Survival was lower in Redo gp at 60 days (92.8 vs 96%; HR 1.83, 95% CI: 1.56-2.15; p Figure 1 . Conclusions History of PCS is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the first 60-days post HTx. This factor should be added to risk profile of pts undergoing evaluation for HTx.
Aortic atheromas and acute ischemic stroke: A transesophageal echocardiographic study in an ethnically mixed population

Purpose: Proximal aortic atheromas have been suggested as a potential ischemic stroke determinant in the elderly, especially in cases of unexplained (cryptogenic) stroke. Our aim was to assess the potential role of proximal aortic atheromas as an independent risk factor for stroke by comparing their frequency in patients with acute ischemic stroke and in stroke-free control subjects. The frequency of atheromas was also compared among different ethnic groups. Patients and Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 106 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 114 stroke-free control subjects. The presence of atheromas of the proximal portion of the aorta was assessed by biplane transesophageal echocardiography. Atheromas were categorized on the basis of their thickness (0.2 to 0.4 cm, small; >or=to0.5 cm, large) and complexity (i.e., ulceration or mobility). The association between aortic atheromas and ischemic stroke was tested, controlling for patients9 demographic variables and stroke risk factors. In stroke patients, subgroup analyses were performed to test the associations between aortic atheromas and stroke diagnostic subtypes (determined cause versus cryptogenic) and presence and degree of carotid stenoses by duplex Doppler examination. Results: The frequency of large aortic atheromas was greater in stroke patients than in controls (26% versus 13%; crude odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.7); ulcerated or mobile atheromas also tended to be more frequent in stroke patients (12% versus 5%; OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 6.8). Differences were entirely attributable to the subgroup of patients aged 60 years or older, in whom the frequency of ulcerated or mobile atheromas was particularly high among cryptogenic stroke patients (22% versus 8% in control subjects; OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 11.2). Multivariate analysis showed the presence of large atheromas to be independently associated with stroke in the entire study group (adjusted OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.9) and in the older subgroup (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.7). Carotid stenosis >or=to 60% was more frequent with increasing size and complexity of aortic atheromas but had low predictive value (16%) for presence of large atheromas; moreover, 36% of patients with mild or no carotid stenosis had large or complex aortic atheromas. No significant differences were found in the frequency of atheromas by ethnic group. Conclusions: Proximal aortic atheromas >or=to 0.5 cm in size are a risk factor for ischemic stroke in patients aged 60 years or older. Ulcerated or mobile atheromas may play a role in explaining some cryptogenic strokes in the elderly. The risk for stroke of patients with aortic atheromas may be similar across different ethnic groups. The absence of carotid stenosis does not exclude aortic atheromas as a potential cause for ischemic stroke. NEUROLOGY 1996;46: 1560-1566
A Host Ca2+/Mn2+ Ion Pump Is a Factor in the Emergence of Viral RNA Recombinants

Viruses change rapidly due to genetic mutations, and viral RNA recombination in RNA viruses can lead to the emergence of drug-resistant or highly virulent strains. Here, we report that host Pmr1p, an ion pump that controls Ca2+/Mn2+ influx into the Golgi from the cytosol, affects the frequency of viral RNA recombination and the efficiency of replication. Inactivation of PMR1 leads to an approximately 160-fold increase in RNA recombination of Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) in yeast, a model host. Expression of separation-of-function mutants of Pmr1p reveals that the ability of Pmr1p to control the Mn2+ concentration in the cytosol is a key factor in viral RNA recombination. Indeed, a high Mn2+ concentration in a cell-free TBSV replication system increases the recombination frequency, and knockdown of Ca2+/Mn2+ exporters in plants increases virus replication and RNA recombination. Thus, a conserved host protein could affect the adaptive evolution of RNA viruses.
Spanning subgraphs of a hypercube iii: meshes

An n-mesh is the cartesian product of n paths. In a binary mesh the order of each of these paths is a power of 2. We show that a mesh spans a hypercube if and only if it is abinary mesh.
Research topics and methodological orientations in organizational communication: A decade in review

In the past decade, the study of organizational communication has attracted increased research attention. This paper systematically evaluates the past eleven years (1979‐1989) of organizational communication research by (1) identifying the research topics that most often have been the focus of study and (2) explicating the methodological orientations that have characterized organizational communication investigations. A content analysis of all organizational communication articles (N = 289) published during the years 1979‐1989 was undertaken. Results reveal that (1) research focused primarily on three topics—climate and culture, superior‐subordinate relations and communication, and power, conflict, and politics and (2) the majority of studies were framed within a modernistic‐empirical methodological orientation and were conducted in actual organizational settings. The implications of these findings for organizational communication research practices are discussed.
Optical coherence tomography for ophthalmic imaging: new technique delivers micron-scale resolution

The authors have developed a new technique for micron scale resolution cross-sectional imaging of ocular and other biological tissue, called optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT is similar to B-scan ultrasonic imaging, except that image contrast relies on differences in optical rather than acoustic backscattering characteristics of tissue. In contrast to ultrasound and nonlinear optical gating techniques, low-coherence interferometry is used to resolve the position of reflective or optical backscattering sites within a sample. Two-dimensional tomographic images of a thin, optical slice of tissue may be obtained with 10 /spl mu/m longitudinal and lateral resolution. Optical heterodyne detection and the application of noise-reduction techniques originally developed for optical communication achieve sensitivity to reflected light as small as 10/sup -10/ of the incident optical power. OCT is non-contact, non-invasive, and has superior resolution to conventional clinical ultrasound. Unlike scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and scanning laser tomography, the optical sectioning capability of OCT is not limited by the pupil aperture and ocular aberrations. OCT may be implemented in a compact, low-cost, fiber-optic based interferometer that is easily coupled to existing ophthalmic instrumentation. Here, the authors demonstrate high-speed in vivo OCT imaging in both the anterior and posterior eye, and highlight the system's potential usefulness for the early diagnosis and quantitative monitoring of a variety of ocular diseases and treatments. >