cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship of Selected Hand and Wrist Measurements to Ability to Shoot in Basketball

Summary.-64 college-age males were tested to determine the relationship of seven selected hand and wrist measurements to the ability to shoot successfully in basketball. A stepwise regression with all 7 variables in the model yielded an R2 of .37. Spread of hand was the only significant predictor of shooting ability. Many physical and mental factors may contribute to successful shooting in the game of basketball. Dahl (1972) after testing shooting ability using 11 measurable traits reports wrist strength and flexibility and hand size to be significant factors in shooting success. Further and more specific study of the effects of hand and wrist factors in basketball shooting seemed warranted. Sixty-four college males who had participated as members of an organized basketball program but were not or had not been members of an intercollegiate basketball team were selected from the college classes in physical education. A skill test, using a check list, was adm~nistered to determine if subjects could perform a one-handed jump shot at a predetermined fundamental level of performance. The screening test involved such factors as the ball being released from a position above the head, just before or at peak of jump, with the shooting act primarily performed with a one arm and hand motion in a single plane (Wickstrom, 1960). If the fundamental form of the jump shot was not acceptable, the subject was eliminated from the study. The following wrist and hand measurements were taken 1 wk. prior to testing for shooting ability. Wrist strength and finger strength were measured using a cable tensiometer (Clarke, 1953). Wrist extensibility was measured using a goniometer. Grip strength was taken with a hand dynamometer. Length of the hand was determined by measuring from the tip of the medius (middle finger) to the midpoint of a line drawn from the ends of the radius and ulna (Davenport, 1927). The spread of the hand was determined by having the subject move fingers laterally away from middle finger and measuring the distance from thumb to little finger with hand flat on measuring device. The width of the hand was measured from the thumb-palm angle to the middle of the ulnar margin of the palm. Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from .8 for finger and grip strength to .9S for width of hand. The shooting test of 25 shots per period from five marked spots on a
Approximations for the mean and variance of the throughput of flexible manufacturing cells

Abstract A large complex flexible manufacturing system consisting of a number of manufacturing cells can be modeled as a composite of open and closed queueing networks. The entire manufacturing system is modeled as an open queueing network, and individual manufacturing cells are modeled as closed queueing networks. The means and variances of the cell throughput are needed so that the overall system performance can be estimated. The analysis provided in this paper focuses on the distribution of the interdeparture time of the loading/unloading station in the cell. The distribution is formulated as a phase-type function. Three cell structures are investigated: stations in series, stations in parallel, and stations with feedback. Numerical results are given to illustrate the effect of the cell structures on the means and variances of the cell throughput.
Model evaluation, discrepancy function estimation, and social choice theory

A discrepancy function provides for an evaluation of a candidate model by quantifying the disparity between the candidate model and the true model that generated the observed data. The favored model from a candidate class is the one judged to have minimum discrepancy with the true model. The observed data can be regarded as a manifestation of the underlying true model. However, since the data provides only partial information as to the nature of the true model, the selection of a model is a decision that is made in the presence of uncertainty. To characterize this uncertainty, we consider employing resampling to generate multiple manifestations of the true model. Each of the candidate models can then be judged against each of the simulated versions of the true model, resulting in multiple panels of discrepancies. Model evaluation is subsequently achieved by providing an overall judgment on each candidate model. This overall assessment is based on combining the information in the individual discrepancy panels. As social choice theory, or voting theory, addresses the problem of turning individual preferences into a group preference, we see that social choice theory can be used in developing a novel approach to model evaluation.
Chart review of the impact of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comorbidity on response to lithium or divalproex sodium in adolescent mania

PURPOSE Although adolescent onset of bipolar disorder is common, the optimal treatment approach for mania in this age group remains understudied. Comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been reported to predict lithium resistance in adolescents with bipolar disorder. Little is known about response to dival-proex sodium in adolescents with bipolar disorder comorbid with ADHD. This study was conducted to evaluate comparative response rates to lithium and divalproex sodium in adolescent mania with and without this comorbidity. METHOD Medical records were reviewed for 42 patients (ages 12-19 years) who were hospitalized for acute mania and discharged with a diagnosis of DSM-III-R or DSM-IV bipolar disorder on either lithium (N = 29) or divalproex sodium (N = 13) treatment. A clinician blinded to treatment status rated improvement on the basis of abstracted notes in each case utilizing the Clinical Global Impressions Scale modified for use in bipolar illness (CGI-BP). Response was defined as a discharge CGI-BP overall change score of 1 or 2 (much or very much improved). Data were collected from January 1992 through May 1999. RESULTS 36/42 (85.7%) patients presented with mixed mania, and 14/41 (34.1%) patients had a history of ADHD. The overall response rate was 80.9% (34/42). 92.6% (25/27) of patients without ADHD were responders versus 57.1% (8/14) of subjects with comorbid ADHD (p =.007). There were no significant differences in response rates for lithium versus divalproex sodium in subjects with and without ADHD. CONCLUSION These retrospective data suggest overall equivalent response rates for lithium and divalproex sodium in predominantly mixed adolescent mania. However, a history of ADHD was associated with a significantly diminished acute response to both divalproex sodium and lithium as a primary treatment for the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
A new explanation of the extinction paradox

Abstract This work presents a new explanation for the extinction paradox and shows that the canonical explanations are incorrect. This paradox refers to the large size limit of a particle's extinction cross section. It is called a paradox because the geometrical optics approximation, which should be valid in this limit, predicts a cross section that is half of the true value. The new explanation is achieved by formulating the scattered wave in terms of an integral over the particle's surface where the seemingly unrelated Ewald–Oseen theorem appears in the formulation. By expressing the cross section in terms of this surface integral, the Ewald–Oseen theorem is analytically connected to the cross section. Several illustrations are used to reveal the significance of this connection: The paradox is seen to be a consequence of the requirement that the incident wave be canceled within the particle by secondary radiation from its own internal field. Following this, the canonical explanations are examined to reveal serious problems. In the process, the same asymptotic extinction behavior is shown to occur for small highly refractive dielectric particles, and thus is not just a large particle size or small wavelength effect as is often stated. The traditional explanations cannot account for this behavior while the new one actually predicts it. All in all, this work constitutes a fundamental reworking of 60 years of accepted understanding for the cause of the asymptotic behavior of the extinction cross section.
Pictures vs. Words? Public History, Tolerance, and the Challenge of Jacob Riis

Through his pioneering use of photography and muckraking prose (most especially in How the Other Half Lives, 1890), Jacob Riis earned fame as a humanitarian in the classic Progressive Era mold. Yet in recent years some revisionist scholars have denounced Riis as an unreconstructed racist who merely posed as a benevolent reformer. Does this rethinking of Riis and the character of his work mean that public historians who have come to revere his photographs should shun them when producing public history related to themes of ethnicity, immigration, multiculturalism, and tolerance? The author argues against this conclusion for two reasons. First, a careful analysis of Riis9s entire career and body of written work reveals a man who, despite his lapses into the language of racist stereotypes, was fundamentally tolerant to a degree that far surpassed his contemporaries. Second, the bold use of Riis9s words and photos provides the public historian with an extraordinary opportunity to delve into the complex questions of assimilation and Americanization, labor exploitation, cultural diversity, social control, and middle-class fear that lie at the heart of the American immigration narrative.
Bivalirudin for treatment of LVAD thrombosis: a case series

Both platelet- and fibrin-rich thrombi have been described in patients with pump thrombosis associated with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Bivalirudin is a direct thrombin inhibitor that also inhibits platelet adhesion. Compared to heparin, this hirudin analog is less immunogenic, binds to both free- and clot-bound fibrin, and has a lower risk of major bleeding. In a recently published algorithm on the step-wise approach to the diagnosis and management of LVAD thrombosis, direct thrombin inhibitors were included as a treatment option in the setting of persistent hemolysis, power spikes, and heart failure symptoms. Evidence to support the use of a direct thrombin inhibitor for LVAD thrombosis is limited and anecdotal. We describe the first case series to date of the use of bivalirudin as an alternative to heparin in six hemodynamically stable patients with a total of ten hospitalizations for HeartMate II LVAD thrombosis.
Time-reversed lasing and interferometric control of absorption.

In the time-reversed counterpart to laser emission, incident coherent optical fields are perfectly absorbed within a resonator that contains a loss medium instead of a gain medium. The incident fields and frequency must coincide with those of the corresponding laser with gain. We demonstrated this effect for two counterpropagating incident fields in a silicon cavity, showing that absorption can be enhanced by two orders of magnitude, the maximum predicted by theory for our experimental setup. In addition, we showed that absorption can be reduced substantially by varying the relative phase of the incident fields. The device, termed a “coherent perfect absorber,” functions as an absorptive interferometer, with potential practical applications in integrated optics.
The family distress model : a conceptual and clinical application of Reiss' strong bonds finding

The Family Distress Model is grounded in the family problem-solving and social support literature, as well as family systems medicine. It identifies the developmental process that families experience in response to distress, integrating clinical and research findings about family responses to isolation and social support. The clinical utility of the model is described and a case example is provided.
Biases in the assessment of diagnostic tests

Diagnostic tests are traditionally characterized by simple measures of efficacy such as the sensitivity and the specificity. These measures, though widely recognized and easy to understand, are subject to definitional arbitrariness. Moreover, studies constructed to estimate the sensitivity and specificity are susceptible to a variety of biases. In this paper the various potential problems are described with reference to examples from the diagnostic literature. These difficulties have implications for the design of diagnostic test evaluations, and the choice of suitable measures of test efficacy.
Neutron reflectivity study of substrate surface chemistry effects on supported phospholipid bilayer formation on (11 ̅20) sapphire.

Abstract Oxide-supported phospholipid bilayers (SPBs) used as biomimetic membranes are significant for a broad range of applications including improvement of biomedical devices and biosensors, and in understanding biomineralization processes and the possible role of mineral surfaces in the evolution of pre-biotic membranes. Continuous-coverage and/or stacked SPBs retain properties (e.g., fluidity) more similar to native biological membranes, which is desirable for most applications. Using neutron reflectivity, we examined the role of oxide surface charge (by varying pH and ionic strength) and of divalent Ca 2+ in controlling surface coverage and potential stacking of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers on the ( 1 1 2 ¯ 0 ) face of sapphire (α-Al 2 O 3 ). Nearly full bilayers were formed at low to neutral pH, when the sapphire surface is positively charged, and at low ionic strength ( I = 15 mM NaCl). Coverage decreased at higher pH, close to the isoelectric point of sapphire, and also at high I ⩾210 mM, or with addition of 2 mM Ca 2+ . The latter two effects are not additive, suggesting that Ca 2+ mitigates the effect of higher I . These trends agree with previous results for phospholipid adsorption on α-Al 2 O 3 particles determined by adsorption isotherms and on single-crystal ( 1 0 1 ¯ 0 ) sapphire by atomic force microscopy, suggesting consistency of oxide surface chemistry-dependent effects across experimental techniques.
Patterns of Environmental Preference.

The Environmental Preference Questionnaire (EPQ) was developed to assess patterns of satisfaction and preference pertaining to various environmental settings; its focus is not so much on past experience as on current outlook. The 267 teenagers who completed the EPQ in this study also responded to questions relating to facets of self-esteem and reasons for selecting their favorite activities. The Nature and Suburbs scales of the EPQ provided complementary patterns of esteem and motivation dimensions; the interaction of environmental settings and various kinds of contacts with peers and friends was another theme that ran through the pattern of results. The findings give credence to the notion that environmental preferences can be partitioned into a manageable number of meaningful dimensions. They further hold promise for a useful partitioning of the domain of self-esteem, an area which has traditionally been dominated by global or unitary measures and concepts.
The Invention of Fine Art: Creating a Cultural Elite in a Marginal Community

In Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, a small group of artists have established and maintain an aesthetic hierarchy, which distinguishes art from craft, artists from artisans, men from women, elite from philistine. Canvas art is part of a cycle of aesthetic invention, where Limonenses appropriate external resources to fit certain paradigms of legitimacy and permanence. This article explores the arbitrary nature of “fine art” as a category of aesthetic practice, and how the creation of a cultural elite legitimates the production and consumption of art objects.
Identification of Novel Surface Proteins of Anaplasma phagocytophilum by Affinity Purification and Proteomics

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the etiologic agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), one of the major tick-borne zoonoses in the United States. The surface of A. phagocytophilum plays a crucial role in subverting the hostile host cell environment. However, except for the P44/Msp2 outer membrane protein family, the surface components of A. phagocytophilum are largely unknown. To identify the major surface proteins of A. phagocytophilum, a membrane-impermeable, cleavable biotin reagent, sulfosuccinimidyl-2-[biotinamido]ethyl-1,3-dithiopropionate (Sulfo-NHS-SS-Biotin), was used to label intact bacteria. The biotinylated bacterial surface proteins were isolated by streptavidin agarose affinity purification and then separated by electrophoresis, followed by capillary liquid chromatography-nanospray tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Among the major proteins captured by affinity purification were five A. phagocytophilum proteins, Omp85, hypothetical proteins APH_0404 (designated Asp62) and APH_0405 (designated Asp55), P44 family proteins, and Omp-1A. The surface exposure of Asp62 and Asp55 was verified by immunofluorescence microscopy. Recombinant Asp62 and Asp55 proteins were recognized by an HGA patient serum. Anti-Asp62 and anti-Asp55 peptide sera partially neutralized A. phagocytophilum infection of HL-60 cells in vitro. We found that the Asp62 and Asp55 genes were cotranscribed and conserved among members of the family Anaplasmataceae. With the exception of P44-18, all of the proteins were newly revealed major surface-exposed proteins whose study should facilitate understanding the interaction between A. phagocytophilum and the host. These proteins may serve as targets for development of chemotherapy, diagnostics, and vaccines.
Pediatric Ethics and Early-Phase Childhood Cancer Research: Conflicted Goals and the Prospect of Benefit

(2003). Pediatric Ethics and Early-Phase Childhood Cancer Research: Conflicted Goals and the Prospect of Benefit. Accountability in Research: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 17-25.
Crack growth at interfaces in bimaterial systems and composites

Abstract The problem of a crack impinging upon an interface between dissimilar materials is investigated using a Consistent Shear-Lag (COSL) model. The primary question to be answered is whether the crack will cross (penetrate) the interface or be deflected along it. Typically the stress and displacement fields in the vicinity of an interface create computational difficulties, especially when the elastic moduli of the adjacent regions vary greatly. The COSL model is modified to include a finite thickness interlayer region representing the interface to act as a buffer. The energy release rates for both deflected and penetrating cracks are determined. The ratio of these two quantities is then compared to that of debond and Mode I toughnesses to investigate the two scenarios for crack extension. The effect that elastic mismatch has on the energy release rates, and hence the mode of crack extension, is investigated. These results compare favorably with analytical solutions for semi-infinitc domain bimaterial problems. The effect of anisotropy is investigated to determine the relative importance of the effect of elastic constants on the energy release rate ratio. It is shown that of these, the longitudinal and transverse elastic moduli are of greatest significance. This model is applied to cracks impinging on fiber-matrix interfaces in composite materials, and it is shown that the fiber volume fraction actually has little effect on the ratio of energy release rates.
Linear approximation methods and the best approximations of the Poisson integrals of functions from the classes \( {H_{{\omega_p}}} \) in the metrics of the spaces Lp

We obtain upper estimates for the least upper bounds of approximations of the classes of Poisson integrals of functions from $ {H_{{\omega_p}}} $ for 1 ≤ p < ∞ by a certain linear method U n * in the metric of the space L p . It is shown that the obtained estimates are asymptotically exact for p = 1: In addition, we determine the asymptotic equalities for the best approximations of the classes of Poisson integrals of functions from $ {H_{{\omega_1}}} $ in the metric of the space L 1 and show that, for these classes, the method U n * is the best polynomial approximation method in a sense of strong asymptotic behavior.
Performance assessment of a simple and accurate grid alignment aid for portable chest imaging

An x-ray anti-scatter grid alignment aid has been developed and its performance evaluated for portable chest radiographic exams. The grid alignment aid consists of one line laser and one cross-hair laser mounted on a supporting frame. During an x-ray exam, the two lasers generate a predetermined light pattern on the x-ray collimator to indicate the optimal x-ray source position in the three-dimensional (3D) space. Two grids commonly used in portable chest exams (40 lp/cm resolution, 6:1 and 8:1 ratio, and 130 cm focal distance) were characterized in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio improvement factor (SIF), as a function of the source image distance (SID), and x-ray tube lateral displacement from which the optimal grid operation range was determined. Data indicated the grid alignment aid was able to provide sufficient accuracy for positioning the x-ray tube to achieve optimal grid usage.
Antibodies to Lung Self-Antigens (Ka1 Tubulin or Collagen V) Lead to Epitope Spreading, Loss of Tolerance and Rejection of CTLA4/MR1 Induced Tolerant Murine Lung Allograft

Purpose Immune responses against lung self-antigens (SAg) [Kα1tubulin (Kα1T) and Collagen V (ColV)] are critical in the pathogenesis of chronic rejection in human lung transplantation (LT). Our goal was to determine the mechanisms by which antibodies (Abs) to SAgs lead to rejection in co-stimulatory blockade induced tolerant murine LT. Methods and Materials LT was done from Balb/c to Bl/6 and tolerance was induced with MR1 (250μg) and CTLA4-Ig (200μg) on post-LT days 1 and 2. Abs to Kα1T or ColV or both (200μg/dose, i/p) or isotype control were given on days -10, -2, 0 & weekly following LT. Lungs were analyzed by H&E, trichrome and immunostains. Kα1T and ColV specific IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-4 and IL-17 cells were enumerated by ELISpot. Abs to allo-MHC was determined by FACS. Cytokine and growth factors in lung were done by RTPCR. Results Allo-LT with co-stimulatory blockade did not show evidence of rejection for >100 days. However, administration of Abs to Kα1T or ColV or both resulted in loss of tolerance and rejection (cellular infiltration, airway remodeling) by day 45-60. Isotype controls did not demonstrate rejection pathology. Abs to SAgs in tolerant mice led to Infiltration of CD4 and CD8 T cells, B-cells and neutrophils, increase in SAg specific T-cells secreting IFNγ (p=0.002), IL-4 (p=0.047) and IL-17 (p=0.001) and decrease in IL-10 (p=0.03). Abs to either SAgs resulted in immune responses to both the SAgs and donor specific Abs to allo-MHC (MFI>2000 against Balb/c - H2kd), demonstrating epitope spreading to other SAgs and linked allo-MHC. Upregulation of IL-6 (7.1 fold), IL-1β (17 fold), IFN-γ(4.8 fold), IL-17 (10.1 fold), VEGF (2.9 fold), TGF-β (3.8 fold) was also noted in the lung tissue. Conclusions Administration of Abs to lung Sags resulted in epitope spreading of immune responses not only to Sags but also to the linked allo-MHC leading to loss of tolerance induced by co-stimulatory blockade.
Polarization-based active/passive scanning system for minefield detection

A remote minefield detection system (REMIDS) developed as part of the U.S. Army's Standoff Minefield System Research Program is presented. This helicopter-mounted system based on an active/passive line scanner, real-time processing, and display and navigational equipment obtains image data in three principal coregistered channels via line scanning. Two channels provide near-IR linear polarization reflectance vector information while the third channel provides passive thermal information. Numerous flight tests showed that the REMIDS system is capable of detecting mines during both day and night flight. Polarization is confirmed to be are a good discriminator between man-made and natural objects. Active polarization and reflectance information proved to be superior to thermal data in several natural scenarios including arid regions, overcast conditions, and diurnal thermal crossover periods.
Personal Narrative as a Medium for STD/HIV Intervention: A Preliminary Study1

Few brief interventions have been successful at producing changes in STD and HIV risk behavior. This preliminary study evaluated the effectiveness of 2 brief interventions designed to promote safer sex. Participants were 93 students enrolled in a health education course at a large midwestern university who watched a 40-min slide presentation including behavioral-skills training, a 40-min personal narrative performance followed by behavioral-skills training, or no presentation. Two weeks later, students completed measures of safer-sex attitudes, motivation, behavioral intentions, behavioral skills, self-efficacy, and decisional balance. Students in the personal narrative group scored higher on the behavioral-skills measure than did students in the slide group or the control group. Personal narrative may be an effective medium for brief safer-sex interventions.
Interference between wavefronts rotated or reversed with respect to each other and its relation to spatial coherence

The wavefronts are rotated or reversed with respect to each other when a plane mirror is used in one beam and a cube-corner prism or a right-angle prism is used in the second beam of a Twyman–Green interferometer. The purpose of this paper is to explore the conditions under which fringes of equal thickness could be obtained. This is related to the spatial coherence of the collimated beam incident on the beam splitter. Use of a gas laser source is discussed.
All block designs with b= v k /2 exist

Abstract In this paper, we establish the correctness of a conjecture by Hartman on the existence of large sets of size two for t = 2. Also, we obtain some partial results for t > 2.
Factors Influencing Employee Intentions to Provide Honest Upward Feedback Ratings

Based on current research involving rater motivation, we examined several factors hypothesized to influence employee intentions to provide honest upward feedback. Survey data were collected from a demographically diverse sample of hospital employees (n = 203). In summary, we found empirical support for generalizing extant models of rater motivation to an upward feedback context: cynicism towards upper management and the upward feedback process, understanding upward feedback, and opportunity to observe their supervisors were the primary predictors of employee intentions to provide honest upward feedback ratings, mediated by the (a) extent to which employees perceived positive benefits would result from rating their supervisors honestly, (b) the extent to which employees feared retaliation by their supervisors, and (c) rater self-efficacy.
Public Opposition to Genetic Engineering1

The extent and sources of public opposition to the use of genetic engineering in agricultural production are examined through data from telephone interviews with 220 farmers and 332 nonfarmers living in eight North Carolina counties. A model suggesting that public opposition to genetic engineering is influenced by demographic characteristics mediated by three intervening variables (awareness of genetic engineering, faith in government and industry, and moral objection to genetic engineering) is analyzed. Moral objection is the strongest predictor of opposition. Opposition is also related to lower awareness and less faith in institutions. Women are more likely to oppose genetic engineering than men. Implications of findings are noted.
Test results from a precision drift chamber vertex detector prototype using dimethylether

Abstract Results of beam tests of a prototype drift chamber vertex detector developed for the D-Zero experiment at the Fermilab collider are reported. The chamber design emphasizes dual goals of high accuracy position measurement and excellent two track resolution. These requirements are met by using a slow gas, dimethyl ether, in a jet chamber geometry with a double plane of field-shaping wires near the anodes. Resolution of nearby hits is facilitated by 100 MHz flash digitization of the signal pulses. The prototype tested consisted of a full-length (97 cm) model of one azimuthal sector of the innermost layer of the detector, with 8 anode wires. Position measurement accuracy of 30–80 μm for drift distances of 2–11 mm and pulse pair resolution of 0.7 mm (for 90% of all pulses) is achieved.
Characterization of anion exchange ionomers in hybrid polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

Anion exchange ionomers (AEI) synthesized here were characterized by use of a novel fuel cell configuration. The new analysis method involves assembling the AEI electrode of interest as the cathode in a hybrid, acid/alkaline, fuel cell configuration. The hybrid cell includes a conventional proton conducting anode/membrane half-cell along with the anionic conductor of interest at the cathode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and voltammetry were used to evaluate the performance of the hybrid AEI-containing fuel cell with H 2 and O 2 . In particular, the AEI electrode response in impedance spectroscopy was easily identified because the contributions from other components are largely minimized in the presented hybrid cell configuration. The properties of ionomers used in the AEI electrode were shown to have a substantial effect on the electrode performance. Low catalyst utilization, due to high water uptake and low conductivity, was identified as the major causes of poor performance in AEI electrodes.
Differential scanning calorimetry of the epoxy cure reaction

From a review of the literature it is shown that kinetics from programmed heating rate experiments are often in serious disagreement with published isothermal data. In every case, including the present, the dynamic kinetic parameters measured on epoxies are significantly larger than the isothermal. Use of a dynamic rate equation provides good agreement between the two experiments. It is also shown that the Kissinger method is correct when applied to DSC of epoxies.
Reduced Fhit expression in cervical carcinoma: correlation with tumor progression and poor prognosis.

Abstract Objective The fragile histidine triad ( FHIT ) gene is located at chromosome 3p14.2 and encompasses the common fragile site, FRA3B, which may contribute to chromosome breakage and rearrangement of cancer cells. Aberrant protein expression and inactivation of the FHIT gene have been identified in a variety of precancerous and cancerous lesions. To identify the potential implications of the FHIT gene in the development of cervical carcinoma and explore the clinical importance of change in gene expression, we assessed the level of Fhit protein in precancerous lesions and carcinomas of the cervix. Methods In our study, 15 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 35 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), 12 microinvasive carcinomas, and 103 invasive carcinomas were evaluated. The expression of Fhit was studied by immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody specific for the protein. Results All samples of normal epithelium and LSIL exhibited intermediate to strong immunostaining of Fhit. Reduced Fhit protein expression was observed in 30 of 103 (29.1%) invasive carcinomas, 1 of 12 (8.3%) microinvasive carcinomas, and 3 of 35 (8.6%) HISL. Compared with normal epithelium and dysplasia, microinvasive and invasive carcinomas showed significantly lower Fhit expression. Fhit expression was also correlated with clinicopathological status. Reduced Fhit expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.005), parametrial invasion ( P = 0.023), and vaginal involvement of the tumor ( P = 0.016). In univariate analysis, Fhit expression was found to be a significant predictor of survival (relative risk 2.54, P = 0.0091): the patient with reduced Fhit expression had a 154% higher risk of dying from cervical cancer than the patient with opposite values. Conclusions Our results indicate that immunostaining of Fhit expression has potential as a prognostic marker in the management of cervical cancer. The trend of reduced Fhit expression in microinvasive and invasive carcinomas suggests that down-regulation of Fhit is strongly linked to cancer progression. Moreover, loss of Fhit expression was related to lymph node metastasis, parametrial invasion, and vaginal involvement in cervical carcinoma. These results imply that loss of Fhit protein is associated with highly aggressive phenotypes of cervical carcinoma.
Maximum Likelihood Comparison of Tully-Fisher and Redshift Data. II. Results from an Expanded Sample

This is the second in a series of papers in which we compare Tully-Fisher (TF) data from the Mark III Catalog with predicted peculiar velocities based on the IRAS galaxy redshift survey and gravitational instability theory, using a rigorous maximum likelihood method called VELMOD. In the first paper in this series, we applied the method to a czLG ≤ 3000 km s-1, 838 galaxy TF sample and found βI = 0.49 ± 0.07, where βI ≡ Ω0.6/bI and bI is the linear biasing parameter for IRAS galaxies. In this paper we increase the redshift limit to czLG = 7500 km s-1, thereby enlarging the sample to 1876 galaxies. The expanded sample now includes the Willick Pisces-Perseus (W91PP) and Courteau-Faber (CF) subsamples of the Mark III Catalog, in addition to the Aaronson et al. (A82) and Mathewson et al. (MAT) subsamples already considered in the first paper in this series. We implement VELMOD using both the forward and inverse forms of the TF relation and allow for a more general form of the quadrupole velocity residual than considered in the first paper in this series. We find βI = 0.50 ± 0.04 (1 σ error) at 300 km s-1 smoothing of the IRAS-predicted velocity field. The fit residuals are spatially incoherent for βI = 0.5, which indicates that the IRAS plus quadrupole velocity field is a good fit to the TF data. If we eliminate the quadrupole we obtain a worse fit but a similar value for βI of 0.54 ± 0.04. Changing the IRAS smoothing scale to 500 km s-1 has almost no effect on the best βI. Thus the data are consistent with a model in which the cosmological density parameter Ω ≈ 0.3, and IRAS galaxies are unbiased, bI = 1. We find evidence for a density dependence of the small-scale velocity dispersion, σv(δg) (100 + 35δg) km s-1. One of the byproducts of the VELMOD method is a self-consistent calibration of the TF relation. We confirm our result from the first paper in this series that the TF relations for the A82 and MAT samples found by VELMOD are consistent with those that went into the published Mark III Catalog. However, the VELMOD TF calibrations for the W91PP and CF samples place objects ~8% closer than their Mark III Catalog distances, which has an important effect on the inferred large-scale flow field at 4000-6000 km s-1. With this recalibration, the IRAS and Mark III velocity fields are consistent with one another at all radii.
A Perspective on Interdisciplinary Science

This has proven to be a difficult piece to write. It not only challenges my ability to fundamentally communicate how good science is formulated, but it also challenges my ability to communicate how a variety of personal skills is blended into a special way of viewing the world. Successful interdisciplinary research demands good science as much as it demands personal values related to patience, trust, responsibility, and honesty, all the attributes related to being a respected citizen (Naiman and others 1998). Nearly everyone seems inherently to know these attributes are important, but putting them into practice is another matter altogether. The editors have asked that several issues be addressed concerning interdisciplinary research, and I have added a brief preamble. I address each issue while at the same time interjecting personal lessons and observations that have either been learned or developed over my professional career. My only objective is to share experiences in the hope that, by doing so, it will make a difference to ecosystem science.
Measurement of Acoustoelastic Effect of Rayleigh Surface Waves Using Laser Ultrasonics

The acoustoelastic effect refers to the fact that elastic wave velocities vary with stress. Measurements of the change in stress-induced velocity yield information which leads to the determination of stresses. Some work has been done to explore the possibility of using ultrasonic waves, including bulk longitudinal and shear waves as well as surface waves, for the nondestructive evaluation of stresses. This paper focuses on Rayleigh surface waves, which have the advantage of detecting both surface stresses and stress gradients.
True Nominalism: Referring versus Coding

One major motivation for nominalism, at least according to Hartry Field, is the desirability of intrinsic explanations: explanations that don’t invoke objects that are causally irrelevant to the phenomena being explained. There is something right about the search for such explanations. But that search must be carefully implemented. Nothing is gained if, to avoid a certain class of objects, one only introduces other objects and relations that are just as nominalistically questionable. We will argue that this is the case for two alleged nominalist views: Field’s fictionalism ([1980], [1989a]), and Frank Arntzenius and Cian Dorr’s geometricalism (Arntzenius and Dorr [2012]). Central to our competing approach to nominalism is a distinction between terms that refer to objects and ones that instead code empirical phenomena while being referentially empty. We next contrast our approach to nominalism, which uses this term-grained distinction between coding and referring, with approaches (to nominalism) that instead attempt to make a sentencegrained distinction between mathematical and non-mathematical content. We show the latter approach (derived from the work of Kitcher, Maddy, and Sober) fails to be responsive to objections raised by van Fraassen. In the end, only one last approach to nominalism is left standing.
Intra-surface radiative transfer limits the geographic extent of snow penitents on horizontal snowfields

Penitents are broad snow spikes and ridges that range in height between centimeters and meters. Two key features of penitents remain unexplained: (1) they generally form at low latitudes and (2) their ridges and troughs have an east-west orientation. Here we show that surface-to-surface exchange of shortwave radiation and the local geometry of the sun's daily arc across the sky are the key processes that, in the absence of other effects, determine the geographic extent of where surface roughness features can grow or dissipate on snowfields and ice surfaces. As an application of our analysis, we examine the question of the geographic extent of snow penitents on horizontal surfaces. The results show that surface-to-surface radiative transfer can explain why penitents do not form on horizontal surfaces more than � 558 off the equator. We further show on the basis of the sun's path across the sky that penitents that are corrugated, i.e. occur in long ridges or rows, must align their ridge axis within 308 of the east-west transect.
The Changing Roles and Responsibilities of an LD Specialist

This article chronicles a single teacher's journey from expert resource teacher for students with learning disabilities (LD) to novice inclusion teacher and then expert inclusion specialist over a ...
Monitoring the effect of mild hyperthermia on tumour hypoxia by Cu-ATSM PET scanning.

Purpose: Mild hyperthermia can improve tumour oxygenation and enhance radiosensitivity. Imaging the hypoxic fraction of a tumour can guide hyperthermia treatment planning and facilitate treatment optimization. 64Cu-ATSM (Copper-diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone)) is a positron emitting compound that has been demonstrated to have rapid uptake and selective retention in hypoxic cells and has been used for imaging human and animal tumours. The purpose of the present report is to establish methodology that will allow one to use Cu-ATSM PET scanning to detect the impact of hyperthermia on tumour physiology in as little time as possible.Materials and methods: EMT6 tumours (mouse mammary carcinoma) were implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of both thighs of 10 BALB/c mice (one heated, one control tumour per animal). The target thermal dose was 41.5°C × 45 min. Without interrupting heating, 64Cu-ATSM (mean activity 1.8 mCi) was then injected and serial PET scans were obtained. In a sub-group of four anima...
Vector-clock based partial order reduction for JPF

Java Pathfinder (JPF) employs a dynamic partial order reduction based on sharing and state hashing to reduce the schedules in concurrent systems. That partial order reduction is believed to be complete in the new version of JPF using search global IDs (SGOIDs) but does miss behaviors when SGOIDs are not employed. More importantly, it is not clear how such a dynamic partial order reduction, with or without SGOIDs, compares to other dynamic partial order reductions based on persistent sets, sleep sets, or clock vectors. In order to understand JPF's native dynamic partial order reduction better, this paper discusses an implementation of Flanagan and Goidefroid's clock vector partial order reduction in JPF. Then, the performance of JPF's native dynamic partial order reduction and the clock vector partial order reduction in JPF using SGOIDs will be compared in an effort to understand JPF's dynamic partial order reduction more fully. It was discovered that a clock vector POR always performs better in terms of runtime on the benchmarks chosen, and sometimes even better in terms of memory.
A comparison of hydraulic architecture in three similarly sized woody species differing in their maximum potential height

The physiological mechanisms underlying the short maximum height of shrubs are not understood. One possible explanation is that differences in the hydraulic architecture of shrubs compared with co-occurring taller trees prevent the shrubs from growing taller. To explore this hypothesis, we examined various hydraulic parameters, including vessel lumen diameter, hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism, of three co-occurring species that differed in their maximum potential height. We examined one species of shrub, one short-statured tree and one taller tree. We worked with individuals that were approximately the same age and height, which was near the maximum for the shrub species. A number of variables correlated with the maximum potential height of the species. For example, vessel diameter and vulnerability to embolism both increased while wood density declined with maximum potential height. The difference between the pressure causing 50% reduction in hydraulic conductance in the leaves and the midday leaf water potential (the leaf’s hydraulic safety margin) was much larger in the shrub than the other two species. In general, trends were consistent with understory shrubs having a more conservative life history strategy than co-occurring taller species.
A novel hybrid overlay/underlay Cognitive Radio waveform in frequency selective fading channels

Cognitive Radio (CR) has attracted strong interest recently to solve the spectrum congestion problem. In conventional cognitive radio, either overlay waveform is used to exploit unused (white) spectrum holes to avoid interference to primary users, or underlay waveform is employed to spread over a ultrawide bandwidth with extremely low power spectrum density to minimize interference to primary users. In our previous work, we proposed a novel hybrid overlay/underlay waveform to combine the benefits of both overlay and underlay waveform, creating a soft decision cognitive radio to exploit both the unused (white) spectral regions and the underused (gray) spectral areas. Extending the spectrally modulated spectrally encoded (SMSE) framework, we provide the framework for the proposed soft decision cognitive radio. We also evaluate the performance of the hybrid overlay/underlay waveform in frequency selective fading channels. A simulated performance analysis of overlay, underlay and hybrid overlay/underlay waveforms in frequency selective fading channels is presented and benefits discussed.
Condensational Growth May Contribute to the Enhanced Deposition of Cigarette Smoke Particles in the Upper Respiratory Tract

Previous experimental studies have shown that concentrated cigarette smoke particles (CSPs) deposit in the upper airways like much larger 6 to 7 μ m aerosols. Based on the frequent assumption that relative humidity (RH) in the lungs does not exceed approximately 99.5%, the hygroscopic growth of initially submicrometer CSPs is expected to be a relatively minor factor. However, the inhalation of mainstream smoke may result in humidity values ranging from sub-saturated through supersaturated conditions. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of condensation particle growth on the transport and deposition of CSPs in the upper respiratory tract under various RH and temperature conditions. To achieve this objective, a computational model of transport in the continuous phase surrounding a CSP was developed for a multicomponent aerosol consisting of water soluble and insoluble species. To evaluate the transport and deposition of dilute hygroscopic CSPs in the upper airways, a model of the human mou...
Mutations in High-Voltage-Activated Calcium Channel Genes Stimulate Low-Voltage-Activated Currents in Mouse Thalamic Relay Neurons

Ca2+ currents, especially those activated at low voltages (LVA), influence burst generation in thalamocortical circuitry and enhance the abnormal rhythmicity associated with absence epilepsy. Mutations in several genes for high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ channel subunits are linked to spike-wave seizure phenotypes in mice; however, none of these mutations are predicted to increase intrinsic membrane excitability or directly enhance LVA currents. We examined biophysical properties of both LVA and HVA Ca2+ currents in thalamic cells of tottering (tg; Cav2.1/alpha1A subunit), lethargic (lh; beta4 subunit), and stargazer (stg; gamma2 subunit) brain slices. We observed 46, 51, and 45% increases in peak current densities of LVA Ca2+ currents evoked at -50 mV from -110 mV in tg, lh, and stg mice, respectively, compared with wild type. The half-maximal voltages for steady-state inactivation of LVA currents were shifted in a depolarized direction by 7.5-13.5 mV in all three mutants, although no alterations in the time-constant for recovery from inactivation of LVA currents were found. HVA peak current densities in tg and stg were increased by 22 and 45%, respectively, and a 5 mV depolarizing shift of the activation curve was observed in lh. Despite elevated LVA amplitudes, no alterations in mRNA expression of the genes mediating T-type subunits, Cav3.1/alpha1G, Cav3.2/alpha1H, or Cav3.3/alpha1I, were detected in the three mutants. Our data demonstrate that mutation of Cav2.1 or regulatory subunit genes increases intrinsic membrane excitability in thalamic neurons by potentiating LVA Ca2+ currents. These alterations increase the probability for abnormal thalamocortical synchronization and absence epilepsy in tg, lh, and stg mice.