cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutrient and phytoplankton responses to a flood event in a series of interconnected coastal lakes : Myall Lakes Australia

Myall Lakes is a large brackish coastal lake on the east coast of Australia that was considered pristine until the occurrence of blue-green algal blooms in 1999. The temporal and spatial extent of chemical and biological changes to the water column of Myall Lakes was studied intensively after a rain event in 2002. Water quality profiles (T, EC, pH, DO), turbidity (secchi), nutrients (TN, NOx, NH4+, DON, TP, FRP, DOP, Si), and phytoplankton (chl a and cell counts) were measured at nine sites on eight occasions immediately after the rain event. Freshwater inflows affected a large area of the lake. Greatest changes were seen in areas close to the mouth of the upper Myall River which is the largest freshwater input to the lakes. Here, greatly elevated concentrations of NOx, TP, and FRP (up to two orders of magnitude higher than background) were recorded immediately after the rain event but persisted for only 2 to 8 days. Slightly elevated concentrations of TP and NOx were seen in inflows from the smaller Boolambayte Creek. Stratification was associated with bottom water anoxia and release of ammonia from the sediments. Identification of the sources of nutrient species delivered from different parts of the catchment, combined with studies of nutrient loads can assist managers to develop effective nutrient reduction strategies to reduce the incidence of blue-green algal blooms in Myall Lakes.
Platelet and fibrinogen kinetics in the chronic myeloproliferative disorders.

Simultaneous platelet and fibrinogen survival kinetic studies utilizing 75Seselenomethionine was performed on six patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), four with polycythemia vera (PV), one with idiopathic thrombocytosis (IT), and seven with myelofibrosis and myeloid metaplasia (MMM). The data revealed that platelet survivals, as well as fibrinogen survivals, were increased in CML as compared to patients with the other myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). Platelet survival was shortened in the patients with MPD as compared to the control patients. Thrombotic episodes were noted in three patients with MPD, while another had recurrent rectal bleeding. In all of these patients, platelet turnover was increased and was the only consistent determinant of hemostatic abnormality. Platelet adhesiveness and aggregation studies were inconsistently altered in any group and were not useful predictors of the risk of hemorrhagic or thrombotic diathesis. The data suggest that the platelets produced by patients with CML are functionally abnormal and underutilized when compared to control patients and to patients with other MPD. The thrombocytosis of CML results from decreased platelet utilization rather than from overproduction. Overutilization of platelets in patients with other MPD contributes to the thrombotic tendency noted in these patients. These results suggest another distinctive feature which separates CML from the other MPD. Platelet and fibrinogen kinetic studies are important in evaluating the pathophysiology of the thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis of the myeloproliferative diseases as well as in investigating the physiology of hemostasis.
Light-induced changes in hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells deposited at the edge of crystallinity

Abstract A series of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films were deposited in the transition region from amorphous to nanocrystalline phases by changing hydrogen dilution ratio R , deposition gas pressure, and RF power. Single junction a-Si:H solar cells were made using these materials as the intrinsic layers in the structure of n–i–p type on ZnO/Ag/stainless steel substrates. Light-induced degradations in the photovoltaic parameters were characterized on these cells after 1 Sun solar illumination for 150 h. The stabilized efficiencies were compared in conjunction with the structures in the intrinsic layers, which were revealed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). It was found that the solar cells incorporated protocrystalline intrinsic layer as the i-layer give a better initial efficiency, while solar cells made from nanostructured i-layers have a better stability of ∼7% degradation against light soaking, as a result, both have nearly the same final stabilized efficiency. The best device stabilized efficiency reaches ∼10.2% (0.25 cm 2 , AM1.5G) for the intrinsic layer deposited at a high pressure of 2 Torr.
Penicillin-Nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae at San Francisco General Hospital

Positive pneumococcal cultures of specimens from adult inpatients at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) during the period of 11 August 1994 through 31 December 1996 were identified retrospectively. Of the isolates recovered, 15.5% were not penicillin-susceptible (MIC, ≥.1 μg/mL). A case-control study was performed to evaluate risk factors for colonization or infection with penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae (PNSP) and outcomes. Cases (n = 65) were adult inpatients with a positive culture for PNSP, and controls (n = 411) were adult inpatients with a positive culture for penicillin-susceptible pneumococci (PSSP) and no evidence of PNSP. Cases were less likely to have pneumococcal bacteremia (15.4% versus 39.4%; P <.001) and less likely to have pneumonia (50.8% versus 68.9%; P =.006). In a multiple logistic regression model, recent hospital admission and absence of bacteremia were independent predictors of penicillin-nonsusceptibility. Human immunodeficiency virus infection, mortality, and length of hospitalization were not significantly different among cases and controls. These data suggest that PNSP may be less virulent (cause less pulmonary infection) and/or less invasive (cause fewer bloodstream infections) than PSSP at SFGH.
An empirical study of the impact of firm resources on alliance governance structures

Alliances between smaller biotechnology firms and larger pharmaceutical firms are the backbone of new product development strategies within the pharmaceutical industry. While pharmaceutical firms seek access to new technologies and products, small biotechnology firms depend on these alliance relationships to access key resources such as financing and downstream capabilities because they typically do not have the resources needed in-house to successfully commercialize their products. In this study, we investigate the governance structure of these alliance relationships arguing that the more resource rich a biotechnology firm is, in terms of technical, commercial, and social capital, the less likely it is to give up equity to an alliance partner. Results suggest that greater biotech patent quality, cash position, and alliance credibility impact the type of governance structure that is chosen by the alliance partners and therefore the extent of control that the biotechnology firm is willing to give up in the relationship.
Core polarization effects in the unified analysis of weak, electromagnetic, and strong processes in 6Li

Abstract The contribution of core polarization to the 6 Li wave function is evaluated in lowest order (single bubble) and in the Tamm-Dancoff and random-phase approximations. The effects of core polarization on various electromagnetic transitions, β-decay rates, and threshold pion-photo-production in the A = 6 system are then determined.
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF GLOEODINIUM MONTANUM (DINOPHYCEAE)1

The freshwater dinoflagellate Gloeodinium montanum Klebs (1912) was examined with transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Micrographs of ultrathin sections revealed a series of membrane layers rather than the usual dinoflagellate theca in vegetative cysts and in legates. Swarmers had distinct pellicles but appeared to be devoid of thecal plates and vesicles. The organization of cysts and swarmers appeared remarkably similar. All cell types had typical dinoflagellate nuclei with condensed chromosomes. Chloraplasts had girdle lamellae. One pyrenoid per cell was also present in chloroplasts of vegetative cysts. Starch grains and oil globules were distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Large accumulation bodies and polyvesicular vacuoles were found in aging cysts. Trichocysts and flagellar hairs were absent. Two types of intra-cellular prokaryotic organisms were discovered.
Dynamic scaling behavior of a growing self-affine fractal interface in a paper-towel-wetting experiment.

The dynamic scaling behavior of a growing self-affine fractal interface is examined in a simple paper-towel-wetting experiment. A sheet of plain white paper towel is wetted with red food dye solution, and the evolution of the interface is photographed with a 35-mm camera as a function of time. Each snapshot is scanned and digitized to obtain the interface height h(x,t) as a function of time and position. From these the interface width w(L,t) is determined as a function of time t and system size L. It is found that the interface width scales with system size L as w(L,t)\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathit{L}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$ with \ensuremath{\alpha}=0.67\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04 and scales with time as w(L,t)\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\beta}}}$ with \ensuremath{\beta}=0.24\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02. It is also found that average height of the interface scales with time as 〈h〉\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ with \ensuremath{\delta}=0.33\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02. These results are assessed in comparison with the predictions of theoretical models and the results of other relevant experiments. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Emotions on a Continuum

An alternative approach to emotion is presented here, which differs from that of Kagan and others. It orders emotion along a continuum of the embodiment of emotion, starting with a clear but rare case of pure emotion and at the other extreme discusses Damasio’s intelligent prefrontal patients who could not feel emotions critical to social life.
A DMol3 study of the methanol addition–elimination oxidation mechanism by methanol dehydrogenase enzyme

The addition–elimination (A–E) mechanism proposed for the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde by PQQ-containing methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) enzyme is investigated at the Becke–Lee–Yang–Parr/double numerical with polarisation density functional theory level with the DMol3 module of the Materials Studio® software. Two different models representing the Methylobacterium extorquens MDH (1H4I) active site are considered and tested upon methanol oxidation in gas phase. Model A consists of the PQQ molecule, the Ca2 + ion and aspartic acid (ASP-303), and model B contains also glutamic acid (GLU-177) and asparagine (ASN-261) in addition to the contents of model A. The first proton transfer from methanol to ASP-303 and from ASP-303 to PQQ is affected by the model size; however, the second proton transfer corresponding to the cleavage of Cmet–H17 is practically unaffected by the MDH active site model under consideration. The energy barrier for the cleavage of the C atom of methanol (Cmet) and H17 is 13 and 17 kca...
The (p, V, T) properties of concentrated aqueous electrolytes I. Densities and apparent molar volumes of NaCl, Na2SO4, MgCl2, and MgSO4 solutions from 0.1 mol·kg−1 to saturation and from 273.15 to 323.15 K

The density differences (ϱ−ϱ∗) (where ϱ is the density of the solution and ϱ∗ is the density of water), of NaCl, Na2SO4, MgCl2, and MgSO4 aqueous solutions have been measured from 278.15 to 318.15 K and molality m = 0.1 mol·kg−1 to saturation. The results have been combined with our earlier measurements and literature data and were least-squares fitted by polynomial equations in molality and temperature. The estimated standard errors s of the density equations were better than 25 × 10−6 g·cm−3 over the molality range 0.1 mol·kg−1 ⩽ m ⩽ saturation and from 273.15 to 323.15 K. At T = 298.15 K, s(10−6 g·cm−3) = 19.3, 9.5, 19.9, and 12.8, respectively, for NaCl, Na2SO4, MgCl2, and MgSO4 solutions. The apparent molar volumes V2.φ determined from the densities have been fitted by a least-squares method to equations in molality and temperature. The estimated standard errors of the V2.φ equations are better than 0.22 cm3·mol−1 for all the solutions from 0.1 mol·kg−1 ⩽ m ⩽ saturation and 273.15 to 323.15 K.
Fibronectin- and protein kinase C-mediated activation of ERK/MAPK are essential for proplateletlike formation.

The megakaryoblastic CHRF-288 cell line was used to investigate signal transduction pathways responsible for proplateletlike formation (PPF). The role of fibronectin (FN) and protein kinase C (PKC) activation in PPF were examined. In the presence of serum and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a PKC activator, cells exhibited full megakaryocytic differentiation, manifested by adhesion, shape change, increased cell size, polyploidy, PPF, and expression of CD41+, CD61+, and CD62P+. The same morphologic and phenotypic features were observed in serum-free cultures in the presence of FN/PMA. Only partial differentiation occurred when other integrin ligands were substituted for FN. FN alone induced minimal cell adhesion and spreading, while PMA alone induced only polyploidy without adhesion. Signal transduction changes involved the activation of the extracellular signal–regulated protein kinase 1 (ERK1)/ERK2 as well as c-Jun amino-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1)/stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK). Phosphoinositide-3 kinase and p38 were not stimulated under these conditions. Inhibitors were used to identify the causal relationship between signaling pathways and PPF. PD98059 and GF109203X, inhibitors of ERK1/ERK2 pathway and PKC, respectively, blocked PPF, while adhesion, spreading, and polyploidy were normal. These studies show that activation of ERK1/ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway plays a critical role in PPF. The elucidation of the signal transduction pathway on megakaryocyte development and PPF is of crucial importance for understanding this unique biological process.
Fibers with low polarization-mode dispersion

Fibers with low polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) enable high-bit-rate time-division-multiplexed optical communication systems. These fibers are becoming increasingly important with the growing implementation of wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) transmission with channel bit rates of 40 Gb/s. Important to the realization of low PMD fibers are the fiber's index and stress profiles, polarization-mode coupling, and the evolution of the polarization state with length. This paper reviews recent progress in the understanding of the fabrication and characteristics of these fibers. The paper also discusses the important fiber physical parameters, including the fiber index profile and fiber spinning parameters and their impacts on the realization of low PMD performance.
Ground roll: Rejection using polarization filters

Ground roll noise on land data sets overwhelms the desired reflection seismic signal unless special steps are taken in data acquisition and processing to control it. This is usually done in the field by the design of group arrays for data acquisition. On the other hand, if multicomponent data are acquired, it is possible to remove ground roll during processing using polarization analysis. Even though this processing is computation-intensive, the potential exists for obtaining results similar to conventional data acquisition, but with deployment of fewer sensors in the field with minimal group array effects. It also has potential for deriving new information.We describe a two-dimensional polarization-filter analysis for use with vertical and in-line sensors. A time-domain spectral matrix technique is developed since the recorded seismic signal is the superposition of multiple signals in the time domain, each with different frequency content and time-varying polarization. This technique is implemented by decomposing the signal into individual frequency components using narrow band-pass filters and defining the polarization characteristic using sliding time windows. We show that both incoherent noise and specific linearly polarized constituents can be successfully filtered.
Stretch activates heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor expression in bladder smooth muscle cells

Cultured rat bladder smooth muscle cells (SMC) were grown on collagen-coated silicone membranes and subjected to continuous cycles of stretch-relaxation. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed a time-dependent increase in heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HB-EGF) mRNA levels after stretch, with maximal levels appearing after 4 h. Immunostaining for proHB-EGF revealed higher levels of HB-EGF protein in the stretched than in the nonstretched SMC. The ANG II receptor type 1 antagonist losartan markedly suppressed stretch-activated HB-EGF expression. ANG II levels were 3.3-fold higher in the stretch- than in the non-stretch-conditioned media. Stretch stimulation of bladder SMC that had been transiently transfected with an HB-EGF promoter-luciferase expression construct resulted in an 11-fold increase in reporter activity. Mechanical stretch induced a 4.7-fold increase in tritiated thymidine incorporation rate, and this was reduced by 25% in the presence of losartan. We conclude that mechanical stretch activates HB-EGF gene expression in bladder SMC and that this is mediated in part by autocrine ANG II secretion.
Semilongitudinal cephalometric study of craniofacial growth in untreated Class III malocclusion

Introduction Class III growth in white subjects is poorly characterized because of the low prevalence of the disharmony and the clinical tendency to treat this condition early. The purpose of this study was to investigate craniofacial growth changes by using longitudinal cephalometric records of white subjects with untreated Class III malocclusions to provide comparison data for studies of Class III treatment outcomes. Methods Longitudinal records of 103 subjects were analyzed. Annual incremental growth changes in craniofacial variables from early childhood to late adolescence were examined for each sex. Inferential statistics were applied to changes in mandibular length, midfacial length, and lower anterior facial height of each sex (Wilcoxon tests) and between sexes (Mann-Whitney U tests). Results In the girls, the adolescent spurt in mandibular growth occurred between the ages of 10 and 12 years. In the boys, the adolescent mandibular growth spurt was between 12 and 15 years. Statistically significant growth changes in the average increments of growth of these linear measurements occurred in both sexes between 12 and 15 years. Adolescent peaks in midfacial growth were at prepubertal ages in both sexes. During childhood (5-7 years), much craniofacial growth occurred. Moreover, there was considerable mandibular growth relative to the maxilla in Class III subjects after the adolescent growth spurt. Conclusions White Class III subjects showed definite worsening of the relative mandibular prognathism and sagittal skeletal discrepancy between the jaws with growth. The growth pattern of 3 fundamental cephalometric measurements (lower anterior face height, midfacial length, and mandibular length) exhibited differences between Class III male and female subjects in both the timing and the size of average growth increments in the adolescent growth spurt.
Size and Speed Go Hand in Hand in Cytokinesis

In animal cells, cytokinesis is mediated by the constriction of a cortical ring. In this issue, Carvalho et al. (2009) show in embryos of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans that the rate of ring constriction during cytokinesis is proportional to the initial cell perimeter, ensuring that the duration of cytokinesis is cell-size independent.
A novel stochastic agent-based model of building occupancy

We propose a novel stochastic agent-based model of occupancy dynamics in a building with an arbitrary number of zones and occupants. Simulation of the model yields time-series of the location of each agent (occupant) over time, from which a time-series of occupancy (number of people in each zone) can be determined. The model is meant to provide realistic simulation of occupancy dynamics in non-emergency situations, which can be used for extraction of reduced order models of occupancy dynamics for estimation and control purposes. Comparison of the model's prediction of mean occupancy, and distributions of random variables such as first arrival time, are provided against those estimated from measurements in a commercial building.
Serous and mucinous borderline (low malignant potential) tumors of the ovary.

The prognosis for stage I serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOTs) is thought to be excellent, despite rare, late recurrences. The behavior of advanced-stage SBOTs primarily depends on the invasiveness vs noninvasiveness of associated extraovarian implants. Pelvic and abdominal lymph node involvement and foci of microinvasion do not seem to adversely affect prognosis. Serous tumors with a micropapillary and/or cribriform growth pattern seem to be more frequently bilateral and exophytic and manifest at an advanced stage with a higher incidence of invasive implants than typical SBOTs. Molecular data suggest that such tumors may represent an intermediate stage in the typical SBOT-invasive low-grade serous carcinoma progression. Limited experience with endocervical (mullerian)-type mucinous borderline tumors shows a possible relation to SBOTs in clinicopathologic features and biologic behavior Intestinal-type mucinous borderline ovarian tumors (I-MBOTs) and well-differentiated mucinous carcinomas manifest at stage I in most cases; the prognosis is excellent. Mucinous tumors associated with pseudomyxoma peritonei are almost always secondary to similar tumors of the appendix or other gastrointestinal sites and should not be diagnosed as high-stage I-MBOTs. Rare primary ovarian mucinous tumors associated with pseudomyxoma peritonei are those arising in mature cystic teratomas. Advanced-stage ovarian mucinous carcinomas typically show frank, infiltrative-type invasion; the prognosis is poor.
Injury death excesses in smokers: a 1990-95 United States national cohort study

Objectives—Assess injury death relative risks (RR), dose-response, and attributable fractions for current cigarette smokers (smokers) in a recent representative sample of the United States population without and with adjustment for (a) demographic and (b) additional behavioral risk factors. Setting—United States. Methods—National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) adult (ages 18+ years) interviewees from 1990 or 1991 were followed through 1995. Referents had never smoked a total of 100 cigarettes. Relative risks were estimated with Stata software's Cox proportional hazard regressions, using NHIS final weights and primary sampling units. The resulting RR and published data were used to estimate population smoking attributable fractions of injury deaths in the United States. Results—The crude, age-race-gender adjusted, and fully (demographic plus educational attainment, marital status, alcohol use level, and seat belt use) adjusted RRs for injury death in smokers were 1.86 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30 to 2.66), 1.60 (CI 1.12 to 2.29), and 1.42 (CI 0.99 to 2.05) respectively. Those RRs correspond to United States injury death smoking attributable fractions of 18%, 13%, and 9%, respectively. Those smoker/injury death RRs each showed a significant dose response relationship (p<0.030). Smokers' unadjusted unintentional injury, motor vehicle crash, and suicide RRs were 1.87 (CI 1.22 to 2.86), 2.14 (CI 1.12 to 4.11), and 2.17 (CI 1.02 to 4.62), respectively. Conclusions—Smokers in the United States have significant dose-response excesses of injury death, independent of age, race, gender, alcohol use, seat belt use, education, and marital status. This supports earlier studies suggesting that smoking may be a leading contributor to injuries and injury may be a leading burden from smoking, both nationally and globally.
Responses of phytoplankton to experimental nutrient enrichment in an Amazon floodplain lake1

Natural algal populations in 4-, lo-, and 800-liter enclosures were fertilized to ascertain to what extent ammonium, nitrate, or phosphate enrichment changed phytoplankton abundance and physiology in an Amazon floodplain lake (Lake Calado). When water was rising and was between 8 and 11 m (March-May 1982), algal abundance ranged from 13-24 pg Chl a.liter-l and epilimnetic NH,+, N03-, and POa3- concentrations were usually ~0.3 HM. Chlorophyll increased over the control by 60-265% in the P treatment, 5-40% in the N treatments, and 75-270% in the N+P treatments after about 5 days. In three of the four experiments, increases in chlorophyll after addition of phosphate alone were significantly greater (P -=z 0.05) than after additions of nitrate or ammonium alone. Increases in net photosynthesis and in particulate C and N concentrations corroborated the chlorophyll data. Deficiency indices (ammonium-enhanced dark 14C fixation, N and P uptake rates, and sestonic N:P ratios) implied that the phytoplankton were impoverished with respect to nitrogen and phosphorus; nutrient enrichment relieved this condition but deficiency often returned after a few days. When water depth was falling and was between 7 and 2 m (September-November 1982) algal abundance ranged from 4 to 15 pg Chl a-liter-‘, turbidity increased, and epilimnetic inorganic N and P were usually ~0.3 PM. During September both N and P additions increased algal standing crop, whereas in early October enrichment with N increased abundance substantially (P < 0.05) above that after P addition. The physiological evidence indicated that the lake was N-deficient during September; in October neither N nor P deficiency was discernible except for slight alkaline phosphatase activity.
Channel Equalization and Symbol Detection for Single Carrier Broadband MIMO Systems with Multiple Carrier Frequency Offsets

We consider the frequency-domain channel equalization and symbol detection of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) single-carrier broadband wireless system in the presence of severe frequency-selective channel fading and multiple unknown carrier frequency offsets (CFOs). We show that the constellation of the equalized data is rotating due to multiple CFOs, therefore, the equalized data can not be reliably detected without removing the rotating phases caused by the multiple unknown CFOs. Instead of estimating the CFOs, we propose a method to estimate the rotating phases caused by multiple CFOs, remove the rotating phases from the equalized data, and perform symbol detection. Numerical example indicates that the proposed method provide very good results for a 4 times 2 wireless system with 8PSK modulation and 75-tap Rayleigh fading channels.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase γ Signaling through Protein Kinase Cζ Induces NADPH Oxidase-mediated Oxidant Generation and NF-κB Activation in Endothelial Cells *

We addressed the role of class 1B phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) isoform PI3Kγ in mediating NADPH oxidase activation and reactive oxidant species (ROS) generation in endothelial cells (ECs) and of PI3Kγ-mediated oxidant signaling in the mechanism of NF-κB activation and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expression. We used lung microvascular ECs isolated from mice with targeted deletion of the p110γ catalytic subunit of PI3Kγ. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α challenge of wild type ECs caused p110γ translocation to the plasma membrane and phosphatidylinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production coupled to ROS production; however, this response was blocked in p110γ–/– ECs. ROS production was the result of TNFα activation of Ser phosphorylation of NADPH oxidase subunit p47phox and its translocation to EC membranes. NADPH oxidase activation failed to occur in p110γ–/– ECs. Additionally, the TNFα-activated NF-κB binding to the ICAM-1 promoter, ICAM-1 protein expression, and PMN adhesion to ECs required functional PI3Kγ. TNFα challenge of p110γ–/– ECs failed to induce phosphorylation of PDK1 and activation of the atypical PKC isoform, PKCζ. Thus, PI3Kγ lies upstream of PKCζ in the endothelium, and its activation is crucial in signaling NADPH oxidase-dependent oxidant production and subsequent NF-κB activation and ICAM-1 expression.
New insights into the origin of biological chirality

Life is characterized by a selectivity for asymmetric molecules. A great deal of theoretical and experimental work has yet to explain why living organisms utilize only L-amino acids in proteins and D-sugars in RNA and DNA. Also unknown is how a form of life based on asymmetric molecules evolved from an environment containing a racemic mixture of prebiotic molecules. By what mechanism did this selectivity for asymmetric molecules take place?
Towards large-scale information integration

Software engineers confront many challenges during software development. One challenge is managing the relationships that exist between software artifacts. We refer to this task as information integration, since establishing a relationship between documents typically implies that an engineer must integrate information from each of the documents to perform a development task. In the past, we have applied open hypermedia techniques and technology to address this challenge. We now extend this work with the development of an information integration environment. We present the design of our environment along with details of its first prototype implementation. Furthermore, we describe our efforts to evaluate the utility of our approach. Our first experiment involves the discovery of keyword relationships between text-based software artifacts. Our second experiment examines the code of an open source project and generates a report on how its module relationships have evolved over time. Finally, our third experiment develops the capability to link code claiming to implement W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) standards with the XHTML (eXtensible HTML) representation of the standards themselves. These experiments combine to demonstrate the promise of our approach. We conclude by asserting that the process of software development can be significantly enhanced if more tools made their relationships available for integration.
Rainfall is not a genus-wide predictor of mean body mass in baboon populations

A body mass/rainfall relationship in baboons, Papio, is often treated as a well-established socioecological principle. This paper tests its reality in 29 populations representing five of six recognized phylogenetic baboon species. Contrary to previous findings from fewer cases, mean adult body mass was not significantly related to mean annual rainfall (MAR) across the whole genus in either gender. A positive mass/rainfall relationship is seen in chacma baboons, Papio ursinus, and anubis or olive baboons, Papio anubis, but only if the two species are considered separately. An explanatory hypothesis in terms of year-to-year predictability of food resources (rather than absolute productivity and its surrogate, MAR) is advanced for further testing. Unlike variables such as group size and time budgets, interpopulational body mass differences are likely to be largely ‘evolutionary’ rather than ‘phenotypic’. As such, they may reflect population history and adaptation to ancient ecosystems as much as to extant environments. This being so, plausible explanations of the interpopulational distribution of mean body mass and other similar variables are more likely to be found if analysis incorporates biogeographic and phylogenetic histories, and taxonomic subdivisions.
Microstrip antenna technology

A survey of microstrip antenna elements is presented, with emphasis on theoretical and practical design techniques. Available substrate materials are reviewed along with the relation between dielectric constant tolerance and resonant frequency of microstrip patches. Several theoretical analysis techniques are summarized, including transmission-line and modal-expansion (cavity) techniques as well as numerical methods such as the method of moments and finite-element techniques. Practical procedures are given for both standard rectangular and circular patches, as well as variations on those designs including circularly polarized microstrip patches. The quality, bandwidth, and efficiency factors of typical patch designs are discussed. Microstrip dipole and conformal antennas are summarized. Finally, critical needs for further research and development for this antenna are identified.
Data-driven RASTA filters in reverberation

In this work we test the performance of RASTA-style modulation filters derived under reverberant conditions. The modulation filters are constructed through linear discriminant analysis of log critical band energies in a manner described by van Vuuren and Hermansky (1997). In previous work we had observed the properties of the resultant filters under a number of acoustic conditions that were artificially applied to the training speech. Here, we present automatic speech recognition results that compare the performance of these filters under some training and testing reverberant conditions. We also test the effectiveness and robustness of a multi-stream combination using probability streams trained under different reverberant environments. The experiments reveal some performance improvement in severe reverberation.
Technical, angiographic and clinical outcomes of Neuroform 1, 2, 2 Treo and 3 devices in stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms.

Background and purpose Since 2002 the Neuroform stent has expanded endovascular treatment of widenecked intracranial aneurysms. A study was undertaken to assess the technical success rates and angiographic and clinical outcomes in stent-assisted coiling with Neuroform 1, 2, 2 Treo and 3. Methods Patients undergoing Neuroform stent-assisted coiling were enrolled in a prospective registry that included 156 stent deployment attempts in 113 consecutive patients (mean age 53, range 25e78). Deployment success and difficulty, stent movement, procedural complications, immediate/delayed aneurysm occlusion and in-stent stenosis on angiographic follow-up were compared among Neuroform 1, 2, 2 Treo and 3 stents using a log likelihood ratio c 2 test. Results Of 156 stent attempts, 123 (79%) were deployed (Neuroform 1: 8/9 (89%), Neuroform 2: 50/66 (76%), Neuroform 2 Treo: 9/11 (82%), Neuroform 3: 56/ 70 (80%)) with a symptomatic complication rate of 1.9% (3/156; 2 transient ischemic attacks, 1 stroke, no deaths). Non-target stent placement (1/8 (13%), 6/50 (12%), 2/9 (22%), 3/56 (5%)), difficult placement (2/8 (25%), 10/50 (20%), 5/9 (56%), 6/56 (11%)), stent movement (1/8 (13%), 4/50 (8%), 0/9 (0%), 4/56 (7%)), procedural complications (1/9 (11%), 7/66 (11%), 2/11 (18%), 2/70 (3%)) and immediate near complete aneurysm occlusion (6/6 (100%), 24/37 (65%), 5/7 (71%), 40/45 (89%)) trended towards improvement with each generation. Improvements in difficult stent placement and immediate aneurysm occlusion were significant (p¼0.01 and 0.03, respectively). Conclusion Neuroform stent-assisted coiling has evolved through four generations as a safe and effective means of treating wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.
Risk assessment, genetic counseling, and genetic testing for BRCA-related cancer in women: a systematic review to update the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation.

This systematic review, conducted to inform the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, summarizes evidence about risk assessment and genetic counseling and testing for BRCA-related cancer in women. F...
XCVI. The quenching of light from flames produced by various chemicals

Abstract When certain chemicals are added to solutions of calcium, strontium, sodium, and potassium salts which are being sprayed into non-luminous flames the amount of light is in general diminished ; in a few cases it is increased. With calcium and strontium salts the amount of quenching varies greatly with the nature of the compound added ; with sodium and potassium the quenching is nearly the same in all cases.
The Sensitivity and Specificity of Frozen-Section Histopathology in the Management of Benign Oral and Maxillofacial Lesions

Purpose The management of odontogenic cysts and tumors typically requires a biopsy, which may present significant challenges and prompt an additional visit to the operating room before definitive treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the validity of frozen-section diagnosis in the management of benign oral and maxillofacial lesions, allowing intraoperative diagnosis followed by definitive treatment under the same general anesthetic. Materials and Methods A retrospective chart review of patients treated at the University of Michigan Health System was performed. Patients of all ages who had a diagnosis of a benign maxillofacial lesion by frozen-section and permanent histopathology reports were included for analysis. Patients were identified using the Current Procedural Terminology code for enucleation and curettage and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for benign cysts or tumors of skull, face, or lower jaw. Results Of 450 patients reviewed, 214 had intraoperative frozen-section examination available for comparison with permanent histopathology. There were 121 men (56.5%) and 93 women (43.5%), with a mean age of 41 years. Compared with final permanent histopathology, the overall sensitivity of frozen sections was 92.1%. Frozen-section histopathology had a sensitivity greater than 90% and a specificity greater than 95% for the diagnosis of dentigerous cyst and keratocyst odontogenic tumor. Conclusions In this study of 214 patients with benign maxillofacial lesions, frozen-section histopathology was found to be a valid diagnostic modality with high sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. These results and analysis support the use of frozen-section histopathology for the treatment of benign maxillofacial lesions and underscore its value in the management of these lesions.
Cell-specific expression of B lymphocyte (APRIL, BLyS)- and Th2 (CD30L/CD153)-promoting tumor necrosis factor superfamily ligands in human placentas

Apoptosis-inducing tumor necrosis fac- tor (TNF) ligands and receptors have been re- ported in human placentas, but the expression pat- terns of family members lacking this function (a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), B lympho- cyte stimulator (BLyS), CD30L/CD153, CD40L/ CD154, TNF-related activation-induced cytokine, CD27L/CD70, OX40L, activation-inducible TNF receptor ligand (AITRL)) are incompletely docu- mented or unknown. We therefore investigated ex- pression of these eight ligands and nine of their receptors (B cell maturation antigen, transmem- brane activator and calcium-modulator and cyclo- philin ligand-interactor, CD30, CD40, receptor activator of nuclear factor-B, osteoprotegerin, CD27, OX40/CD134, AITR). Analysis by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction revealed mRNAs encoding only three of the ligands (APRIL, BLyS, CD30L/CD153). Immunoblots demon- strated all three proteins in first-trimester and term placentas, and immunohistochemical experiments showed that expression was cell-specific and gesta- tion-related. Although mRNAs encoding receptors for the three expressed ligands were absent, those encoding receptors for all of the unexpressed li- gands were detectable. Collectively, the results are consistent with the postulate that nonapoptosis-in- ducing, placenta-derived TNF superfamily cyto- kines contribute to the T helper cell type 2 bias required for successful pregnancy. Patterns of pla- cental expression of receptors suggest bidirec- tional maternal-fetal cytokine communication. J. Leukoc. Biol. 74: 81-87; 2003.
Heterochromatic additivity, foveal spectral sensitivity, and a new color model*

In three separate experiments it is shown that (i) heterochromatic additivity failures for foveally viewed trichromatic lights can be predicted using a vector model derived from bichromatic additivity data, (ii) near-threshold bichromatic additivity failures are not qualitatively different from threshold-level failures, and (iii) foveal spectral sensitivities obtained by direct brightness matching and threshold methods are greater in the long- and short-wavelength ends of the spectrum than sensitivities obtained by flicker photometry. A new opponent-colors model that is appropriate for threshold-level color vision is expressed as a transformation of the CIE standard observer. The model allows the derivation of a light unit that correlates with signal detectability and predicts (a) confusion lines for deuteranopic and tritanopic vision, (b) spectral sensitivity as measured by flicker photometry (i.e., a sensitivity function much like the CIE Vλ function), (c) spectral sensitivity as measured by threshold (or direct-matching) techniques, (d) threshold-level heterochromatic additivity failures, (e) the apparent saturation of a threshold-level spectrum, (f) wavelength discrimination for a near-threshold spectrum, (g) loci of constant lightness-to-luminance ratios within the CIE chromaticity diagram, and (h) the essential quantitative differences between threshold and near-threshold heterochromatic additivity failures.
Intravenous nicotine and caffeine: Subjective and physiological effects in cocaine abusers

The subjective and physiological effects of intravenously administered caffeine and nicotine were compared in nine subjects with histories of using caffeine, tobacco, and cocaine. Subjects abstained from tobacco cigarette smoking for at least 8 h before each session. Dietary caffeine was eliminated throughout the study; however, to maintain consistency with the nicotine intake, subjects were administered caffeine (150 mg/70 kg b.i.d.) in capsules, with the last dose administered 15 to 18 h before each session. Under double-blind conditions, subjects received placebo, caffeine (100, 200, and 400 mg/70 kg), and nicotine (0.75, 1.5, and 3.0 mg/70 kg) in mixed order. Physiological and subjective data were collected before and repeatedly after drug or placebo administration. Compared with the highest dose of caffeine, the highest dose of nicotine produced greater subjective ratings on a number of scales. At doses that produced comparable ratings of drug effect (1.5 mg/70 kg of nicotine and 400 mg/70 kg of caffeine), both drugs produced similar increases in ratings of good effect, liking, high, stimulated, and bad effect. Nicotine showed a somewhat faster time to peak subjective effects than caffeine (2 versus 4 min). Subjective ratings that differentiated caffeine and nicotine were ratings of rush, blurry vision, and stimulant identification (elevated by nicotine) and ratings of unusual smell and/or taste (elevated by caffeine). Both caffeine and nicotine decreased skin temperature and increased diastolic blood pressure; however, caffeine decreased whereas nicotine increased heart rate. The study documents both striking similarities and some notable differences between caffeine and nicotine, which are among the most widely used mood-altering drugs.
Modification of Bactericidal Effects of Human Sera.

SummaryStudies with Shigella dysenteriae and Escherichia coli strains revealed enhancement of bacterial susceptibility to normal human serum in vitro in the presence of low concentrations (0.1%) of broth, of glucose, or of certain amino acids known to play a prominent role in bacteria' metabolism. Dipeptides containing these amino acids were more effective than single amino acids. In contrast, metabolic inhibitors, including 5-methyltryptophan, fluorophenylalanine, and non-bactericidal concentrations of chloramphenicol, decreased bacterial susceptibility to serum. Such decrease also was obtained in the presence of, or following exposure to, relatively high concentrations (0.5%) of so-called basic amino acids. The latter effects were reversible by washing when bacteria had been exposed in the absence of nutrients, but they were irreversible following exposure in the presence of nutrients.
Ecological Sustainability of the Poor: Geddes in India

Today, with the urgent need for sustainable urban planning and construction, we are exploring new ways to connect our activities and take account of natural systems. In this context, the work of Patrick Geddes, the Scottish biologist, urban planner and sociologist and his recognition of the patterns of human settlements as complex interplays between environment and culture, is crucial. This paper builds on earlier work describing Patrick Geddes’s experience of Indian cities and his resilient understanding of ecology as an inseparable part of daily human life without discriminations based on wealth. The paper demonstrates how this translated into Geddes’s proposals for Indian cities and thus illustrates the recognition of the role of ecological sustainability in the built environment of the poor. The potential of success and importance of Geddes’s proposal lies in its global methodology and local scale of
Fermat's Little Theorem: A Proof by Function Iteration

It is a beautiful property of prime numbers, first proved more than three centuries ago by Fermat, that k Pk (mod p) for all prime numbers p and all integers k. Here we present a simple proof of Fermat's "little" theorem by considering iterates of the function f(z) = z k on the complex plane. The method of proof has the advantage of generalizing the theorem to composite exponents: for every n we find a degree-n polynomial, with coefficients + 1, that is always divisible by n. This is different from Euler's generalization (k 4(n) =1 (mod n) for k and n copiime). The method of proof is potentially more general still, since it is easily adapted to other functions f. Indeed, for any set S, every function f: S -> S satisfying a certain property corresponds to a divisibility result similar to Fermat's little theorem. Let k be a positive integer and p be prime. Consider the function f(z) = zk for complex z. The pth iterate of f is evidently fP(z) = zk. Let Pp be the set of those z that are fixed under fP but not under f itself. Then IPp I = k P-k. But if z E Pp, then fJ(z) Epp for every i = 0,1,. . ., p 1; and since p is prime, the p values z,f(z),...jfP-(z) are all distinct. Hence, we can partition Pp into equivalence classes, each containing p elements, obtaining
Multiresponse Optimization of Laser Cladding Steel + VC Using Grey Relational Analysis in the Taguchi Method

Laser cladding of metal matrix composite coatings (MMCs) has become an effective and economic method to improve the wear resistance of mechanical components. The clad quality characteristics such as clad height, carbide fraction, carbide dissolution, and matrix hardness in MMCs determine the wear resistance of the coatings. These clad quality characteristics are influenced greatly by the laser cladding processing parameters. In this study, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 420 + 20% vanadium carbide (VC) was deposited on mild steel with a high powder direct diode laser. The Taguchi-based Grey relational method was used to optimize the laser cladding processing parameters (laser power, scanning speed, and powder feed rate) with the consideration of multiple clad characteristics related to wear resistance (clad height, carbide volume fraction, and Fe-matrix hardness). A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array was designed to study the effects of processing parameters on each response. The contribution and significance of each processing parameter on each clad characteristic were investigated by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The Grey relational grade acquired from Grey relational analysis was used as the performance characteristic to obtain the optimal combination of processing parameters. Based on the optimal processing parameters, the phases and microstructure of the laser-cladded coating were characterized by using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).