cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved Greedy Algorithms for Learning Graphical Models

We propose new greedy algorithms for learning the structure of a graphical model of a probability distribution, given samples drawn from the distribution. While structure learning of graphical models is a widely studied problem with several existing methods, greedy approaches remain attractive due to their low computational cost. The most natural greedy algorithm would be one which, essentially, adds neighbors to a node in sequence until stopping; it would do this for each node. While it is fast, simple and parallel, this naive greedy algorithm has the tendency to add non-neighbors that show high correlations with the given node. Our new algorithms overcome this problem in three different ways. The recursive greedy algorithm iteratively recovers the neighbors by running the greedy algorithm in an inner loop, but each time only adding the last added node to the neighborhood set. The second forward-backward greedy algorithm includes a node deletion step in each iteration that allows non-neighbors to be removed from the neighborhood set which may have been added in the previous steps. Finally, the greedy algorithm with pruning runs the greedy algorithm until completion and then removes all the incorrect neighbors. We provide both analytical guarantees and empirical performance for our algorithms. We show that in graphical models with strong non-neighbor interactions, our greedy algorithms can correctly recover the graph, whereas the previous greedy and convex optimization-based algorithms do not succeed.
Novel codon utilization within the vaccinia virus thymidine kinase gene

The nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences of the thymidine kinase genes encoded by vaccinia virus and herpes simplex virus (type 1) were analyzed, and there was no evidence of any significant homology. The manner in which the triplet code was used by each virus was also examined. The frequencies of codon utilization by the herpes virus gene were very similar to those used by most human genes, whereas the vaccinia virus gene was quite distinct, suggesting novel evolutionary and regulatory mechanisms.
Trends in the accuracy of older person trauma triage from 2004 to 2008.

AbstractBackground. Older injured persons are frequently undertriaged, increasing the risk for preventable mortality and morbidity in an already-vulnerable population. Changes made in 2006 to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) Field Triage Decision Scheme might improve triage accuracy for this population. Objective. This study examined triage accuracy before and after the 2006 revisions. Methods. This secondary analysis of 2004, 2007, and 2008 data from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System included persons aged 55 years and older who were transported to a hospital and had a maximum injury severity of uninjured or an Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 1 to 5. Trauma center and non–trauma center admission was a proxy for triage accuracy. Frequencies, means, standard deviations, sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive values (PPVs), and negative predictive values (NPVs) were calculated. Results. Although triage accuracy has improved from 200...
Further Studies On The Isolation Of Ribosomes From Normal And Methylcholanthrene-Treated Mouse Epidermis

Ribosome's form normal or hyperplastic mouse epidermis have been isolated from the postmitochondrial supernatant and from the entire cytoplasm using either the postnuclear supernatant technique or the Redman technique which permits isolation of ribosomes separately from the nuclear, mitochondrial, and postmitochondrial fractions. In contrast to liver, the yields of ribosomes form skin are similar irrespective of what technique is used. Increasing the centrifugation force from 105,000 g av to 253,000 g av results in highly significant increases in the yields of ribosomes, from both normal and hyperplastic epidermis.
Coulomb-blockade spectroscopy of gold particles imaged with scanning tunneling microscopy.

We have measured Coulomb-blockade effects in a two-tunnel-junction structure formed with a scanning-tunneling-microscope (STM) tip and samples composed of gold particles deposited onto a partially oxidized aluminum-base-layer film. Clear topographic images of the particles are routinely taken with the STM and well-defined Coulomb-blockade and staircase current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the imaged particles are obtained. The variable nature of the tip-particle junction is used to measure the changes in the I-V characteristic as the tip-particle separation is changed. Using a semiclassical theory for the Coulomb blockade in serially coupled junctions, the tip-particle and particle-base-layer junction parameters are uniquely determined
A historical review of Contemporary Educational Psychology from 1995 to 2010

Abstract The major themes and trends represented by the articles published in Contemporary Educational Psychology (CEP) from 1995 to 2010 are reviewed in this paper. Included are the major topics, theoretical perspectives, participant characteristics, research methods and statistics used, and highly cited papers. The most frequently occurring topic category was individual differences, with motivation being the most common focus of these articles. Academic subjects, particularly reading and math, were also prevalent topics. The two most common theoretical perspectives were cognitive and social cognitive. This article discusses the many contributions of CEP over the past 16 years, including research in the areas of cognitive processing, teaching and learning, motivation, self-efficacy, and learning contexts and the potential for future contributions to theory development, public policy initiatives, and classroom practices. This information could assist authors considering submission of their work and consumers of educational psychology research considering the purchase of journal subscriptions. Researchers and practitioners in the field of educational psychology may also find this information helpful as they choose professional journals for routine review.
The computation of non-equilibrium, chemically-reacting flows

Numerical techniques for the analysis of flows with nonequilibrium thermodynamics and chemistry are developed and demonstrated. Particular attention is given to the formulation of the thermodynamic and chemical gas models, the derivation of the governing equations, and the solution procedures. Results for typical problems involving shock tubes and supersonic diffusers are presented in extensive graphs and briefly characterized.
Examining Horizontal Variability in Ground-Based Microwave Retrievals ofLiquid Water Path

Abstract Estimating horizontal length scales associated with variability in cloud liquid water path (LWP) is important in improving both satellite retrievals of cloud properties and in improving cloud models. A microwave radiometer (MWR) at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (SGP) site provides measurements of the horizontal variability in cloud LWP. Estimating the length scales in time series is typically done using Fourier analysis, but Fourier methods can be quite badly biased by the presence of intermittency in the data. Cloud LWP can contain very localized structures due to convective plumes, so there is some question as to whether decomposing the measurements into a series of Fourier modes will provide physically meaningful results. To explore this problem, LWP measurements are simultaneously decomposed into a series of Fourier modes along with a series of discrete pulses. The pulses in the fitted basis set tend to pick up intermittency, so that the resulting magnitudes of F...
The multiple amidation reactions catalyzed by Cobyric acid synthetase from Salmonella typhimurium are sequential and dissociative.

The biosynthesis of coenzyme B12 is a complex process involving more than two dozen enzymatic reactions. Near the end of this biosynthetic pathway cobyric acid synthetase (CbiP) catalyzes the remarkable amidation of four separate carboxylate groups within a single substrate, adenosyl-cobyrinic acid a,c-diamide. The time course for the multiple amidation reactions demonstrates that the partially amidated products are released from the active site after every round of catalysis, and thus the mechanism of the reaction is dissociative. The partially amidated intermediates were shown to be single chemical entities demonstrating that the four carboxylate groups are amidated in a specific reaction sequence. NMR spectroscopy was used to establish that carboxylate e was the first to be amidated followed in turn by d, b, and g. These results indicate that the initial substrate can productively bind to the enzyme active site in only one of four possible orientations. After the amidation of carboxylate e, the first p...
Therapeutic approaches targeting prostate cancer progression using novel voltage-gated ion channel blockers.

Abstract The early detection and treatment of prostate cancer have increased survival and improved clinical outcomes. The nature of the disease and pathologic understaging result in a high proportion of patients developing locally recurrent disease or distant metastases. The development of prostate cancer—the time from tumor initiation and progression to invasive carcinoma—often begins in men in the fourth or fifth decades of life and extends across decades. This prolonged window highlights the tremendous clinical impact that early intervention with therapeutic agents that selectively target the invasive and metastatic potential of the prostate cancer cell could have on patient survival and quality of life. Our research is currently focused on the development and testing of novel voltage-gated ion channel blockers. The expression of voltagegated sodium channels (VGSCs) was recently associated with the metastatic behavior of prostate cancer cells. In these studies, VGSC blockers altered prostate cancer cell morphology and arrested prostate cancer cell migration. Clinically, one of the most widely used sodium channel blockers is phenytoin. We have used rational drug design based on the phenytoin binding site in a VGSC to make novel sodium channel blockers with enhanced activity and minimal acute toxicity. Our Initials studies in vitro demonstrate enhanced binding of the compounds to the sodium channel and increased inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth in culture and in soft agarose compared with phenytoin. These derivatives are currently being tested for their antitumor activity in human prostate cancer xenografts.
Reply to “Low-Positive Histoplasma Antigen Results in the MVista Assay Should Not Be Assumed To Be False Positive”

We read with interest the letter to the editor from Hage and Wheat regarding our recent publication entitled “Clinical significance of low-positive Histoplasma urine antigen results” and consider that a few points require clarification ([1][1], [2][2]). Hage and Wheat comment that 12 of 57
A Review of the Effects of Resistance Training for Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus

Although the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment modality for the management of diabetes mellitus has long been recognized, a vital component of the exercise prescription has been overlooked. In addition to endurance training, resistance training may provide physiologic benefits to the individual with diabetes that, in some cases, may equal or exceed those gained through aerobic training. These benefits may include improved blood lipid profiles, increased absolute left ventricular wall contractility, decreased resting blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, improved glycemic control, improved muscular strength and endurance, and increased bone and connective tissue strength. By utilizing a combination of aerobic and resistance training, the individual with diabetes experiences a more comprehensive exercise program that can improve most areas of health and physical fitness. In addition, having a greater number of exercise modality options may enhance exercise compliance.
Effects of MDMA administration on scopolamine-induced disruptions of learning and performance in rats

Functional deficits following short-course high-dose administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) have been difficult to characterize despite evidence indicating that MDMA is neurotoxic in several species. Therefore, the present research used rats trained to respond under a complex behavioral procedure (i.e., a multiple schedule of repeated acquisition and performance of response chains), pharmacological challenge with scopolamine and neurotransmitter assays to examine the effects of MDMA neurotoxicity on learning. Prior to MDMA administration, 0.032-0.32 mg/kg of scopolamine produced dose-dependent rate-decreasing and error-increasing effects in both components of the multiple schedule. Administration of 10 mg/kg of MDMA twice per day for 4 days also produced rate-decreasing and error-increasing effects on these days, but responding returned to baseline levels several days after the final injection. In contrast to the recovery of responding, this regimen of MDMA in untrained rats significantly reduced levels of both serotonin and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), for 13-14 days. Furthermore, the rate-decreasing and error-increasing effects of scopolamine were significantly attenuated after MDMA treatment. These results indicate that certain complex operant behaviors rapidly recover from the effects of short-course high-dose MDMA administration, despite the reduced levels of serotonin in the central nervous system (CNS), and that this MDMA-induced loss of serotonin may affect cholinergic transmission.
Comparison of Methods for Defining Geographical Connectivity for Variables of Trip Generation Models

The four-step procedure for travel demand modeling is ubiquitously used in the United States and elsewhere due to institutional and financial requirements. Trip generation analysis, which is the first step, is based on traffic analysis zones which are geographical units. Therefore, the zonal trip generation totals are observations measured at different geographical locations. Spatial distribution of the observations limits the methods that can be applied in analyzing the data and influences the final conclusions that can be reached. Most past efforts of incorporating spatial effects in trip generation models have been using contiguity of the zones as the major criterion for defining spatial relationship of the observations. In this study, we tested for the presence of spatial autocorrelation in both trip attraction and trip production variables. We found significant spatial autocorrelation in trip attraction variables but insignificant spatial autocorrelation in trip production variables for the data collected from the Las Vegas valley. We evaluated four alternative methods for defining geographical connectivity: (1) contiguity, (2) separation, (3) combined contiguity and separation, and (4) economic linkage (accessibility measure). Comparison of the trip attraction model indicated that the model estimated using geographical connectivity matrix with elements defined by separation (distance between centroids of the zones) was the best fitted. A further comparison indicated that this model outperformed the one without spatial variables by minimizing deviation of the modeled trips from observed trips. We recommend using separation between the zones to define spatial connectivity as opposed to contiguity only. Contiguity only excludes zones that may have an impact on the observation under consideration.
Comparison of wind at 500 feet over Mineapolis and Louisville with geostrophic wind.

Measurements of wind speed at 500 ft on a television tower in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area are compared with geostrophic wind speeds and lapse rates. The roughness length for the builtr-up area surrounding the tower is estimated using geostrophic boundary-layer models. Similar data for Louisville are also considered. The results are relevant to-the application of existing boundary-layer models to the estimation of wind speed and turbulent mixing over a city.
Computing with DNA.

ABSTRACT We consider molecular models for computing and derive a DNA-based mechanism for solving intractable problems through massive parallelism. In principle, such methods might reduce the effort needed to solve otherwise difficult tasks, such as factoring large numbers, a computationally intensive task whose intractability forms the basis for much of modern cryptography. Key words: DNA; nanotechnology; recombination; site-directed mutagenesis; intractability; combinatorial search; NP-completeness
Parasternal lymphoscintigraphy: Implications for the treatment planning of internal mammary lymph nodes in breast cancer

Abstract Parasternal lymphoscintigraphy is an easily performed technique for visualizing and accurately determining thethree dimensional location of internal mammary lymph nodes. Sixty-eight women with primary or locally recurrent breast cancer underwent parasternal lymphoscintigraphy before treatment planning. The mean depth and lateral position of the internal mammary nodes were 1.8. ± 0.9 cm and 2.4 ± 0.9 cm respectively. Thirteen per cent of the nodes would have been undertreated by the standard tangential technique used at our institution. Six of 15 patients whose treatment plans were examined retrospectively had at least 1 lymph node undertreated by the standard tangential tec hnique. Thus, although standard tangential portals provide adequate coverage for the internal mammary lymph nodes in a majority of patients, parasternal lymphoscintigraphy can insure complete coverage of this lymph node group.
Mild renal ischemia activates primed neutrophils to cause acute renal failure.

Mild renal ischemia activates primed neutrophils to cause acute renal failure. The role of neutrophils (PMN) in acute renal failure (ARF) is controversial. Although the development of acute renal failure (ARF) frequently occurs in situations where there is partial activation of PMN (primed PMN) and mild renal ischemia, the interaction between primed PMN and ischemic organs has not been studied in any biological system. To define the interaction between primed PMN and mild renal ischemia, kidneys were made ischemic for 10 minutes in situ and reperfused by the isolated kidney technique with untreated PMN or PMN primed with low concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). We found that primed PMN had no effect on control (non-ischemic) kidneys and that untreated PMN did not cause injury to kidneys previously subjected to mild ischemia. However, addition of primed PMN to mildly ischemic kidneys caused severe injury. To determine the nature of renal injury, ischemic kidneys were reperfused with primed PMN and catalase (CAT) or the elastase inhibitor, Eglin C. In ischemic kidneys reperfused with LPS-primed PMN, Eglin C (but not CAT) was partially protective while in ischemic kidneys reperfused with PMA-primed PMN, CAT (but not Eglin C) was partially protective. Reperfusion with both CAT and Eglin C completely prevented the damaging effects of either LPS- or PMA-primed PMN. In conclusion, addition of primed but not untreated PMN causes ARF in mildly ischemic kidneys by PMN oxidant- and/or proteasemediated mechanisms. This synergism could account for the high frequency of ARF in conditions associated with prerenal azotemia and primed PMN.
Urea transport in the collecting duct of rats on normal and low protein diet.

In order to evaluate whether an active transport of urea exists across the collecting duct epithelia of rats the following experiments were performed. Under conditions, where the net transtubular transport of urea, water, and other solutes was zero, the unidirectional flux of C14-urea out of the collecting duct and the urea concentration difference between collecting duct fluid and vasa recta plasma were measured. The following results were obtained The data indicate that in normal animals the urea transport across the collecting duct wall is passive while in rats on low protein diet an active outward transport is superimposed.
WHO BURNED DOWN OUR HOUSE THIS TIME?: ETHNOGRAPHY & CONFLICT IN TIMOR LESTE

The Timorese Ministry of Labor estimated that over 175,000 people (out of a total population of roughly one million) resided in camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in May, 2007. These camps, which sprung up in the immediate aftermath of political violence in May of 2006, provide shelter, food, and security to children, women, and men in every district of this small country. Hundreds of Timorese, and a handful of foreigners, have been killed. Thousands of homes have been burned to the ground. Victims of rocks, Molotov cocktails, spears, and traditional poisoned arrows appear regularly in the national hospital in the capital city, Dili. Families, friends, and neighbors have been torn apart in a cycle of violence, house burning, score settling, and revenge. Whole sections of the country, as well as specific neighborhoods in Dili, are "no-go zones" for people from specific regions.
Bootstrapping an Econometric Model: Some Empirical Results

The bootstrap, like the jackknife, is a technique for estimating standard errors. The idea is to use Monte Carlo simulation, based on a nonparametric estimate of the underlying error distribution. The bootstrap will be applied to an econometric model describing the demand for capital, labor, energy, and materials. The model is fitted by three-stage least squares. In sharp contrast with previous results, the coefficient estimates and the estimated standard errors perform very well. However, the model's forecasts show serious bias and large random errors, significantly understated by the conventional standard error of forecast.
Lysine Residues Direct the Chlorination of Tyrosines in YXXK Motifs of Apolipoprotein A-I When Hypochlorous Acid Oxidizes High Density Lipoprotein

Oxidized lipoproteins may play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Elevated levels of 3-chlorotyrosine, a specific end product of the reaction between hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and tyrosine residues of proteins, have been detected in atherosclerotic tissue. Thus, HOCl generated by the phagocyte enzyme myeloperoxidase represents one pathway for protein oxidation in humans. One important target of the myeloperoxidase pathway may be high density lipoprotein (HDL), which mobilizes cholesterol from artery wall cells. To determine whether activated phagocytes preferentially chlorinate specific sites in HDL, we used tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to analyze apolipoprotein A-I that had been oxidized by HOCl. The major site of chlorination was a single tyrosine residue located in one of the protein's YXXK motifs (where X represents a nonreactive amino acid). To investigate the mechanism of chlorination, we exposed synthetic peptides to HOCl. The peptides encompassed the amino acid sequences YKXXY, YXXKY, or YXXXY. MS/MS analysis demonstrated that chlorination of tyrosine in the peptides that contained lysine was regioselective and occurred in high yield if the substrate was KXXY or YXXK. NMR and MS analyses revealed that the N(epsilon) amino group of lysine was initially chlorinated, which suggests that chloramine formation is the first step in tyrosine chlorination. Molecular modeling of the YXXK motif in apolipoprotein A-I demonstrated that these tyrosine and lysine residues are adjacent on the same face of an amphipathic alpha-helix. Our observations suggest that HOCl selectively targets tyrosine residues that are suitably juxtaposed to primary amino groups in proteins. This mechanism might enable phagocytes to efficiently damage proteins when they destroy microbial proteins during infection or damage host tissue during inflammation.
Nitrous oxide degradation by cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase : characterization of the reactants and products in the inactivation reaction

Cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase catalyzes the remethylation of homocysteine to form methionine, using methyltetrahydrofolate as the primary methyl donor. The enzyme is susceptible to inactivation by the anaesthetic gas, nitrous oxide, through either short-term exposure to high levels or chronic exposure to low levels of this agent. We have studied the chemical reaction wherein the bound cobalamin prosthetic group of the enzyme from Escherichia coli catalyzes the degradation of nitrous oxide. By poising the enzyme at low ambient potentials in an electrochemical cell, the concentration of enzyme in the highly reactive cob(I)alamin state can be controlled, and the observed rate of inactivation is directly dependent upon the amount of enzyme in this redox state. The inactivation consumes both nitrous oxide and electrons, while nitrogen gas is evolved. The inactivation process is also directly dependent upon the proton concentration, but the effect of pH was found to be on the enzyme, revealing a redox-linked base presumed to be on or near the cobalamin. The chemical reaction between enzyme-bound cob(I)alamin and nitrous oxide that leads to inactivation is therefore independent of pH. In a single turnover experiment, where enzyme-bound cob(I)alamin is generated from methylcobalamin by methyl transfer to the substrate homocysteine, the cob(I)alamin decays to cob(II)alamin, suggesting that the degradation of nitrous oxide involves one-electron reduction of nitrous oxide. We propose that the inactivation chemistry is likely to be a one-electron reduction of nitrous oxide, which leads to the formation of a highly reactive oxidant, such as hydroxyl radical, and subsequent enzyme damage.
A prototype tobacco-associated oral squamous cell carcinoma classifier using RNA from brush cytology.

Background Oral cancer in the form of squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is typically detected in advanced stages when treatment is complex and may not be curative. The need for surgical biopsy may contribute to delays in diagnosis and impede early detection. Multiple studies of RNA from surgically obtained tumor samples have revealed many genes differentially expressed with this disease. We sought to determine whether the identified mRNAs could be used as markers by a non-invasive detection system for OSCC using RNA from brush cytology. Methods Levels of mRNAs from 21 genes known to be differentially expressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma surgical samples, compared with controls, were shown to be quantifiable in oral brush cytology samples. These mRNAs were quantified in a training set of 14 tumor and 20 non-malignant brush cytology samples from tobacco/betel nut users. With the measurement of two additional mRNAs and analysis using support vector machines algorithm for class prediction of these cancers was produced. Results This OSCC classifier based on the levels of 5 mRNAs in RNA from brush cytology initially showed 0.93 sensitivity and 0.91 specificity in differentiating OSCC from benign oral mucosal lesions based on leave-one-out cross-validation. When used on a test set of 19 samples from 6 OSCCs and 13 non-malignant oral lesions, we found misclassification of only one OSCC and one benign lesion. Conclusions This shows the promise of using RNA from brush cytology for early OSCC detection and the potential for clinical usage of this non-invasive classifier.
Distribution of S-phase cells during the regeneration of Drosophila imaginal wing discs

Abstract We investigated the distribution of S-phase cells during regeneration of the imaginal wing disc of Drosophila melanogaster following excision of 30°, 90°, and 150° sectors of tissue. The fragments were cultured in adult abdomens for 1–5 days, labeled in vitro with tritiated thymidine, serially sectioned, and subjected to autoradiography. There was negligible thymidine incorporation in unoperated controls and in the undamaged parts of the operated discs, indicating that DNA synthesis in undamaged tissue is terminated during the first day of the culture period. Almost all of the fragments from which tissue had been removed, as well as controls which were simply cut without the removal of any tissue, showed a cluster of labeled cells (blastema) even after only 1 day of culture. The blastemas in control discs were short-lived, with over 50% of these discs showing no blastema by the third day in culture. Blastemas in discs from which sectors were removed were more persistent; the time at which 50% of the fragments no longer showed a blastema was 4 days for the −30° fragments, 5 days for the −90° fragments, and greater than 5 days for the −150° fragments. The average blastema size, measured as number of labeled cells, was directly related to the amount of tissue removed, and in most cases did not change significantly during the culture period. Both wound edges incorporated tritiated thymidine initially and the S-phase cells remained tightly clustered throughout regeneration; maximum blastema width varied from about 8 to 25 cell diameters. The results are consistent with the idea that regenerative cell proliferation is stimulated and maintained by positional information discontinuities, and terminated when these discontinuities are resolved by the addition of an appropriate number of new cells.
Derivation and Application of an Empirical Formula to Describe Interfacial Relaxation Effects in Inhomogeneous Materials

We report an empirically derived formula to describe thermally and electrically excited relaxation processes arising in materials with electrical inhomogeneities. This formula was deduced from the temperature and electric field-dependent conductivity of calcium copper titanate ceramics and can be used to explain the Schottky barrier behavior of the grain boundary regions that control conductivities. It relates conductivity, activation energy for conduction, breakdown strength, and grain size effects, and is believed to have the potential to explain the high permittivity and breakdown mechanism, as well as the highly nonlinear current–voltage characteristics of these materials of this type.
Radiation dose response in patients with favorable localized prostate cancer (Stage T1-T2, biopsy Gleason ≤ 6, and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen ≤ 10)

Purpose: To study the radiation dose response as determined by biochemical relapse-free survival in patients with favorable localized prostate cancers, i.e., Stage T1–T2, biopsy Gleason score (bGS) ≤ 6, and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (iPSA) ≤ 10 ng/mL. Methods and Materials: A total of 292 patients with favorable localized prostate cancer were treated with radiotherapy alone between 1986 and 1999. The median age was 69 years. Sixteen percent of cases (n = 46) were African-American. The distribution by clinical T stage was as follows: T1/T2A, 243 (83%); and T2B/T2C, 49 (17%). The distribution by iPSA was as follows: ≤ 4 ng/mL, 49 (17%); and > 4 ng/mL, 243 (83%). The mean iPSA level was 6.2 (median, 6.4). The distribution by bGS was as follows: ≤ 5 in 89 cases (30%) and 6 in 203 cases (70%). The median radiation dose was 70.0 Gy (range, 63.0–78.0 Gy). Doses of ≤ 70.0 Gy were delivered in 175 cases, 70.2–72.0 Gy in 24 cases, 74 Gy in 30 cases, and 78 Gy in 63 cases. For patients receiving < 72 Gy, the median dose was 68 Gy, vs. 78 Gy for patients receiving ≥ 72 Gy. A conformal technique was used in 129 (44%) of cases. The median follow-up was 43 months (range, 3–153). Results: For the entire cohort, the projected 5- and 8-year biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) rates were both 81%. For patients receiving ≥ 72 Gy, the 5- and 8-year bRFS rates were both 95% vs. only 77% for patients receiving < 72 Gy, p = 0.010. For patients receiving 74 Gy, the 4-year bRFS rate was 94% vs. 96% for patients receiving 78 Gy, p = 0.90. A multivariate analysis for factors affecting bRFS rates using Cox proportional hazards was performed for all cases using the following variables: age (continuous variable), race (black vs. white), iPSA (continuous variable), bGS (≤ 5 vs. 6), Stage (T1–2A vs. T2B–C), radiation dose (continuous variable), and radiation technique (conformal vs. standard). From the multivariate analysis, only iPSA (p = 0.017, χ2 = 5.7), and radiation dose (p = 0.021, χ2 = 5.3) were independent predictors of outcome. Age (p = 0.94), race (p = 0.89), stage (p = 0.45), biopsy GS (p = 0.40), and radiation technique (p = 0.45) were not. Conclusion: There is a clear radiation dose response in patients with favorable localized prostate cancers (i.e., Stage T1–T2, biopsy Gleason score ≤ 6, and iPSA ≤ 10 ng/mL). At least 74 Gy should be delivered to the prostate and periprostatic tissues. With our cohort of patients, longer follow-up will be needed to assess the importance of doses exceeding 74 Gy.
Polynomial generating functions in two-body elastic scattering

The invariant Mandelstam variabless andt used in two-body elastic scattering are introduced into the generating function for Legendre polynomials in two distinct ways. The newly derived polynomials,Rn(s1/2/2 + t/s1/2) andQn[-t/(2s1/2], have generating functions which are propagators with applications in particle physics.
Understanding HTLV-I Protease

Human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is a human retrovirus that has been clinically associated with adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma, and it has been designated as a dangerous emerging pathogen by the Centers for Disease Control. Like other retroviruses, proteolytic processing of specific sites in polyprotein precursors by a retroviral protease is an essential step in the viral life cycle. HTLV-I protease is a 28 kDa homodimeric aspartic acid protease that has only modest homology to other retroviral proteases. The enzymology of HTLV-I protease has only recently begun to be investigated, and although it shares many characteristics of other retroviral proteases, it exhibits distinct substrate specificity and different susceptibility to aspartic acid protease inhibitors. This review describes what has been reported to date on the structural characterization, specificity, and inhibition of HTLV-I protease.
Malnutrition and Mortality in Kohistan District, Afghanistan, April 2001

ContextThe humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating for more than 3 years because of civil war and severe drought. Because of recent events, the international community is predicting a severe worsening of the country's current situation.ObjectiveTo assess the magnitude and causes of mortality and prevalence of malnutrition in Kohistan district, Faryab province, Afghanistan.DesignTwo-stage, 30-cluster household survey conducted April 4 through 10, 2001, which included anthropometric measurements, assessment of food coping mechanisms, and retrospective mortality data collection for November 26, 2000, through April 4, 2001.Setting and ParticipantsA total of 378 households comprising 3165 people living in Kohistan district, Faryab province, Afghanistan.Main Outcome MeasuresCrude mortality rate, mortality rate among children younger than 5 years, causes of death, prevalence of wasting and stunting among children aged 6 to 59 months (weight-for-height and height-for-age z scores <−2, respectively), and food coping mechanisms.ResultsThe crude mortality rate among the 3165 persons surveyed during the period of interest was 2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-3.5) per 10 000 per day and the mortality rate among 763 children younger than 5 years was 5.9 (95% CI, 2.0-8.8) per 10 000 per day. Diarrhea (25.0%), respiratory tract infections (19.4%), measles (15.7%), and scurvy (6.5%) caused most of the 108 deaths. The prevalences of wasting and stunting among 708 children aged 6 to 59 months were 7.0% (95% CI, 5.9%-9.0%) and 63.7% (95% CI, 58.6%-68.8%), respectively. Evidence of late-stage food coping mechanisms and prefamine indicators existed among the population.ConclusionsThese data indicate that, by April 2001, a humanitarian crisis already existed in Kohistan. Essential humanitarian services, including food aid and public health programs, are urgently required in such regions of Afghanistan and will be crucial if a worsening humanitarian crisis is to be avoided. For these services and programs to be implemented, the international community needs to create adequate humanitarian space (ie, a secure and accessible location where humanitarian organizations can provide services to emergency-affected populations) to ensure that humanitarian organizations have access to populations within Afghanistan as well as to refugees who flee to surrounding countries.
Advances in peripheral nerve regeneration

Rodent models of nerve injury have increased our understanding of peripheral nerve regeneration, but clinical applications have been scarce, partly because such models do not adequately recapitulate the situation in humans. In human injuries, axons are often required to extend over much longer distances than in mice, and injury leaves distal nerve fibres and target tissues without axonal contact for extended amounts of time. Distal Schwann cells undergo atrophy owing to the lack of contact with proximal neurons, which results in reduced expression of neurotrophic growth factors, changes in the extracellular matrix and loss of Schwann cell basal lamina, all of which hamper axonal extension. Furthermore, atrophy and denervation-related changes in target tissues make good functional recovery difficult to achieve even when axons regenerate all the way to the target tissue. To improve functional outcomes in humans, strategies to increase the speed of axonal growth, maintain Schwann cells in a healthy, repair-capable state and keep target tissues receptive to reinnervation are needed. Use of rodent models of chronic denervation will facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of peripheral nerve regeneration and create the potential to test therapeutic advances.
Conservation of the WD-repeat, microtubule-binding protein, EMAP, in sea urchins, humans, and the nematode C. elegans

The echinoderm microtubule-associated protein (EMAP) is the most abundant microtubule-binding protein in the first cleavage mitotic apparatus in sea urchin embryos. The first goal of this study was to determine whether there is sufficient EMAP in the egg and embryo to modify microtubule dynamics during the early cleavages divisions and whether EMAP functions at a specific time or place in the embryo. To accomplish this goal, we examined the relative abundance, tissue distribution, and temporal pattern of EMAP expression during embryonic development. The second goal of this study was to identify important functional domains within the EMAP coding sequence. A conserved sequence might reveal a potential microtubule-binding domain. We cloned, sequenced and compared overlapping EMAP cDNAs from two different sea urchin species that diverged approximately 80 million years ago, and compared these with cDNA sequences from a vertebrate and nematode species. From quantitative immunoblots, we determined the EMAP concentration in eggs to be 4 µM. The steady-state levels of EMAP mRNA and protein accumulated during development, and all three germ layers expressed EMAP. During the early stages of development, EMAP and tubulin were both abundant in the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. However, during late gastrulation and the formation of the early pluteus larvae, EMAP was enriched in the mesoderm, while tubulin staining was most abundant in the archenteron. These results indicate that EMAP may have tissue-specific functions in the late stage embryo. To identify conserved functional domains, we compared the predicted amino acid sequence encoded by Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Lytechinus variegatus EMAP cDNAs, and determined that these two sea urchin EMAPs were 95% conserved and shared an identical domain organization. A parsimonious analysis of these sea urchin protein sequences, as well as human and C. elegans EMAP sequences was used to construct a gene tree. Together these results suggest that EMAP is an important microtubule protein required at all developmental stages of sea urchins, and whose cellular function may be conserved amongst metazoans.
InGaP/GaAs HBT implantation leakage current and electrical breakdown

Abstract Implantation of HBT by helium ions has been an accepted means for achieving the desired low leakage currents. In the past, two implant steps of doses 1 E +14 and 4 E +13 ions/cm 2 , at energies 200 and 400 KeV, respectively, were shown to adequately isolate the HBT. The present work shows a medium dose (4 E +13 ions/cm 2 ) of the low-energy implant can result in an isolation resistance an order of magnitude higher than that of a high-dose implant. As a result, the leakage current is reduced. However, the breakdown voltage is also lower compared to its value at higher dose. Tunneling breakdown has been confirmed as being the major contributor to the observed breakdown, by its negative temperature coefficient. In addition, infrared (IR) emission imaging also showed that impact ionization may be playing a role for breakdown at higher electrical field. It is proposed that large As vacancies generated by helium ions makes the GaAs epitaxial layer more p-type compared to the highly doped n + -GaAs, where the collector contact is built on, thus causing it to display a weak diode-like behavior. Finally, the temperature and dose dependences of both the leakage current and the breakdown voltage will be discussed in the context of damage accumulation and junction characteristics.
Gender and Sexuality in the North American Borderlands, 1492–1848

Borderlands history has traditionally been dominated by the masculine concerns of warfare, politics, and diplomacy, but in the past two decades, women’s and gender historians have produced studies that reveal that gender and sexuality were central to all colonial North American borderlands encounters among and between Native Americans and Europeans. This new scholarship argues not just for the importance of women in borderlands societies, but for the importance of looking at gender identities, work roles, and sexual and marriage practices, and the role all of these things played in intercultural contact and conflict. Scholars interested in gender and sexuality should take a broadly comparative approach in this field, because of the striking similarities as well as important differences that emerge with a continental perspective.
Electronic Media Art from China: New Visions Bring Messages from the Distant Past

This article introduces a number of contemporary artists in China who use digital technologies for art production. The author explores how these artists embed ancient philosophical values into an international mix of content in these new technological forms.
Complementarity formulations for the cell transmission model based dynamic user equilibrium with departure time choice, elastic demand and user heterogeneity

In this paper we formulate the dynamic user equilibrium problem with an embedded cell transmission model on a network with a single OD pair, multiple parallel paths, multiple user classes with elastic demand. The formulation is based on ideas from complementarity theory. The travel time is estimated based on two methods which have different transportation applications: (1) maximum travel time and (2) average travel time. These travel time functions result in linear and non-linear complementarity formulations respectively. Solution existence and the properties of the formulations are rigorously analyzed. Extensive computational experiments are conducted to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed formulations on various test networks.
Gender and ethnic differences for Hispanic children referred to child protective services

Abstract Current research on child maltreatment examines differences between Hispanics and non-Hispanics and between female and male children/youth in the overall population. However, this research does not shed light on whether ethnicity-associated differences hold for each gender. Similarly, where gender differences are reported without regard of ethnicity, one does not know whether these differences hold within ethnic groups. In order to fill these gaps, we use the National Study of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) Child Protective Services (CPS) sample (N = 5501) of children in the United States who were referred for investigation of child maltreatment in 1999 and 2000. Regression analyses examine ethnic/gender differences on seven criteria: type of maltreatment, out-of-home placement, family income, health insurance, health ratings, behavior problems and school performance. Selected findings include: the absence of an educational performance advantage for Hispanic girls, the very young age of Hispanic children in placement, and the very high likelihood of physical abuse for Hispanic boys. Findings demonstrate the need to examine the combined impact of ethnicity and gender in producing knowledge that enhances the cultural competency of child welfare services.
Segmentation of tibia bone in ultrasound images using active shape models

This paper describes the use of Active Shape Models to segment the tibia bone in ultrasound images. Using CT images from three volunteers, a training, set consisting of 60 tibia contours, each represented by 45 labeled points, is first established. After aligning the contours in the training set, a Point Distribution Model (PDM) is generated that includes a mean shape of tibia and six modes of shape variation that explain 98% of the total shape variation. Using the PDM, a new shape can be generated which is further scaled, rotated and translated to match the tibia contour in an ultrasound image. Preliminary results indicate that Active Shape Models provide a useful tool for segmenting leg bones in ultrasound images.
The Analytical Foundations of Adjustment Grid Methods

Within the market data approach to real estate appraisal, two basic types of analysis generally are used: (1) regression analysis; and (2) adjustment grid methods. The focus of this paper is on the adjustment grid methods. Three such methods are identified in the appraisal literature, but their analytical foundations are not clearly presented. The primary objective of this paper is to clarify the analytical foundations of each method. In addition, various ways to estimate the adjustment factors needed to apply the grid methods and a weighting scheme for reconciliation of indicated values are presented. Also, the possible advantage of grid-based over purely regression-based predictions is identified.
Semiclassical theory of noise in semiconductor lasers - Part II

A model of semiconductor laser noise is presented which includes the carrier density as a dynamical variable and the carrier density dependence of the refractive index. The Van der Pol laser noise model is shown to he a special case of this treatment. Expressions are calculated for all laser spectra and compared with their Van der Pol counterparts. The power fluctuations spectrum and the frequency fluctuations spectrum exhibit a resonance corresponding to the relaxation resonance and the field spectrum contains fine structure, similar to sidebands which result from harmonic frequency modulation of a carrier signal. The role of carrier noise in determining the field spectrum linewidth is also considered.
The effect of growth hormone treatment alone or growth hormone with supplemental zinc on growth rate, serum, and urine zinc and copper concentrations and hair zinc concentration in patients with growth hormone deficiency

Previous studies suggest that growth hormone (GH) may increase daily zinc requirements to meet the demand of growing bone and to replace increased urinary losses. We tested the hypothesis that zinc or copper availability might be limiting factors in the response of children receiving GH replacement. Ten patients with GH deficiency were followed for GH-induced changes in urine and serum zinc and copper during acute (0.3 IU/kg/day × 5 days) and chronic GH treatment (0.1 IU/kg/tiw). Zinc was measured in hair collected every 3 months. Zinc sulfate (220 mg/day) was given to half the patients during the second year of treatment. There was no evidence of zinc or copper deficiency, and zinc supplements did not venhance growth response to GH during the second year of treatment. We conclude that GH treatment in children does not alter serum or urine zinc or copper or hair zinc, and zinc supplementation does not improve growth in children with GH deficiency.