cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of TiC in in situ processed composites via solid-gas, solid-liquid and liquid-gas reaction in molten AlTi

Abstract A novel technique to generate fine single crystal TiC platelets in an aluminum based matrix has been developed (M.J. Koczak and K.S. Kumar, US Patent 4,808,372 (1989)). The process involves decomposition of a carbonaceous gas (CH4) and reaction of nascent carbon with a strong carbide former such as Ti in an aluminum matrix at a relatively high temperature (1200–1400 °C). The highly exothermic process is moderated by means of a carrier gas and leads to a fine distribution of carbides of size 0.1–3 μm. A nucleation and growth study was carried out to understand the decomposition of the methane, distribution and subsequent reaction with an aluminum-titanium alloy to form the titanium carbide. It was observed that formation of TiC occurs in stages. Following the CH4 decomposition, the solid carbon particles are distributed and trapped in the alloy. The reaction to form TiC is probably limited by diffusion of titanium to carbon and thereafter the carbide. After inoculating carbon in the alloy, the reaction can be completed in solid or liquid state. Transmission electron microscopy studies confirmed the presence of 40–50 nm amorphous carbon particulates in the alloy. It is also postulated that, in liquid state, once the reaction proceeds, the first phase to form is aluminum carbide or an aluminum-titanium carbide of the form. Given sufficient time for completion, the reaction proceeds to form the most stable carbide, i.e. TiC.
Cross-equatorial inertial jets with special relevance to very remote forcing of the Somali Current

Abstract A free inertial cross-equatorial baroclinic boundary jet is proposed as a model of the low-latitude region of the Somali Current. In this model the driving mechanism is considered to be the easterlies of the southern hemisphere, which do not reverse with season. The contribution from these winds to the Somali Current is maintained throughout the year. However, during the northeast monsoon this northward-flowing current (the east African coastal current) is opposed by the southward-flowing Somali Current, but during the southwest monsoon it is enhanced. The results of some numerical calculations that include physical processes not present in the free jet model are then given. These show that the southern hemisphere easterlies are strong enough to produce a coastal jet 6 to 8 degrees into the northern hemisphere. The physics of this numerically obtained jet are then examined and although the time and length scales are initially baroclinic, the steady jet becomes ‘barotropic’. A pseudoanalytic model of this jet is then considered.
Fabrication, modeling, and characterization of porous shape memory alloys

This paper will present powder metallurgical methods for producing porous NiTi from elemental powders of 50at% Ni and 50at% Ti using a sintering approach in a high pressure environment. Different pore sizes and volume fractions of NiTi SMAs are fabricated and characterized in terms of composition and phase transformation characteristics using calorimetric measurements. Quasi-static and dynamic loading experiments are conducted on samples produced with the presented methodology and their shape recovery and energy absorption characteristics are measured during the forward and reverse phase transformation and detwinning. A micromechanical averaging method for modeling the behavior of porous SMAs is presented. Correlation of experimental results with theoretical predictions of the micromechanical method for the case of quasi-static loading is discussed.
Photochemical reactions of 1,2-dimethylcyclobutadieneiron tricarbonyl with various acetylenes

Abstract The photochemical reactions of 1,2-dimethylcyclobutadieneiron tricarbonyl with a variety of acetylenes have been studied. Benzenoid compounds generally are obtained. In particular, irradiation of the 1,2-dimethyl complex with acetylene yields o-xylene and p-xylene. Reaction with propyne produces 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene while 2-butyne forms 1,2,3,4- and 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene. Several possible reaction mechanisms are presented and evaluated in light of the observed product distributions.
Does educational privatisation promote social justice

Social justice in education refers to the expectation that the education system provides fairness in its access to opportunities and results. Proponents of educational privatisation believe this would not only open up opportunities for those that otherwise are restricted from attending good schools, but that it would also improve overall efficiency in the education system through pressures of market competition. This article first provides a framework for analysing a quasi-market in education and for considering the potential effects of privatisation. It then applies this framework to the Netherlands, a school system premised completely on choice where two thirds of the schools are privately sponsored. We conclude that the Dutch system, thanks to a series of policies and regulations in place, performs relatively well on social justice, when looking at freedom of choice and overall productive efficiency. However, for equity and social cohesion, despite clear policy efforts, the privatised system seems to u...
The basal cell nevus syndrome: disasters occurring among a series of 36 patients.

We have reviewed a series of 36 patients with the basal cell nevus syndrome seen at Roswell Park Memorial Institute from 1950 to 1978. Among these patients a number of disastrous complications occurred. These include extensive uncontrolled basal cell epithelioma of the face resulting in one death from direct cerebral invasion via the orbit, one facial nerve palsy, two bilateral and two unilateral eye enucleations, and several severe facial mutilations in young patients. There were three patients who developed severe bradycardia and hypotension during induction of general anesthesia requiring postponement of the intended operation, and one patient with congenital hemiparesis who on investigation was found to have an absent internal carotid artery. A review of the syndrome complex is presented with a plan for recognition and management.
Immunocytochemical localization of the multicatalytic proteinase (Proteasome) in crustacean striated muscles

Multicatalytic proteinase (MCP) is thought to play a central role in the processing and turnover of intracellular proteins in eukaryotic cells. Immunocytochemistry was used to determine the intracellular distribution of the MCP in the claw muscles of the land crab, Gecarcinus lateralis, and the claw and abdominal muscles of the American lobster, Homarus americanus. Cryosections were stained with an affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to lobster MCP that cross-reacted with the land crab enzyme. Two types of staining were observed: a diffuse cytoplasmic staining, and a dense aggregate staining primarily associated with invaginations of the cell membrane. The cytoplasmic staining appeared reticulated in favorable transverse sections due to a preferential localization of MCP to the intermyofibrillar space. The aggregate staining was associated with neither nuclei nor mitochondria, since stains specific for these organelles (Hoechst stain and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase histochemistry, respectively) did not colocalize with the aggregates. Trypsinlike peptidase activities of isolated microsomal and postmicrosomal fractions indicated that less than 1% of the total MCP was associated with the microsomal fraction. Immunoprecipitaion of the same fractions confirmed the presence of MCP in the microsomes as well as in the cytosol. These results suggest that the MCP is primarily associated with cytoplasmic components; the aggregate staining may result from the association of the MCP with cellular membrane systems. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Techniques for optimization of pulsatile ventricular assist device support.

: For some time now researchers have argued the efficacy of pulsatile versus nonpulsatile hemodynamic support. Pulsatile systems, while providing a more physiological pumping source, are burdened with a multipa-rametric output function that can greatly affect the utility of such ventricular assist device (VAD) support. A simplified approach to the optimization of the pulsatile VADs' output function has been developed. This approach yields device outputs of approximately 5.5 Limin at physiologic pressures while demonstrating clinically acceptable blood chemistry. Obtaining this optimal operating point involves the determination of the VAD system output function for a range of fill-enhancing vacuum settings. A quantitative method for evaluating synchronous versus asynchronous pumping modes as related to coronary perfusion is also demonstrated.
Ultrasound intensity and contractile characteristics of rat isolated papillary muscle

The effect of graded intensities of continuous wave ultrasound on the contractile performance of isolated papillary muscle of rat was tested. Under isometric conditions rat left ventricular papillary muscles (n = 48) were electrically stimulated to contract at rates of 30, 60, 120 and 240 beats per minute. Muscles were perfused with a Tyrode solution at 30 degrees C under normoxic conditions. Ultrasound at intensities of 0.25, 0.50, 1.0 and 2.0 W/cm2 spatial average temporal average (SATA) at 963 kHz was applied to the muscles while recording muscle contractile characteristics. The analog data were digitized and stored on disk for analysis by computer. This revealed a significant (p less than 0.001) increase in peak developed force (F), peak rate of force development (+dF/dt) and peak rate of myocardial relaxation (-dF/dt) that was linearly related to ultrasound intensity. The muscles were more sensitive to ultrasound at 240 contractions per minute. Resting force was significantly decreased by ultrasound. Although bath temperature increased according to the ultrasound intensity, control studies in papillary muscles (n = 24) on the correlation between contractile parameters and temperature revealed that bulk heating could not account for the positive inotropic action with ultrasound. These data confirm the inotropic effect of continuous wave ultrasound on myocardial tissue and point to the possibility of applying this phenomenon therapeutically.
Can Stigma Explain Large Property Value Losses? The Psychology and Economics of Superfund

This research documents the long term impacts of delayed cleanup on property values in communities neighboring prominent Superfund sites. The research examines the sale prices of nearly 34,000 homes near sites in three metropolitan areas for up to a 30-year period. To our knowledge, no other property value studies have examined sites in multiple areas with large property value losses over the length of time used here. The results are both surprising and inconsistent with most prior work. The principal result is that, when cleanup is delayed for 10, 15, and even up to 20 years, the discounted present value of the cleanup is mostly lost. A possible explanation for these property value losses is that the sites are stigmatized and the homes in the surrounding communities are shunned. The results suggest that expedited cleanup and minimizing the number of stigmatizing events would reduce these losses.
Dreaming and Offline Memory Consolidation

Converging evidence suggests that dreaming is influenced by the consolidation of memory during sleep. Following encoding, recently formed memory traces are gradually stabilized and reorganized into a more permanent form of long-term storage. Sleep provides an optimal neurophysiological state to facilitate this process, allowing memory networks to be repeatedly reactivated in the absence of new sensory input. The process of memory reactivation and consolidation in the sleeping brain appears to influence conscious experience during sleep, contributing to dream content recalled on awakening. This article outlines several lines of evidence in support of this hypothesis, and responds to some common objections.
Age and environmental sustainability: a meta-analysis

Purpose – Research has shown that individuals of different ages hold different environmental attitudes and perform environmental behaviors of different kinds and to varying degrees. The strength and direction of age-effects observed across studies has been inconsistent, however. This study aims to examine the relationship between age and a variety of environmental sustainability-related psychological variables using meta-analytic techniques. Design/methodology/approach – Relationships between age and environmental concern, environmental values, attitudes toward environmental behaviors, environmental awareness, environmental knowledge, environmental motives, environmental intentions, and pro-environmental behaviors were examined. Data from relevant studies between 1970 and 2010 were meta-analyzed to determine the magnitudes of relationships between age and environmental variables, and to investigate whether effects generalize across studies. Findings – Most relationships were negligibly small. Small but ge...
Women and men in warfare and migration : Implications of gender imbalance in the Grasshopper region of Arizona

This study demonstrates that gender imbalance can explain certain problematic artifact assemblages. Typical warfare refugee populations include more women than men because more men than women are killed in conflicts. This paper proposes that predominantly female warfare refugees altered the material culture of the Grasshopper region of Arizona during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. This thesis is supported by the temporal congruity of multiple lines of evidence, including evidence outside of the region for the violent deaths of more men than women and evidence within the region for female- dominated burials, immigration, and gendered continuities and discontinuities in material culture.
The Ultimate Constant of Head and Neck Oncology—The Physician-Patient Relationship

Head and neck surgeons have the unique opportunity to engage with humans in life and death situations. We are confronting cancer, cure, failure, self-image, and most of all, a bond with the patient and family. We would like to view our expertise in head and neck surgery and the world of caring for our patients much like a Brigadoon. However, we daily are confronted with ever-changing and evolving approaches to health care that do not involve the physician or the patient. What kind of world is healthcare without a physician-patient interaction? Yes, there is the government-supported electronic medical record, which is here to stay (until our electrical and/or wired network fails). Yes, there is new technology, including robotic surgery and telemedicine and efforts to link these to our cell phones and applications, making care and expertise more available across long distances. And yes, there exist goals to extend care beyond the physician to other health care professions as the buffer between the physician and the patient, sometimes to reduce cost and sometimes to make care more ubiquitous. However, an Internet search will show that most say that the only constant in healthcare is change. I propose that the ultimate constant in healthcare is the physician-patient relationship.
Postmastectomy radiation therapy and recommendations for immediate breast reconstruction in women with stage II breast cancer

Recent developments in management have demonstrated superior local-regional control, disease-free survival, and overall survival in node-positive breast cancer patients with the addition of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) to mastectomy and chemotherapy. Consequently, PMRT use in patients with stage II breast cancer is increasing. However, it is difficult to predict presence or extent of axillary lymph node involvement before mastectomy. There are two potential problems with performing an immediate breast reconstruction in patients requiring PMRT. First, PMRT may adversely affect the aesthetic outcome of an immediate breast reconstruction. Second, immediate breast reconstruction may interfere with PMRT delivery. With a delayed-immediate approach, however, patients who do not require PMRT may achieve aesthetic outcomes similar to those with immediate reconstruction. In patients requiring PMRT, delayed-immediate breast reconstruction may avoid potential aesthetic and radiation delivery problems after immediate breast reconstruction. Increased PMRT use in early-stage breast cancer requires improved communication among the medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, breast surgeon, and plastic surgeon during treatment planning.
The meaning of interior tomography

The classic imaging geometry for computed tomography is for the collection of un-truncated projections and the reconstruction of a global image, with the Fourier transform as the theoretical foundation that is intrinsically non-local. Recently, interior tomography research has led to theoretically exact relationships between localities in the projection and image spaces and practically promising reconstruction algorithms. Initially, interior tomography was developed for x-ray computed tomography. Then, it was elevated to have the status of a general imaging principle. Finally, a novel framework known as 'omni-tomography' is being developed for a grand fusion of multiple imaging modalities, allowing tomographic synchrony of diversified features.
The path to intervention: Community partnerships and development of a cognitive behavioral intervention for ethnic minority adolescent females

Reproductive health needs for ethnic minority adolescents are a national priority given the population growth of minority adolescents in the United States. United States census reports predict minority adolescents will comprise one-third of all young persons less than 20 years of age early in the twenty-first century. Developing culturally sensitive interventions for minority adolescents includes ecological assessments of cultural priorities, community resources, disease burden, and socioeconomic conditions. These assessments must be accomplished in partnership with the local community. Understanding reproductive health needs necessarily includes an evaluation of the absence of reproductive health, namely, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infection (STI), sexual or physical abuse, unplanned pregnancy, and the risk factors that contribute to such adverse outcomes. This article describes the methodological processes utilized to conduct an ecological assessment of a community including the health, econ...
Time-decorrelated multifocal array for multiphoton microscopy and micromachining.

We demonstrate a temporally decorrelated, multifocal multiphoton microscope. Using an etalon, we split the 800-nm light from either an ultrashort-pulsed Ti:Al2O3 oscillator or a Ti:Al2O3 regenerative amplifier into an array of beamlets that are delayed with respect to one another in time. The collimated beams overlap at slightly different input angles at the entrance pupil of a 1.25-numerical aperture oil-immersion objective to produce an array of foci that are temporally decorrelated at the focal plane of the objective. The temporal decorrelation eliminates any interference among the foci and permits multifocal multiphoton imaging with the resolution of single-point illumination.
Neurological Soft Signs Predict Abnormal Cerebellar-Thalamic Tract Development and Negative Symptoms in Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis: A Longitudinal Perspective

Introduction: There is an emerging consensus that neurological soft signs (NSS) may not be “soft” at all but rather may reflect neuropathy, particularly in the cerebellum and thalamus. However, our understanding of connective tract abnormalities is limited, and to date, there have been no investigations examining NSS and longitudinal white matter development during the prodrome. Mapping the correlates of NSS in ultrahigh-risk (UHR) youth offers potential for highlighting a viable biomarker as well as for advancing understanding of pathogenic processes during the adolescent risk period. Methods: A total of 68 (33 UHR and 35 healthy control) adolescents were assessed with an NSS inventory, structured interviews, and diffusion tensor imaging. Fractional anisotropy (FA) of theoretically relevant cerebellar-thalamic tracts was calculated (left/right superior cerebellar peduncles [SCPs]). Twelve months later, a subset of 30 (15 UHR and 15 control) participants returned for follow-up diffusion tension imaging/clinical assessments. Results: UHR youth exhibited elevated NSS across domains. While there were no group differences in the integrity of the SCPs at baseline, controls showed a normative increase while the UHR group showed a decrease in FA over 12 months. NSS predicted a longitudinal decrease in cerebellar-thalamic FA and elevations in negative but not positive symptoms 12 months later. Discussion: Findings of abnormal white matter development provide direct empirical evidence to support prominent neurodevelopmental theories. The predictive relationships between NSS and longitudinal cerebellar-thalamic tract integrity and negative symptom course provide insight into the role of cognitive dysmetria in the high-risk period and inform on a unique biomarker tied to core features underlying psychosis.
Optimal recovery point insertion for high-level synthesis of recoverable microarchitectures

The paper considers the problem of automatic insertion of recovery points in recoverable microarchitectures. Previous work on this problem provided heuristic algorithms that attempted either to minimize computation time with a bounded hardware overhead or to minimize hardware overhead with a bounded computation time. We present efficient algorithms that provide provably optimal solutions for both of these formulations of the problem. These algorithms take as their input a scheduled control-data flow graph describing the behavior of the system and they output either a minimum-time or a minimum-cost set of recovery point locations. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithms using some well-known benchmark control-data flow graphs. Over all parameter values for each of these benchmarks, our optimal algorithms are shown to perform as well as, and in many cases better than, the previously proposed heuristics. >
Quantitative characterization of myocardial infarction by cardiovascular magnetic resonance predicts future cardiovascular events in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can provide quantitative data of the myocardial tissue utilizing high spatial and temporal resolution along with exquisite tissue contrast. Previous studies have correlated myocardial scar tissue with the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia. This study was conducted to evaluate whether characterization of myocardial infarction by CMR can predict cardiovascular events in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). We consecutively studied 86 patients with ICM (LVEF < 50%, mean LVEF: 26 ± 12%) with CMR before revascularization or medication therapy ± implantable cardiac defibrillator, determined the amount of myocardial scar, and followed for development of cardiovascular events. Thirty-three patients (38%) had cardiovascular events (mean follow-up: 20 ± 16 months). Patients who developed cardiovascular events had larger scar volume and scar percentage of the myocardium than those who did not develop cardiovascular events (16.8 ± 12.4 cm3 vs. 11.7 ± 12.6 cm3, p = 0.023 and 10.2 ± 6.9% vs. 7.2 ± 6.7%, p = 0.037, respectively). There were no significant differences in LVEDV, LVESV and LVEF between the patients with and without cardiovascular events (231 ± 76 ml vs. 230 ± 88 ml; 180 ± 73 ml vs. 175 ± 90 ml; and 25 ± 10% vs. 27 ± 13%, respectively). Quantification of the scar volume and scar percentage by CMR is superior to LVEDV, LVESV, and LVEF in prognosticating the future likelihood of the development of cardiovascular events in patients with ICM.
Cost and Precision Functions for Aerial Quadrat Surveys: a Case Study of Ring- Necked Ducks in Minnesota

Cost considerations may be as important as precision when making survey-design choices, and the ability to accurately estimate survey costs will be essential if survey budgets become more constrained. We used data from a survey of ring-necked ducks (Aythya collaris) to illustrate how simple distance formulas can be used to construct a cost function for aerial quadrat surveys. Our cost function provided reasonable estimates of effort (hr) and costs, and allowed us to evaluate plot-size choices in terms of expected cost-precision tradeoffs. Although factors influencing costs in wildlife surveys can be complicated, we believe that cost functions deserve more attention and should be routinely considered in conjunction with traditional power analyses.
The NMDA-receptor antagonist, MK-801, suppresses limbic kindling and kindled seizures.

Excitatory amino acid receptors in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) are divided into 3 receptor subtypes: kainate, quisqualate, and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). MK-801 is a selective, non-competitive antagonist of excitatory amino acid transmitters at the NMDA receptor site. The role of excitatory amino acid neurotransmission in electrical kindling was examined in animals stimulated daily in the amygdala following i.p. administration of low dosages of MK-801 (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg). A second experiment evaluated the anticonvulsant properties of MK-801 in rats kindled in the hippocampus and amygdala, and contrasted its efficacy with the antiepileptic agents, diazepam, phenobarbital and phenytoin, and the dissociative anesthetics phencyclidine and ketamine. MK-801 (0.5 mg/kg) retarded the development of amygdala kindling and reduced mean AD duration over the first 10 stimulation sessions. The low dosage reduced total AD accrued during each kindling stage but failed to alter kindling rate. MK-801 blocked motor seizures induced by stimulation of hippocampal or amygdala kindled foci, but was more effective in reducing seizure severity and AD duration resulting from stimulation of the hippocampal focus. All other drugs tested, with the exception of phenytoin, protected against amygdaloid kindled seizures. It was concluded that excitatory amino acid transmission contributes in an important, but non-critical way to amygdala kindling.
Three‐dimensional Raman imagery of precambrian microscopic organisms

Two major difficulties have long hindered studies of ancient permineralized micro-organisms: (1) accurate documentation of their three-dimensional morphology at micron-scale resolution; and (2) direct characterization of their molecular-structural composition. Here we introduce a technique new to palaeobiology, the three-dimensional Raman imagery that meets both of these needs, which is a nonintrusive, nondestructive technique that can provide data by which to accurately and objectively characterize, in situ and at micron-scale resolution, the morphology and molecular-structural composition of permineralized micro-organisms and their associated matrices. Application of this new technique can provide information about the morphology, taphonomy and fidelity of preservation of fossil micro-organisms unavailable by any other means.
Ictal and psychiatric aspects of suicide in epileptic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ictal and psychiatric aspects underlying the high risk of suicide among epileptic patients. METHOD: We surveyed the records of 1611 epileptic patients seen in a neurology clinic during an eight-year period, found four who died by suicide, and characterized their ictal and psychiatric features. RESULTS: All four epileptic patients had partial complex seizures and temporal lobe foci. Two had an associated paranoid schizophrenia with suicidal ideation, and good or improving seizure control at the time of their deaths. Another patient killed himself during a brief psychotic episode associated with increasing epileptiform discharges. The fourth patient had ictal depression and committed suicide during a flurry of partial complex seizures. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the high suicide rate among epileptic patients has a greater association with psychotic behaviors and psychic auras than with major depression or the psychosocial burden of being epileptic. We further review other reported risk factors for suicide in epilepsy. Language: en
Classification of Testicular Tumors

This chapter reviews the classification and general pathologic features of testicular tumors. Germ cell tumors represent, by far, the greatest number of cases, and they are divided into two major categories—seminomas and non-seminomatous tumors. The latter consist of embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, choriocarcinoma, and teratoma. Admixtures of the various types are common, and the presence of any non-seminomatous tumor in an otherwise pure seminoma places the neoplasm into the non-seminomatous category. This full spectrum of germ cell neoplasia may develop in postpubertal patients, and it is now recognized that the origin of almost all of the postpubertal germ cell tumors can be traced to a distinctive intratubular malignant germ cell, which is termed intratubular germ cell neoplasia, unclassified (IGCNU). This situation contrasts with what is found in prepubertal children where only yolk sac tumor and teratoma are found and there is lack of IGCNU. The sex cord-stromal tumors comprise a small minority of testicular neoplasms but have a diverse morphology and many interesting associated features including hormonal manifestations and linkage to certain genetic syndromes. The entities include Leydig cell tumor, Sertoli cell tumor (including several subtypes), granulosa cell tumor of both juvenile and adult type, tumors in the fibroma/thecoma group, and unclassified and mixed forms of sex cord-stromal tumor. The gonadoblastoma is considered a mixed germ cell-sex cord-stromal tumor that occurs mostly in patients with gonadal dysgenesis. The possibility that an unusual-appearing tumor in the testis represents a metastasis from another site must also always be considered.
A tool for aligning very similar DNA sequences.

Results: We have produced a computer program, named sim3, that solves the following computational problem. Two DNA sequences are given, where the shorter sequence is very similar to some contiguous region of the longer sequence. Sim3 determines such a similar region of the longer sequence, and then computes an optimal set of single-nucleo tide changes (i.e. insertions, deletions or substitutions) that will convert the shorter sequence to that region. Thus, the alignment scoring scheme is designed to model sequencing errors, rather than evolutionary processes. The program can align a 100 kb sequence to a 1 megabase sequence in a few seconds on a workstation, provided that there are very few differences between the shorter sequence and some region in the longer sequence. The program has been used to assemble sequence data for the Genomes Division at the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Availability: A version of sim3 for UNIX machines can be obtained by anonymous ftp from ncbi. nlm. nih. gov, in the publsimS directory. Contact: For portable versions for Macs and PCs, contact zjing@sunset. nlm. nih. gov.
Site-specific recombination between immunoglobulin D and JH segments that were introduced into the genome of a murine pre-B cell line

A recombinant plasmid containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (tk) gene, flanked on one side by two murine immunoglobulin heavy chain diversity (D) elements and on the other by two murine immunoglobulin heavy chain joining (JH) elements, was introduced into a tk- variant of a pre-B cell line transformed by Abelson murine leukemia virus. The four possible site-specific joining events between the D and JH segments within the integrated construct occurred frequently during passage of the cloned line under nonselective conditions, and deletion of the internal tk gene as a result of these joining events was, by far, the predominant mechanism of resistance to BUdR within this line. These studies demonstrate that a precise chromosomal location is not essential for the assembly of D and JH elements and provide a model system for mechanistic and genetic studies of this recombination process.
Malignant tumors of the keratinocytes and adnexae

Christie T. Ammirati, MD*, Michael D. Ioffreda, MD, George J. Hruza, MD Department of Dermatology, Pennsylvania State University, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, PO Box 850, Hershey, PA 17033, USA Department of Dermatology and Otolaryngology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, 1402 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA Laser and Dermatologic Surgery Center, 14377 Woodlake Drive, Suite 111, St. Louis, MO 63017, USA
Directed Matching and Monetary Exchange

We develop a model of monetary exchange where, as in the random matching literature, agents trade bilaterally and not through centralized markets. Rather than assuming they match exogenously and at random, however, we determine who meets whom as part of the equilibrium. We show how to formalize this process of directed matching in dynamic models with double coincidence problems, and present several examples and applications that illustrate how the approach can be used in monetary theory. Some of our results are similar to those in the random matching literature; others differ significantly.
Comprehensive proteomics of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 metabolism under single carbon and nonmethylotrophic conditions

In order to validate a gel free quantitative proteomics assay for the model methylotrophic bacterium Methylobacterium extorquens AM1, we examined the M. extorquens AM1 proteome under single carbon (methanol) and multicarbon (succinate) growth, conditions that have been studied for decades and for which extensive corroborative data have been compiled. In total, 4447 proteins from a database containing 7556 putative ORFs from M. extorquens AM1 could be identified with two or more peptide sequences, corresponding to a qualitative proteome coverage of 58%. Statistically significant nonzero (log(2) scale) differential abundance ratios of methanol/succinate could be detected for 317 proteins using summed ion intensity measurements and 585 proteins using spectral counting, at a q-value cut-off of 0.01, a measure of false discovery rate. The results were compared to recent microarray studies performed under equivalent chemostat conditions. The M. extorquens AM1 studies demonstrated the feasibility of scaling up the multidimensional capillary HPLC MS/MS approach to a prokaryotic organism with a proteome more than three times the size of microbes we have investigated previously, while maintaining a high degree of proteome coverage and reliable quantitative abundance ratios.
The polarity of editing within a multiple gRNA-mediated domain is due to formation of anchors for upstream gRNAs by downstream editing

Abstract Seventeen kinetoplast minicircle-encoded and nine maxicircle-encoded gRNA genes have been identified. Six overlapping minicircle-encoded gRNAs mediate editing for the 5′-pan-edited MURF4 gene and two for the 5′-edited COIII gene. The pan-edited RPS12 mRNA is edited by seven minicircle-encoded gRNAs and one maxicircle-encoded gRNA. The 3′-most gRNA in each domain forms an anchor with unedited mRNA, whereas upstream gRNAs form anchors only with edited mRNA, thereby explaining the observed 3′ to 5′ polarity of editing within an editing domain. We suggest that a role of G-U base pairs is to allow breathing of the edited mRNA-gRNA hybrid and formation of the upstream anchor hybrid.
Analysis of the PixA Inclusion Body Protein of Xenorhabdus nematophila

The symbiotic pathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila produces two distinct intracellular inclusion bodies. The pixA gene, which encodes the 185-residue methionine-rich PixA inclusion body protein, was analyzed in the present study. The pixA gene was optimally expressed under stationary-phase conditions but its expression did not require RpoS. Analysis of a pixA mutant strain showed that PixA was not required for virulence towards the insect host or for colonization of or survival within the nematode host, and was not essential for nematode reproduction. The pixA gene was not present in the genome of Xenorhabdus bovienii, which also produces proteinaceous inclusions, indicating that PixA is specifically produced in X. nematophila.
Herd Immunity and Measles

The basic concept of herd immunity is directly applicable only under very special conditions. The agents of disease must be restricted to a single host species within which transmission occurs by relatively direct contact, and infection induces solid immunity. Also outbreaks must occur only in randomly mixing populations. In free-living populations, susceptibles are not distributed homogeneously but tend to cluster in subgroups defined by age and by such factors as ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The requisite for occurrence of epidemics, namely a large enough number of susceptibles in frequent contact with each other, exists in virtually all large populations, regardless of the total proportion of the population that is immune. Experience with measles illustrates these conditions. Total prevalence of immunity of greater than or equal to 90% in developing countries does not prevent annual epidemics among the susceptibles, most of whom are children younger than three years of age. Where vaccination is widely practiced, as in the United States since 1962, measles has continued to occur in poorly immunized subgroups that are characterized by low educational level and economic status, very young age, or religious beliefs forbidding acceptance of vaccine. Ultimate success of a systematic immunization program requires knowledge of distribution of susceptibles by age and subgroup and maximal effort to reduce the concentration of susceptibles throughout the community rather than aiming to reach any specific proportion of the overall population.
Microglandular hyperplasia of the endocervix following long-term estrogen treatment.

Microglandular hyperplasia of the endocervix is a benign lesion. It has recently been described in women receiving oral contraceptives and less often in pregnant women and in those receiving exogenous progestogens. It has occasionally been mistaken for adenocarcinoma. A case report of a 61-year-old woman who had taken Premarin (1.25 mg of conjugated estrogen) daily for 11 years is presented. Her menopause had occurred before beginning Premarin therapy. Vaginal bleeding was noted 3 weeks before admission. A polypoid mass was removed from the endocervix and a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma had been made. Endocervical endometrial and cervical biopsies revealed no carcinoma but microglandular hyperplasia of the endocervix. Premarin was discontinued. After 6 months there was no evidence of cervical disease. A photomicrographic reproduction illustrates the histological findings.
Impacts of a 32-billion-gallon bioenergy landscape on land and fossil fuel use in the US

Biofuels offer a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels but may need large land-use changes. This study combines ecosystem and economic models to explore land-use allocation and greenhouse gas emissions for a 32-billion-gallon Renewable Fuel Standard in the US.
Lesion of the perinuclear zone attenuates cardiac sensitivity of vasopressinergic supraoptic neurons.

Discrete stretch of the caval-atrial junction decreases the activity of vasopressin-secreting neurons in the supraoptic nucleus (SON). The perinuclear zone (PNZ) of the SON is necessary for inhibit...
Results of Primary and Secondary Flexor-tendon Repairs in No Man's Land

The results of primary and secondary repair of seventy-one flexor-tendon lacerations in Bunnell's no man's land of the hand usually were good when the following principles were adhered to: careful preoperative selection of patients, use of atraumatic technique, avoidance of advancing the flexor digitorum profundus tendon more than one centimeter distally, and caution in performing secondary repairs when both the flexor digitorum superficialis and the profundus were completely severed. Secondary repair resulted in a higher failure rate (loss of extension) only when both tendons were completely severed.
Using Facebook and Twitter to Encourage Physical Activity: Are College Students Connecting with Campus Recreation on Social Media? A Pilot Study:

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine students' use of the campus recreation center and their engagement with the center's social media accounts as a basis for future research. A survey wa...
Research and application of “bus-coupler energizing dead-zone” protection

The conception of BED(Bus-coupler Energizing Dead-zone) fault and the importance of its corresponding protection are introduced.The characteristics of BED fault under different operating modes are analyzed and it is concluded that the energizing time after the closing of bus-coupler switch is the key to realize the protection.Three solutions of BED protection are proposed and compared :TWJ(bus-coupler trip contactor),SHJ(bus-coupler manual close contactor) and BEJ(bus-coupler energizing jumper).The protection logic of SHJ is presented.By the real-time monitoring of the current and state of TWJ and SHJ,as well as the logic analysis,the protection tracks whole energizing process exactly and reacts to BED fault rapidly.Dynamic emulation and site application prove the sensitivity and reliability of the proposed protection schemes.
Exercise-related sudden death. What autopsy findings reveal about its causes in conditioned persons over age 30 years.

PreviewExercise-related sudden death is a slight but real threat to conditioned middle-aged Americans. The deaths of prominent athletes Jim Fixx, Don Rogers, Len Bias, and “Pistol Pete” Maravich bear much-publicized testimony to that fact The record number of Americans who now regularly engage in vigorous physical activity clearly adds impetus to the need to identify the causes of this phenomenon. In this article, Dr Waller discloses the cardiovascular abnormalities at fault and offers a prescription for healthful exercise.
The Politics of Infrastructure Provision

One of the most important decisions facing the governments of both developed and developing countries involves how to distribute critical infrastructure resources given a country's budget constraint. In the developing world, improvements to basic infrastructure can make a profound difference in the health and well-being of populations and can particularly improve the lives and educational opportunities for girls and women who often (quite literally) carry the burden of poor infrastructure. Recent scholarly works have attempted to examine some of the political determinants of local economic development in a number of countries, including China, India, Japan, Mexico, and Peru (Schady 2000; Diaz-Cayeros et al. 2003; Parikh and Weingast 2003; Chhibber and Nooruddin 2004; Scheiner 2006; Magaloni 2006; Tsai 2007; Diaz-Cayeros, Estevez, and Magaloni 2007). These studies are informed by competing theories about how an incumbent should distribute selective resources, such as infrastructure and other public goods. Cox and McCubbins (1986) argue that incumbents may be risk-averse and as a result prefer to make transfers to core supporters. Lindbeck and Weibull (1987) suggest that transfers should instead go to swing voters. Dixit and Londregan (1996) contend that the choice between favoring swing voters or core supporters depends on a number of factors. For Bueno de Mesquita et al. (2003), leaders who need to reward a growing coalition of supporters will do so through the provision of public goods.
Channel coding for wireless communication via electromagnetic polarization

This paper investigates fundamental properties of polarization-based modulation for wireless communication - and in particular the application of channel coding techniques to such systems. After developing appropriate channel models, bounds on achievable rates are computed, and the performance of exemplary LDPC codes are simulated; this is done for both additive white Gaussian noise channels as well as channels subject to i.i.d. Rayleigh fading. A novel “on/off” modulation scheme is developed that adaptively changes the information-bearing polarization states based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) of the realized channel; this scheme is shown to significantly outperform fixed-constellation schemes as well as adaptive-constellation schemes employing equal energy signals.
Ultrafast spatio-temporal mapping of gigahertz lattice distortion in a ferroelectric crystal(Conference Presentation)

We capture the spatio-temporal oscillations within large individual ferroelectric domains and across domain walls upon optical excitation in a single crystal of BaTiO3 with ~350 nm lateral resolution and ~100 ps temporal resolution using synchrotron x-ray pulses as probes. Spatially resolved ultrafast mapping across domain walls reveals that the optical excitation pump can generate GHz acoustic standing waves of different frequencies between the surface and buried domain wall interfaces at different depths. Phase-field simulations reveal that a thermo-electro-acoustic mechanism can quantitatively explain the observed dynamics. The study reveals the importance of combined spatial and temporal resolution for understanding ultrafast dynamics in inhomogeneous microstructures.
Pediatric Acute Otitis Media in the Era of Pneumococcal Vaccination

Objectives (1) Describe longitudinal trends in annual prevalence of hospital admission for pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) and complications of AOM (CAOM) since introduction of pneumococcal vaccination in 2000 and (2) describe the longitudinal trend of prevalence of hospital admission for pneumococcal meningitis in children with AOM-related diagnoses in the postvaccination era. Study Design Retrospective analysis of Kids' Inpatient Database from 2000 to 2012. Setting Community, nonrehabilitation hospitals. Subjects and Methods To determine annual prevalence of admission for AOM/CAOM, nationally weighted frequencies of children aged <21 years with acute suppurative otitis media, acute mastoiditis, suppurative labyrinthitis, and/or acute petrositis were collected. The frequency of coexisting pneumococcal meningitis diagnoses among these patients was also collected. Trend analysis of prevalences of admission for AOM/CAOM and for pneumococcal meningitis occurring in the setting of AOM/CAOM from 2000 to 2012 was performed. Results Between 2000 and 2012, annual prevalence of admission for AOM/CAOM decreased from 3.956 to 2.618 per 100,000 persons ( P < .0001) (relative risk reduction 34%). Declines in admission prevalence were most pronounced in children <1 year of age (from 22.647 to 8.715 per 100,000 persons between 2000 and 2012, P < .0001) and 1 to 2 years of age (from 13.652 to 5.554 per 100,000 persons between 2000 and 2012, P < .0001). For all ages, the admission prevalence for pneumococcal meningitis and concomitant AOM/CAOM decreased (from 1.760 to 0.717 per 1,000,000 persons, P < .0001) over the study period. Conclusions The prevalence of hospital admission for pediatric AOM/CAOM has declined since the advent of pneumococcal vaccination. Admission rates for pneumococcal meningitis with AOM/CAOM have similarly declined.