cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residual analysis of the water resonance signal in breast lesions imaged with high spectral and spatial resolution (HiSS) MRI: a pilot study.

Purpose: High spectral and spatial resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HiSS MRI) yields information on the local environment of suspicious lesions. Previous work has demonstrated the advantages of HiSS (complete fat-suppression, improved image contrast, no required contrast agent, etc.), leading to initial investigations of water resonance lineshape for the purpose of breast lesion classification. The purpose of this study is to investigate a quantitative imaging biomarker, which characterizes non-Lorentzian components of the water resonance in HiSS MRI datasets, for computer-aided diagnosis (CADx). Methods: The inhomogeneous broadening and non-Lorentzian or “off-peak” components seen in the water resonance of proton spectra of breast HiSS images are analyzed by subtracting a Lorentzian fit from the water peak spectra and evaluating the difference spectrum or “residual.” The maxima of these residuals (referred to hereafter as “off-peak components”) tend to be larger in magnitude in malignant lesions, indicating increased broadening in malignant lesions. The authors considered only those voxels with the highest magnitude off-peak components in each lesion, with the number of selected voxels dependent on lesion size. Our voxel-based method compared the magnitudes and frequencies of off-peak components of all voxels from all lesions in a database that included 15 malignant and 8 benign lesionsmore » (yielding ∼3900 voxels) based on the lesions’ biopsy-confirmed diagnosis. Lesion classification was accomplished by comparing the average off-peak component magnitudes and frequencies in malignant and benign lesions. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used as a figure of merit for both the voxel-based and lesion-based methods. Results: In the voxel-based task of distinguishing voxels from malignant and benign lesions, off-peak magnitude yielded an AUC of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [0.84, 0.91]). In the lesion-based task of distinguishing malignant and benign lesions, average off-peak magnitude yielded an AUC 0.83 (95% confidence interval [0.61, 0.98]). Conclusions: These promising AUC values suggest that analysis of the water-resonance in each HiSS image voxel using “residual analysis” could have high diagnostic utility and could be used to enhance current CADx methods and allow detection of breast cancer without the need to inject contrast agents.« less
Lessons in Sobriety: An Exploratory Study of Graduate Outcomes at a Recovery High School

This study sought to explore drug and alcohol use outcomes and educational attainment of students who graduated from one of the nation's longest-running, public recovery high schools. Seventy-two alumni participated in a survey that included the self-administered Addiction Severity Index (McLellan, Cacciola, Alterman, Rikoon, & Carise, 2006). Twenty-eight (39%) respondents reported no drug or alcohol use in the last 30 days. More than 90% of all subjects reported enrolling in college, and 6 graduated. This exploratory study found relatively high rates of sobriety and educational attainment among participants and paves the way for future research on outcomes of recovery school graduates.
Testis biopsy findings in the spinal cord injured patient.

Purpose:: Azoospermia after electroejaculation in spinal cord injured men may be due to testicular failure or obstruction. These men can initiate pregnancy with assisted reproductive techniques, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, but only if sperm are present in the testis biopsy. We analyzed the histopathology of testis biopsies from spinal cord injured men and assessed whether patient factors were predictive of testis biopsy pathology.Materials and Methods:: A total of 50 paraplegic men undergoing testis biopsy were divided into 2 groups based on normal or abnormal testis histopathology. Patient age, post-injury years, level of lesion, hormonal status and semen analysis results were compared.Results:: Spermatogenesis was normal in 28 of the 50 patients. Hypospermatogenesis was exhibited in 15, maturation arrest at the spermatid stage in 6 and maturation arrest at the spermatocyte stage in 1 of the 22 abnormal cases. Nevertheless, mature sperm were identified in 43 of 50 biopsies (normal spermatog...
THE POLITICS OF RESEARCH AND ACTIVISM: Violence Against Women

This article reflects on the troubles wrought by individualistic academic research and presents more fully a vision for feminist activist research on the institutionalization of violence against women. I explore what research might look like if constructed by activist-researchers and encourage academic researchers to collaborate with and for social movements concerned with violence against women.
Contracts, Extracontractual Incentives, and Ex Post Behavior in Franchise Channel Relationships

Abstract Grounded in agency theory, this study examines how franchisors' ex ante contracts and extracontractual incentives influence their ex post monitoring and enforcement efforts and how combinations of the ex post governance mechanisms drive franchisee behavior. Integrating three archival data sources and a survey of 206 franchisees across eight automotive brands, the authors find that franchisor reliance on contractual completeness appears to result in reduced ex post behavior monitoring and enforcement efforts, while contractual one-sidedness is associated with higher levels of behavior monitoring but reduced enforcement. Extracontractual incentives, when offered to the franchisee, are associated with increases in monitoring and enforcement. In isolation, franchisor monitoring and enforcement efforts are ineffective in eliciting desired franchisee behaviors. However, different combinations of franchisor monitoring and enforcement efforts affect franchisee compliance and opportunism, sometimes with c...
THE TWO-NUCLEON INTERACTION

Use of phase shift analysis, the s-matrix approach, phenomenological two- nucleon potentials, meson theoretic potentials, and Mandestam representation in treatment of two-nucleon interactions is reviewed. Procedure for obtaining necessary scattering parameters is also outlined. (D.C.W.)
Vibration Suppression For Precision Segmented Reflector Backup Structure

An ongoing effort at the JPL on vibration suppression for the Precision Segmented Reflector backup structure is centered on the vibration damping augmentation through a system consisting of active and passive damping members. An active member is a structural member with built-in piezoelectric actuator and sensors. An efficient method was developed for optimal placement of active and passive damping members in the truss-type backup structure. A simple synergistic model between the active and passive damping was proposed based on a weighted energy dissipation criterion. A baseline passive member design with constrained viscoelastic material treatment was used as the source of passive damping.
Synthesis and characterization of poly(N-hydroxyethylacrylamide) for long-term antifouling ability.

Development of biomaterials with long-term biocompatibility, durability, and stability remains a critical challenge for biomedical devices. Here, we synthesize, characterize, and graft poly(N-(2-hydroxyethyl)acrylamide) (polyHEAA) onto both gold surfaces and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) to form a stable antifouling coating to resist nonspecific protein adsorption and bacterial attachment. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) results demonstrate that all of polyHEAA brushes coated on the gold substrate at a wide range of film thickness of ∼10–40 nm can achieve almost zero protein adsorption from undiluted blood plasma and serum for 1 h, while static bacteria assay results show that polyHEAA brushes prohibit long-term bacterial colonization by Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli RP437 up to 3 days. Moreover, the polyHEAA-coated AuNPs with different diameters remain their hydrodynamic sizes unchanged in human blood plasma and serum for...
The Significance of Cultural Concepts in Nursing

This article was originally published in Minnesota League for Nursing, Vol. 10, No. 3, 3-12, in 1966, and in the Journal of Nursing Education (1967). It was reprinted in Transcultural nursing: Conc...
Bench to Bedside: Dynamic Mitral Valve Assessment

Purpose The authors analyze a commercially available software package capable of geometrically reconstructing the mitral valve (MV) dynamically throughout systole. Description Three-dimensional echocardiography has revolutionized the understanding of MV geometry. Advanced quantification software can be used to assess geometric changes in the MV, which have been shown to have important implications for MV surgery. Evaluation The authors performed geometric analysis on 24 patients, with both anatomically normal and abnormal MVs to assess the feasibility of this new software. The application of this new software is briefly reviewed. Conclusion This new software, despite its limitations, allows an improved perspective on MV geometry with implications for MV repair and surgical decision making.
A Regulatory Gene as a Novel Visible Marker for Maize Transformation

The temporal and spatial patterns of anthocyanin pigmentation in the maize plant are determined by the presence or absence of the R protein product, a presumed transcriptional activator. At least 50 unique patterns of pigmentation, conditioned by members of the R gene family, have been described. In this study, microprojectiles were used to introduce into maize cells a vector containing the transcription unit from one of these genes (Lc) fused to a constitutive promoter. This chimeric gene induces cell autonomous pigmentation in tissues that are not normally pigmented by the Lc gene. As a reporter for gene expression studies in maize, R is unique because it can be quantified in living tissue simply by counting the number of pigmented cells following bombardment. R may also be useful as a visible marker for selecting stably transformed cell lineages that can give rise to transgenic plants.
Ion Absorption and Retention by Chlorella pyrenoidosa. I. Absorption of Potassium.

Most of the plant ion absorption experiments in the past have been conducted with coenocytic algae and higher plants (24). In mature cells of these organisms the vacuole occupies 80 to 90 % of the cell volume. With respect to ionic movements the cytoplasm and vacuole represent 2 distinct physical compartments (2,16). As a result, the molecular details associated with ion absorption, as well as the actual measured rates, are difficult to interpret. In multicellular organisms the interpretation is further confounded by physical obstruction, trapping and movements from cell to cell. The use of the unicellular alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa, for ion absorpti,on experiments avoids most of these difficulties. Young and old cells of growing cultures are similar in structure as seen under the electron microscope. The cells are 2 to 6 , in diameter and filled densely with cytoplasm. Large vac-uoles are absent and the few microvacuoles occupy approximately 1 % of the cell volunme (Park, R. B., personal icommunication). As a result it may be possible to assume, as a rough approximation, that the inner part of the cell forms 1 compartment. In fact, however, the cytoplasm is heterogeneous and includes otrganelles some of which possess their own permeability barrier. The absence of a large vacuole in Chidorella, nevertheless, reduces the complexity of the system by 1 phase. Chlorella pyrenoidosa has been used in the past for a large number of nutritional and physiological studies. In most nutritional studies the effect of treatments were estimated 'by some measurement of net growth (6, 12); only in some cases was the change in internal composition measured (11, 21, 22). Thus, in many studies the actual cause of the observed changes or the lack of response to treatments is difficult to ascertain. A study of the short term accumulation of cations will no doubt aid in the interpretation of the extensive literature available.
Thermal sensitivity of sprint-running in the lizard Sceloporus undulatus: support for a conservative view of thermal physiology

The thermal sensitivity of sprint-running ability was investigated in two populations of Sceloporus undulatus that occupy thermally distinct habitats. Integration of field and laboratory data indicates that lizards inhabiting a cool, high-elevation habitat are frequently active at body temperatures that retard sprint-running velocity, which could affect adversely their ability to evade predators and to capture prey. These negative effects might be expected to select for local adaptation of thermal physiology. No differences in thermal physiology (optimal temperature for sprinting, critical thermal limits) were found, however, between lizards from the two habitats.Preferred body temperature of Sceloporus undulatus is lower than the body temperature that maximizes sprint velocity but is still well within an 'optimal performance range' where lizards can run at better than 95% of maximum velocity. Analysis of data from other studies shows a similar concordance of preferred body temperature and temperatures that maximize sprint velocity for some, but not all lizard species studied.Low diversity of predators and high levels of food may compensate in part for the reduced sprinting ability of highelevation lizards active at low body temperatures. The lack of population differentiation supports the view that lizard thermal physiology is evolutionarily conservative.
Correlation of a unique 220-kDa protein with vitamin D sensitivity in glioma cells.

We have investigated the antitumor and apoptotic effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3) in glioma cell lines and in primary cultures derived from surgical specimens from patients. Our results showed that certain glioma cells underwent apoptosis, whereas others were resistant. In an attempt to search for parameters that dictate VD3 sensitivity, we discovered a unique 220-kDa protein in glioma cells that were sensitive to VD3. This protein was not a classical vitamin D receptor (VDR), but was recognized by two different anti-VDR monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, the level of the 220-kDa protein was inversely correlated with the ic50 of VD3 in these glioma cells. This 220-kDa protein was also present in frozen brain tumor samples, and the level of expression appeared to correlate with their corresponding primary cultures. Thus, our findings suggest that this 220-kDa protein may play an important role in determining VD3 sensitivity in malignant glioma.
Developmental differences in the organization and recall of strongly and weakly associated verbal items

The effect of presentation context on the organization and free recall of high-associate and unrelated words was examined in third-, fifth-, and seventh-grade children. The experiment contrasted (1) sorting a list of high-associate words before unrelated words with sorting under the opposite order of presentation and (2) sorting vs. rehearsal instructions for a list containing a mixture of high-associate and unrelated words. There were age-related increases in the proportion of items recalled, in subjective organization, in the ordering of recall according to previous subject-determined groupings, but not in the clustering of high-associate words. Results are discussed as reflecting developmental increases in the memory organization of unrelated words.
The Scaling of Nonequilibrium Fluctuations in Gaseous Thermal Explosions

Closed gaseous systems are considered in contact with a heat bath, undergoing a thermal explosion in the rarified gas regime (0.02–0.06 atm.) where the effect of turbulent fluctuations in temperature and acoustic fields on the reaction rate is negligible. This situation is chosen to elucidate the stochastic nature of the ignition processes. An ensemble of combustion experiments is treated where in some replicas, the explosion is accelerated while in others, it is retarded. The influence of spatially localized temperature inhomogeneities on the stochastic ignition process is examined. The induction period is calculated making use of the time-dependence of the probability distribution of temperatures over the ensemble. This induction period is identified with the Kramers mean passage time corresponding to a critical fluctuation-induced diffusion across a barrier in an unsymmetric bistable potential. The potential is determined from the competition between the heat production given by the exothermic reaction and the heat removal process. One of the potential wells corresponds to the stationary combustion regime and the other well, to the explosive regime. The critical fluctuations are confined to a virtual volume corresponding to a hot spot whose size is determined from generalized fluctuation-dissipation theory. As an example, the experimentally measured induction periods for the explosive decomposition of ethyl azide are found to be in very good agreement with our predictions. This treatment successfully explains the discrepancies which arise for the size-dependence of the induction period and the Frank-Kamenetsky constant when comparing results from classical Semenov theory and experimental evidence of premature explosions.
Translating social science: Good versus bad utopianism

Insufficient attention has been paid in Translation Studies to the challenges particular to translating social scientific texts. Of the few who have taken up the topic, Immanuel Wallerstein has argued that one of the distinguishing characteristics of social scientific texts is that they traffic in concepts. Wallerstein wants the translation of social science to further the possibility of a universal conversation in the social sciences. I argue that a universal conversation in the social sciences is neither possible nor desirable. Instead, this article proposes that translating social science can contribute to conceptual clarification and elaboration. In this way, the translation may complement and further the flowering of the ‘original’ concept. The essay concludes with an extended example — how ‘bewilderment’ might be translated into Spanish.
Sensitivity of GPS occultation to the stratopause height

[1] We scrutinize temperature profiles collected with radio occultation measurement for an imprint of the stratopause. In the retrieval step that integrates bending angle data to atmospheric refractivity, the falloff toward infinite altitude is constrained in a boundary condition with statistical optimization or extrapolation. We point to the coherence between temperature and density scale height as advocator for a fitting procedure that exploits data down to the stratopause. Data below have higher signal-to-noise ratio, but fitting them in costs additional parameters for the shifted sign in scale height gradient. On the basis of noise free simulation using a climatology covering all latitudes, seasons, and hours and on the basis of validation against data collected with weather balloons, laser imaging, and limb sounding, we find that adaptation to the fluctuating stratopause is crucial for the accuracy of the retrieved temperature. To facilitate investigation, the stratopause altitude was preset in the boundary condition according to climatological temperature. Biases between 10 and 50 hPa cancel out when the fitting interval is extended to 7.2 km above the stratopause, almost the average displacement of the maximum density scale height caused by nonlinearity in the temperature profile. This is a reminder that the stratopause should be read from bending angle, not temperature. Moreover, bias would be approaching zero at all levels if the a priori information for extrapolation had been lapse rate, not isothermal conditions. Keeping the model seed for temperature conversion to subsequent retrieval steps eliminates external information from the deconvolved refractivity. It will help argue for radio occultation as independent vehicle for climate monitoring.
Algebraic cobordism and Grothendieck groups over singular schemes

A theorem of Levine-Morel states that algebraic cobordism groups are isomorphic to (multiplicative) Grothendieck groups over smooth schemes. We extend this theorem to singular schemes. As a consequence, we provide a new proof of the singular Riemann-Roch theorem of Baum-Fulton-MacPherson and a new type of Riemann-Roch theorem with respect to pullbacks of locally complete morphisms.
Catecholamine Analogs as Potential Antitumor Agents

The structural requirements for murine P-388 leukemia activity in the dopamine series were investigated. Eight of the 31 analogs evaluated possessed reproducible antitumor activity. The ortho-aromatic hydroxyl groups were required for activity, but the aminoethyl side chain was not crucial since this group could be replaced by methyl or amino-methyl groups with the retention of activity. The lack of activity of O-alkylated and monosubstituted analogs suggests that o-quinone formation may be important for activity, a possibility supported by the observed P-388 activity of 5-hydroxydopamine compared with the inactivity of the 6-hydroxy isomer.
The Transparency Paradox: A Role for Privacy in Organizational Learning and Operational Control

Using data from embedded participant-observers and a field experiment at the second largest mobile phone factory in the world, located in China, I theorize and test the implications of transparent ...
Differential Expression of Cytochrome P450 Omega-hydroxylase Isoforms and Their Association with Clinicopathological Features in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) superfamily consists of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of lipids, steroids, and drugs. In particular, the CYP4 family plays an essential role in lipid metabolism by the ω-hydroxylation of terminal ends of fatty acids. Disturbance of this system has been associated with increased angiogenesis, proliferation, and metastasis of several cancers. This study aimed to detect the expression of CYP4 isoforms (CYP4A11, CYP4F2, CYP4F3) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and their association with clinicopathological features. Pancreatic specimens were collected from 73 patients who underwent surgical resection at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the cytochrome P450 isoforms in PDA (n = 62), adjacent-normal (n = 30), and benign tissues (n = 11). Logistic regression models were used to analyze gene expression among tissue types. Spearman rank correlations were calculated for isoform expression and for age. Differences in expression by gender were assessed via t test. Other clinicopathological variables (diabetes, smoking, obesity, T stage, perineural invasion, nodal status) were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum. CYP4 expression for isoforms was significantly higher in PDA tissues versus matched-adjacent tissues (p < 0.01). PDA tumors expressed significantly higher levels of CYP4F2 and CYP4F3 when compared to benign lesions (p < 0.01). Significant associations were found between low levels of CYP4F2 and CYP4F3 and increased age of PDA patients. Interestingly, all isoforms were expressed at higher levels in male patients. Transcriptional upregulation of cytochrome P450 ω-hydroxylase suggests that these enzymes have the potential to be used as distinguishing markers in pancreatic pathology.
8. Hereditary angioedema.

Hereditary angioedema is an episodic swelling disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance. Attacks are characterized by brawny, self-limited, nonpruritic edema of the deep dermal layers of the skin that most often involve the hands and feet. They usually begin in childhood and become more severe after puberty. Patients also have episodic attacks of severe abdominal pain caused by edema of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Swelling attacks are life threatening when they involve the airway. Estrogens exacerbate attacks, and in some patients attacks are precipitated by trauma or psychologic stress. The disease is caused by a mutation in one of the 2 copies of the gene for the plasma protein C1 inhibitor, with the product of 1 gene unable to control generation of bradykinin. Eighty-five percent of patients have low antigenic levels of C1 inhibitor, and 15% have normal levels of poorly functioning protein. Most patients have decreased plasma complement protein C4 levels. Impeded androgens and, less frequently, ɛ-aminocaproic acid are currently the mainstays of chronic treatment. These agents or fresh frozen plasma are also used for prophylaxis. At this time, acute therapy is mostly supportive. There are currently ongoing multiple trials of new therapeutic agents. In half a century, a life-threatening disease has become one that is manageable and rarely causes death.
The Training of the Man of Words in Talking Sweet.

Discussions of Negro non-standard English (or Black English) emphasizes the most socially stigmatizing features. It is clear, however, that within anglophonic black communities a diglossia situation occurs in which the high form is a speaking variety close to oratorical standard English. This paper explores how this high variety is learned in one Afro-American peasant community in the West Indies as an illustration of the social and ritual importance of certain codes. (diglossia, Creole languages, the formal teaching of speech varieties, oratory.)
A New Slip Factor Correlation for Centrifugal Impellers in a Wide Range of Flow Coefficients and Peripheral Mach Numbers

The preliminary design of new centrifugal stages often relies on one-dimensional codes implementing the concept of slip factor. This parameter plays a primary role in the stage design process since it directly affects the calculation of the impeller work coefficient and hence of the components situated downstream. Classical slip factor correlations may not always provide a satisfactory accuracy and generally they fail while attempting at covering a design space in a wide range of flow coefficients and peripheral Mach numbers. In that case the preliminary design has to be refined with more advanced tools, such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Often this process needs to be repeated several times before the design cycle ends. In order to predict more effectively the work coefficient as well as to reduce the number of iterations between 1D/CFD codes during the design activity, a new correlation has been developed, which is based on a large number of historical data from both CFD and experimental results. Accurate statistical analyses have shown that slip factor can be strongly linked to significant flow and geometry parameters by means of the outlet deviation angle. As the available calibration dataset gets more and more populated, the presence of specific constants in the structure of the correlation allows the designer to improve the accuracy of predictions.Copyright © 2007 by General Electric
Active N-Ras and B-Raf Inhibit Anoikis by Downregulating Bim Expression in Melanocytic Cells

B-Raf and N-Ras proteins are often activated in melanoma, yet their roles in producing inherent survival signals are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated how N-RASQ61K and B-RAFV600E contribute to melanoma's resistance to apoptosis induced by detachment from the extracellular matrix (anoikis). We found that expression of constitutively active N-RASQ61K and B-RAFV600E downregulated the proapoptotic Bim protein in an immortalized melanocyte cell line. Bim is one of the main proapoptotic mediators of anoikis. Western blot analysis showed that detachment increased Bim expression in melanocytes, and Annexin V staining indicated that detachment induced cell death significantly in melanocytes. Blocking Bim expression by using RNAi vectors or by expressing N-RASQ61K significantly inhibited anoikis in melanocytes. In summary, this report indicates that N-RASQ61K and B-RAFV600E contribute to melanoma's resistance to apoptosis in part by downregulating Bim expression, suggesting that Bim is a possible treatment target for overriding melanoma's inherent defenses against cell death.
Silicon films as selective absorbers for solar energy conversion

The optical constants below the fundamental absorption edge (up to 5 μm) of silicon single crystals and sputtered amorphous silicon films at high temperatures (up to 800°C) have been determined and the photothermal efficiencies of silicon–metal selective absorbers for thermal solar energy conversion calculated.
On generalizing transitivity, persistence, and sensitivity

A subgroup property \(\alpha \) is transitive in a group \(G\) if \(U \alpha V\) and \(V \alpha G\) imply that \(U \alpha G\) whenever \(U \le V \le G\), and \(\alpha \) is persistent in \(G\) if \(U \alpha G\) implies that \(U \alpha V\) whenever \(U \le V \le G\). Even though a subgroup property \(\alpha \) may be neither transitive nor persistent, a given subgroup \(U\) may have the property that each \(\alpha \)-subgroup of \(U\) is an \(\alpha \)-subgroup of \(G\), or that each \(\alpha \)-subgroup of \(G\) in \(U\) is an \(\alpha \)-subgroup of \(U\). We call these subgroup properties \(\alpha \)-transitivity and \(\alpha \)-persistence, respectively. We introduce and develop the notions of \(\alpha \)-transitivity and \(\alpha \)-persistence, and we establish how the former property is related to \(\alpha \)-sensitivity. In order to demonstrate how these concepts can be used, we apply the results to the cases in which \(\alpha \) is replaced with “normal” and the “cover-avoidance property.” We also suggest ways in which the theory can be developed further.
Reinterpretation of the depositional environment of the Yellowstone “fossil forests”

Volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks preserving the “fossil forests” of the Eocene Lamar River Formation in Yellowstone National Park were deposited by a complex alluvial system. Mud flows and braided streams originating on surrounding volcanic peaks transported plant parts, including some logs and stumps, from high-elevation, cool-temperate sites and mixed them with tropical lowland forms. Because there is evidence of mixing from several habitats, these “fossil forests” should not be used as a type area for arguing that Eocene plants had climatic tolerances different from their modern counterparts.
In Situ Microindentation for Determining Local Subchondral Bone Compressive Modulus

Alterations to joint tissues, including subchondral bone, occur with osteoarthritis. A microindentation technique was developed to determine the local compressive modulus of subchondral bone. This test, in conjunction with a cartilage indentation test at the same location, could evaluate changes of these material properties in both tissues. The accuracy of the technique was determined by applying it to materials of known moduli. The technique was then applied to rat tibial plateaus to characterize the local moduli of the subchondral bone. An established nanoindentation method was adopted to determine the modulus of subchondral bone following penetration of the overlying articular cartilage. Three cycles of repeated loadings were applied (2.452 N, 30 s hold). The slope of the load-displacement response during the unloading portion of the third cycle was used to measure the stiffness. Indentation tests were performed on two polyurethane foams and polymethyl-methacrylate for validation (n = 15). Regression analysis was used to compare the moduli with reference values. Subchondral bone moduli of tibial plateaus from Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 5) were measured for central and posterior locations of medial and lateral compartments. An analysis of variance was used to analyze the effects of compartment and test location. The measured moduli of the validation materials correlated with the reference values (R 2 =0.993, p =0.05). In rat tibial plateaus, the modulus of the posterior location was significantly greater than the center location (4.03±1.00 GPa and 3.35±1.16 GPa respectively, p=0.03). The medial compartment was not different from the lateral compartment. This method for measuring the subchondral bone in the same location as articular cartilage allows studies of the changes in these material properties with the onset and progression of osteoarthritis.
Protonation state of E71 in KcsA and its role for channel collapse and inactivation

The prototypical prokaryotic potassium channel KcsA alters its pore depending on the ambient potassium; at high potassium, it exists in a conductive form, and at low potassium, it collapses into a nonconductive structure with reduced ion occupancy. We present solid-state NMR studies of KcsA in which we test the hypothesis that an important channel-inactivation process, known as C-type inactivation, proceeds via a state similar to this collapsed state. We test this using an inactivation-resistant mutant E71A, and show that E71A is unable to collapse its pore at both low potassium and low pH, suggesting that the collapsed state is structurally similar to the inactivated state. We also show that E71A has a disordered selectivity filter. Using site-specific K+ titrations, we detect a local change at E71 that is coupled to channel collapse at low K+. To gain more insight into this change, we site specifically measure the chemical shift tensors of the side-chain carboxyls of E71 and its hydrogen bond partner D80, and use the tensors to assign protonation states to E71 and D80 at high K+ and neutral pH. Our measurements show that E71 is protonated at pH 7.5 and must have an unusually perturbed pKa (> 7.5) suggesting that the change at E71 is a structural rearrangement rather than a protonation event. The results offer new mechanistic insights into why the widely used mutant KcsA–E71A does not inactivate and establish the ambient K+ level as a means to populate the inactivated state of KcsA in a controlled way.
Biliary excretion of [3H]-actinomycin D in the rat

Abstract Actinomycin D disappeared rapidly from the circulation and appeared rapidly in the bile of the rat after intracardiac injection. Maximum radioactivity in bile was at 4–5 min and then quickly subsided. About 21% of the administered dose was recovered in 40 min, 27% in 1 hr and 31% in 4 hr. Actinomycin D had no effect upon the flow rate of bile. Equilibrium dialysis studies indicated that actinomycin D was bound only slightly by serum proteins which could be of significance in its rapid elimination.
Distributed Wireless Face Recognition System

A face recognition system gains flexibility and cost efficiency while being integrated into a wireless network. Meanwhile, face recognition enhances the functionality and security of the wireless network. This paper proposes a distributed wireless network prototype, consisting of feature net and database net, to accomplish face identification task by optimally allocating network resources. The face recognition technique used in this paper is subspace-based modular processing with score and decision level fusion. The subspace features are selected by a step-wise statistical procedure, Modified Indifference-Zone Method, which improves efficiency and accuracy. Fusion further improves the performance from using either the whole face or modules alone. The face recognition techniques are re-engineered to be implemented on the distributed wireless network, and the simulation result shows promising improvement over centralized recognition.
A biomechanical evaluation of the restraints to posterior shoulder dislocation

Abstract The biomechanics of posterior dislocation of the shoulder was evaluated using nine cadaver shoulders. Each was arthroscoped, roentgenograms were obtained, and then each was dislocated in a testing device. Force displacement data was obtained during testing, and posttesting roentgenograms, arthroscopic evaluation, and subsequent open dissections were performed to evaluate the pathology created. Although instability was created in all cases with displacement of the humerus to the diameter of the humeral head, force displacement curves did not show an inflection point, implying a continuum between subluxation and dislocation. All shoulders had posterior Bankart lesions or posterior capsular lesions, or both. Anterior pathology was not seen. Posterior instability is most likely a continuum between subluxation dislocation with progressive injury to the posterior capsule and attachments such as the labrum as the principal restraint to posterior displacement.
A biophysical study of integral membrane protein folding.

In order to characterize the thermodynamic constraints on the process of integral membrane protein folding and assembly, we have conducted a biophysical dissection of the structure of bacteriorhodopsin (BR), a prototypical α-helical integral membrane protein. Seven polypeptides were synthesized, corresponding to each of the seven transmembrane α-helices in BR, and the structure of each individual polypeptide was characterized in reconstituted phospholipid vesicles. Five of the seven polypeptides form stable transmembrane α-helices in isolation from the remainder of the tertiary structure of BR. However, using our reconstitution protocols, the polypeptide corresponding to the F helix in BR does not form any stable secondary structure in reconstituted vesicles, and the polypeptide corresponding to the G helix forms a hyperstable β-sheet structure with its strands oriented perpendicular to the plane of the membrane. [The polypeptide corresponding to the C helix spontaneously equilibrates in a pH-dependent ma...
Novel low-overhead roll-forward recovery scheme for distributed systems

An efficient roll-forward checkpointing/recovery scheme for distributed systems has been presented. This work is an improvement of our earlier work. The use of the concept of forced checkpoints helps to design a single phase non-blocking algorithm to find consistent global checkpoints. It offers the main advantages of both the synchronous and the asynchronous approaches, that is simple recovery and simple way to create checkpoints. The algorithm produces reduced number of checkpoints. Since each process independently takes its decision whether to take a forced checkpoint or not, it makes the algorithm simple, fast and efficient. The proposed work offers better performance than some noted existing works. Besides, the advantages stated above also ensure that the algorithm can work efficiently in mobile computing environment.
Electrical and physical properties of high-Ge-content Si/SiGe p-type quantum wells.

The electrical and physical properties of high-Ge-content Si/SiGe p-type quantum wells grown by chemical-vapor deposition on (001) Si are reported. Modulation-doped Si/SiGe square wells with thicknesses in the range of 40--100 \AA{} and Ge fractions in the range of 10--45 % are examined by a variety of techniques to understand the compositional dependence of the hole transport properties. Sensitivities to spacer thickness, well width, compositional grading, and growth temperature are also examined. The hole mobilities are found to be substantially below the lattice-limited mobility of holes in Si and the hole mobilities in similar heterostructures in III-V materials. Moreover, the mobility decreases rapidly with increasing Ge content for contents greater than 25%, in contrast with what is expected from the modification of the band structure with increased Ge. Shubnikov--de Haas and magnetoresistance measurements also show anomalous features that would not be expected for ideal quantum wells. Modulated optical reflectance imaging and atomic force microscopy reveal increases in nonuniformity with increasing Ge content on \ensuremath{\sim}1-\ensuremath{\mu}m and \ensuremath{\sim}1000-\AA{} scales, respectively. Evidence of compositional nonuniformity, or clustering, is seen on 20--50-\AA{} scales by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Transmission electron energy loss spectroscopy shows that the layers contain moderate compositional nonuniformities (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5% Ge) on the scale of several hundred \AA{} or stronger nonuniformities on scales \ensuremath{\lesssim}100 \AA{}, which is also consistent with results from Raman scattering. It is concluded that the low mobilities and other features of the hole transport in the present samples are associated with compositional nonuniformities or Ge clustering and with increased thickness and compositional nonuniformities for higher Ge content.
Circulating endothelial progenitor cells inversely associate with organ dysfunction in sepsis

Purpose Endothelial dysfunction is a primary contributor to sepsis-related organ dysfunction and death. In sepsis animal models, endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) have contributed to vascular repair. The role of endothelial progenitor cells as a biomarker for organ dysfunction is still unknown. We hypothesized that circulating numbers of endothelial progenitor cells would be associated with improved outcomes in sepsis.
Investigation of the detonation of aluminum powder-oxygen mixtures.

It is shown that mixtures containing 48 to 64% (by mass) fine aluminum powder in oxygen are detonable. In 26.4-mm-diam tubes the detonation induction distances of these mix- tures are less than 1.6 m; they decrease with increasing aluminum concentration. The det- onation wave speeds for the lean mixtures are approximately 1550 m/sec and decrease slightly with increasing amounts of aluminum in the mixture. The pressures behind the detonation waves were found to be approximately 31 atm for the mixtures examined. The measured detonation speeds and pressures are approximately 9 and 14%, respectively, below the theo- retical values. This deviation is probably caused by incomplete combustion of the alumi- num particles. The detonation waves of these mixtures show the typical characteristics of spin. LTHOUGH the existence of detonation waves in solid fuel-gaseous oxidizer mixtures has been questioned by some researchers, there appears to be evidence that detonation waves can exist in heterogeneous mixtures. When high- energy shock waves were passed through mixtures .of kerosene droplets and gaseous oxidizer (Kling and Maman1), detona- tion waves were obtained with a stoichiometric mixture only after reflection of the incident shock. The measured speeds agreed with the calculated ones. Cramer2 observed "detona- tion-like" waves propagating through DECH (diethylcyclo- hexane, CioH20) fuel spray-oxygen mixtures. Eraser3 was able to detonate both octane-oxygen and benzene-oxygen mixtures (also initiated with high-energy shock waves). Nicholls et al. 4 also reported "detonation-like" waves in heterogeneous DECH-oxygen mixtures. Although these observations support the theory that liquid-gas mixtures detonate, they do not permit us to predict the behavior of solid-fuel systems. The combustion of metal powders with gaseous oxidizers was studied by Hartmann and Greenwald.5 They reported that aluminum dust can be ignited easily in air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and under certain conditions it can react even with nitrogen. Cassel et al. 6 measured the burning velocities of powdered aluminum in various oxygen-nitrogen atmo- spheres. For a 70% oxygen, 30% nitrogen atmosphere, they reported "tube" burning speeds of approximately 40 cm/sec. Bunsen-burner flame speeds of aluminum powder-oxygen mixtures have been measured previously (not reported) at this laboratory and were found to be approximately 25 cm/sec. Mixtures having low burning speeds are somewhat difficult to detonate.
Support for term limits and voting behavior in congressional elections

Abstract This research analyzes how public opinion on term limits is linked to voting in Congressional elections. Using data from the 1992 American National Election Survey, probit analysis of vote for House and Senate incumbents suggests that opinion on term limits has only a week effect in races in which the incumbent is a Republican. In these races, individuals favoring term limits were less likely to vote for the Republican incumbent. In all types of congressional races, partisan preference was the major determinant of voting behavior.
Fish Models for Studying Adaptive Evolution and Speciation

The following represents an email discussion in September 2005 on the topic of fish model systems for the study of evolution. The participants included scientists working on a range of fish model systems, including cavefish, Danios, sticklebacks, cichlids, and trout. Editing has been kept to a minimum, to maintain the character of the on-line discussion.
Low incidence of cervical cancer in Utah

Abstract Utah has the highest birth rate in the nation, but cervical cancer incidence is 26% below the national average. This lower occurrence of cancer is accounted for by the Mormon population, which has incidence rates about 50% below those of the nation and of Utah non-Mormons. Reported venereal disease and illegitimacy rates are very low in Utah, which may explain low cervical cancer incidence. Invasive cervical cancer is higher in the rural than urban areas of Utah, in contrast to findings of other studies. Higher in situ incidence in the urban areas suggests more active cytologic screening, which may account for lower invasive rates. A socioeconomic gradient (though not as steep as found in other studies) is also demonstrated in the urban cervical cancer incidence data. These findings are consistent with the concept of cervical cancer as a venereal disease, and emphasize multiple sexual partners and premarital sexual activity in its etiology.
Origin of the eccentricity gradient and the apse alignment of the ϵ ring of Uranus

Abstract The suggestion of P. Goldreich and S. Tremaine (1979, Nature 277, 97–99; 1979 Astron. J. 84, 1638–1641) that the apse alignment of the eccentric Uranian ϵ ring is maintained by self-gravitation alone is criticized. If self-gravitation were the only factor involved, then the extreme variation in width of the ring would be a mere chance product: this we do not accept. We consider that the ring particles move in a near monolayer which is close packed at pericenter. We suggest that it is the close packing of the particles which prevents differential precession. We describe how differential precession, particle collisions, and self-gravitation, acting together, can transform a narrow, eccentric ring of uniform width into a ring with a large, positive eccentricity gradient. The model we present is supported by the observed occultation profiles of the ϵ ring. The F ring of Saturn which, as suggested by S. F. Dermott, C. D. Murray, and A. T. Sinclair (1980, Nature 284, 309–313), probably consists of a number of narrow rings of variable width (J. A. Simpson, T. S. Bastian, D. L. Chenette, G. A. Lentz, R. B. McKibben, K. R. Pyle, and A. J. Tuzzolino (1980b, J. Geophys. Res.)) should provide further tests of our model.
Environments as reinforcer systems in the study of job satisfaction

Abstract This paper examined differences in the degree to which fifteen specific sources of job satisfaction were related to and predictive of the overall satisfaction of department chairmen in the six model environments proposed by Holland (1973) . The fifteen specific sources of job satisfaction were regressed on overall satisfaction, separately for chairmen in each environment, through the use of incremental stepwise multiple regression procedures. The results indicated that the overall satisfaction of chairmen in these six environments was differentially related to unique weightings and combinations of the fifteen predictor variables. It was concluded that environments, composed of essentially similar groups of people in different organizations, serve as job satisfaction reinforcer systems in a manner similar to organizations as illustrated by Dawis.