cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examination, conservation and analysis of a gilded Egyptian bronze Osiris

Abstract A heavily corroded Egyptian bronze figurine of the god Osiris was examined and shown to have been originally gilt with gold leaf and inlaid with blue glass. Detailed formal comparison between this Osiris figure and the known corpus of bronze and stone sculpture leads to the inference that the statuette dates to the time between the Third Intermediate Period and the fourth century BC, with a greater probability of originating from the Third Intermediate Period through to the 26th Dynasty, or even possibly as late as the fourth century on the basis of stylistic similarities. An extensive corrosion crust of atacamite and chalconatronite completely obscures inlaid glass decoration, found during the investigation, together with remnants of a gilded surface. Analysis of the glass by electron microprobe showed a composition consistent with early Egyptian blue glass with high sodium oxide and low potassium oxide content. The solid cast bronze is a leaded tin bronze, and the gold is a gold foil applied to the bronze surface, originally alternating in decoration with the blue glass. The chalconatronite and atacamite patina appear to be closely associated in the development of the unusual but extensive chalconatronite crust that now covers part of the surface, as a natural corrosion process in this case, not derived from subsequent conservation treatment. The loss of the light blue corrosion crust was prevented by consolidation with Paraloid B72, as examination over several months showed no sign of continued chemical instability.
901-118 Cellular Expression of Matrix Proteins Mediates Calcification in Native Human and Bioprosthetic Heart Valves

Dystrophic mineralization remains the leading cause of valve stenosis and failure in native human (NHV) and porcine bioprosthetic (PBV) heart valves. We hypothesized that expression of noncollagenous matrix proteins (MP) that induce skeletal mineralization may orchestrate valvular calcification (Ca 2+ ). 18 porcine PBV and 13 NHV obtained during replacement surgery were analysed for cells, calcium, fibrosis and vessels. Immunostaining for macrophages, T-cells, α-smooth muscle (SM) actin, osteopontin (OP), osteocalcin (OC) and osteonectin (ON) was performed with non-immune sera as controls. In situ hybridization analysis utilized antisense oligonucleotide probes for OR OC, ON and sense controls. Results were compared to known positive/negative tissue controls and normal heart valves. A probe averaged in situ score was calculated for each valve. MP in situ was graded positive if ≥2 different probes exhibited g5 signal positive cells/slide. Valves were divided into 4 groups based on presence of calcium: I: PBV non-Ca 2+ (n = 8); II: PBV-Ca 2+ (n = 10); III: NHV-Ca 2+ (n = 8); IV: NHV non-Ca 2+ (n = 5). 2 × 2 contingency table analysis of in situ signal status revealed: Positive PBV (I vs II) 0.03 * versus NHV (III vS IV) 0.01 * negative PBV-Ca 2+ and NHV-Ca 2+ (II vs III) 1.00 in situ PBV-Ca 2+ vs NHV-NonCa 2+ 0.005 * * Significant p value by Fisher's Exact Test Comparison of mean in situ scores revealed significant differences among groups III vs IV and I vs IV PBV age (p l 0.001) and NHV cellularity (p l 0.003) correlated with calcium. For all valves: OR OC and ON mRNA expression localized with calcification and cellular infiltration; immunostaining identified macrophages, OR OC and ON at the calcification front; SM were associated with valve edges and cuspal Ca 2+ . Conclusions (1) Cell-mediated calcification is promoted by matrix protein expression common to PBV and NHV; (2) matrix protein mRNA expression is quantitatively related to extent and localization of valvular mineralization; (3) macrophage infiltration is closely associated with matrix protein expression and calcification.
Superluminal images and the arrival of spatial information in optical pulses with negative group velocity

We generate superluminal pulses via four-wave-mixing in 85Rb vapor and imprint images on the pulses. This allows us to resolve experimentally the arrival time of the spatial information imprinted on the pulses.
Type-based publish/subscribe: Concepts and experiences

A continuously increasing number of interconnected computer devices makes the requirement for programming abstractions for remote one-to-many interaction yet more stringent. The publish/subscribe paradigm has been advocated as a candidate abstraction for such one-to-many interaction at large scale. Common practices in publish/subscribe, however, include low-level abstractions which hardly leverage type safety, and provide only poor support for object encapsulation. This tends to put additional burden on software developers; guarantees such as the aforementioned type safety and object encapsulation become of increasing importance with an accrued number of software components, which modern applications also involve, besides an increasing number of hardware components.Type-based publish/subscribe (TPS) is a high-level variant of the publish/subscribe paradigm which aims precisely at providing guarantees such as type safety and encapsulation. We present the rationale and principles underlying TPS, as well as two implementations in Java: the first based on a specific extension of the Java language, and a second novel implementation making use of recent general-purpose features of Java, such as generics and behavioral reflection. We compare the two approaches, thereby evaluating the aforementioned features---as well as additional features which have been included in the most recent Java 1.5 release---in the context of distributed and concurrent programming. We discuss the benefits of alternative programming languages and features for implementing TPS. By revisiting alternative abstractions for distributed programming, including “classic” and recent ones, we extend our investigations to programming language support for distributed programming in general, pointing out that overall, the support in current mainstream programming languages is still insufficient.
Chronic pain in the ED.

Abstract There has been increasing awareness concerning the problem of acute pain in ED patients. There has, however, been little attention devoted to chronic pain in ED patients. Our purpose was to determine the extent and severity of chronic pain in adult ED patients. Adult noncritical patients were interviewed to determine if they had chronic pain. The Chronic Pain Grade scale was used to grade the severity of the pain. Four hundred seventy-six patients were enrolled. One hundred ninety-three (40.6%) had chronic pain. Sixty-five (13.7%) identified their chronic pain as the reason for the ED visit. The spine and abdomen were the most common sites of chronic pain. Those with chronic pain were more likely to be unemployed (relative risk [RR], 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34–2.34), disabled (RR, 3.24; 95% CI, 1.95–5.40), and have had four or more ED visits in the past year (RR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.76–3.47). A total of 32.1% had class 3 pain (high disability, moderately limiting) and 58.0% had class 4 pain (high disability, severely limiting). Many noncritical ED patients have chronic pain. They are high users of ED services and most have not been seen in a pain clinic. Further studies are indicated to further delineate the demographics of this population and determine which patients would best be served in other healthcare settings. In an effort to improve care, ED physicians should be educated in diagnosing and treating chronic pain.
Effects of hydrochlorothiazide on Na-K-ATPase activity along the rat nephron.

Effects of hydrochlorothiazide on Na-K-ATPase activity along the rat nephron. Na-K-ATPase activity was determined in seven nephron segments of five–week–old, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with or without continuous hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) treatment for seven days. For comparison, the effects of HCTZ treatment on Na-K-ATPase activity in the nephron segments of age-matched normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKY) were also determined. Na-K-ATPase activity in proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL), cortical thick ascending limb (CTAL), distal convoluted tubule (DCT) and cortical collecting duct (CCD) was significantly lower in HCTZ-treated SHR compared to control (untreated) SHR. However, there was no significant difference in Na-K-ATPase activity in proximal straight tubule (PST) and medullary collecting duct (MCD) between HCTZ-treated and control SHR. HCTZ treatment also produced a significant decrease in blood pressure (BP) and creatinine clearance (C Cr ) in SHR. On the other hand, HCTZ treatment did not produce a significant change in Na-K-ATPase activity in PCT, PST, MTAL, CTAL and MCD, in BP or in C Cr in WKY. However, HCTZ treatment produced a decrease in the enzyme activity in the DCT and an increase in the enzyme activity in the CCD in WKY. The decrease in Na-K-ATPase activity in almost all nephron segments from SHR may be due to a significant decrease in C Cr produced by HCTZ. On the other hand, a decrease in Na-K-ATPase activity in the DCT with an increase in the enzyme activity in the CCD from WKY suggest that renal compensation to the natriuretic effect of HCTZ occurs by an increase in Na + reabsorption in the CCD.
Mechanism-based comparisons of acute toxicities elicited by industrial organic chemicals in procaryotic and eucaryotic systems

Abstract Comparisons of toxicities elicited by nonpolar and polar narcotics, weak acid uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation, and bioreactive chemicals between the eucaryotic systems Pimephales promelas and Tetrahymena pyriformis and the procaryotic systems Escherichia coli and Photobacterium phosphoreum were performed. Each chemical had been a priori assigned a mechanism/mode of action based on the results from previous studies with eucaryotic systems. Hydrophobicity-dependent QSARs for nonpolar narcosis for both the E. coli and the P. phosphoreum endpoints were developed. However, due to the lack of a significant relationship between P. phosphoreum toxicity and log Kow, such a QSAR for polar narcosis was developed only for the E. coli endpoint. Except for 4-nitroaniline (the only chemical in the examined group that required activation to become the Michael receptor), all chemicals containing reactive substructures revealed excess toxicity over polar narcosis QSAR for E. coli endpoints. Moreover, chloroacidic acid and ethyl chloroacetate in this system also appear to be bioreactive. The only mechanism that seemed to not exist in the procaryotic system was uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. Chemicals from this group, except 2,4-dinitroaniline, did not exhibit excess toxicity over polar narcosis QSAR. This was thought to be explained by the lack of mitochondria in procaryotes, the target site of uncoupling agents in eucaryotes. In addition, evaluation of toxicities of halogen-substituted short-chain carboxylic alcohols indicated that their mechanisms vary, depending upon the type of substitution and the system.
Inhibition of horse radish peroxidase by specific antisera

Abstract Antiperoxidase has been prepared in the rabbit, cat, mouse, hamster and chicken. All of these antisera inhibit peroxidase activity.
Abstract 2669: Early-phase trials in patients with advanced gallbladder cancer and cholangiocarcinoma: The MD Anderson Clinical Center for Targeted Therapy experience

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL BACKGROUND: Patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and gallbladder carcinoma (GC) have few effective therapeutic options in the relapsed and/or metastatic setting. With that purpose, we analyzed the characteristics and outcomes of patients with advanced CC and GC treated on early-phase clinical trials in the Clinical Center for Targeted Therapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center. METHODS: We searched an electronic database of consecutive pts with GC and CC referred to the Clinical Center for Targeted Therapy starting in November 2004. We assessed the relationship between types of clinical trial and pts’ tumor types, progression-free survival, and mutations. RESULTS: Of the 72 patients with CC and GC referred to the clinic, 32 (44%) were not enrolled in a clinical trials mainly due to deterioration of performance status (n=25), decision to pursue alternate therapies (n=6), and insurance denial (n=1). Forty pts (5 w GC; 35 w CC) who received treatment on early clinical trials are included in this analysis. The median age was 60.2 yrs (range, 41.4-73.6 yrs). ECOG performance status (PS) was 0-1 in 36 pts (90%) and 2 in 4 (10%). Median number of prior therapies was 3 (range 0-17). Six pts were not restaged due to early disease progression. Of the 40 pts evaluable for response, 8 (20%) had stable disease (SD) > 6 months and 3 (8%) had a partial response (PR) (total SD > 6 mos/PR = 28%). Highest rates of SD > 6 mos/PR were observed in patients treated with protocols that included hepatic arterial infusion drug administration (7/17 = 41%) or anti-angiogenic agents (9/24 = 38%) (with 6 of these pts receiving treatment that included hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy combined with a systemic anti-angiogenic agent). SD lasting 9 months was also seen in 1 pt treated with a MEK inhibitor. Median progression-free survival for the 40 pts was 2.0 months 9 (95% CI 1.7, 2.8) on early-phase clinical trials versus 3.0 months on their last FDA-approved treatment before Phase I referral (95% CI 2.3, 3.7). CONCLUSIONS: About one-third of patients with CC and GC referred for early-phase trials cannot be enrolled because of poor performance status. Twenty-eight percent of patients who met eligibility criteria achieved SD > 6 mos/PR, with responses predominantly observed in regimens that contained locoregional treatment, anti-angiogenic agents, or a targeted MEK inhibitor. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2669. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2669
Numerical Investigation and Experimental Lab Setting-Up for Analysis of Gas Turbine Combustor Dilution Process

A gas turbine combustor dilution process is modeled numerically using both 2-D and 3-D approaches, then an experimental set-up was designed and built for validation using standard air ducts. The combustor model is used to test various air cooling strategies with the goal of uniformly diluting combustion gas before it enters the turbine section. The high temperature combustion gas (simulated as hot air) is cooled by introducing a lower temperature secondary air flow through perforated plates. First a 2-D simulation was conducted to compare between introducing the dilution air from smaller but large number of holes or larger but smaller number of holes. It was found that the larger holes are more effective especially when pressure drop is taken into consideration. Then a 3-D simulation was run with larger holes for different configurations and the experimental set up was constructed accordingly. The temperature profile at the exit of the dilution section is considered the criteria for testing the uniformity of temperature after the dilution process, and it will be measured in the experimental work.This paper presents a brief discussion on the importance of cooling combustion exit gas uniformly before it enters the turbine section. With this in mind, a testing concept is derived in order to gauge methods of improving this cooling. Detailed design specifications and initial conclusions are also outlined. Initial conclusions have yielded a desired primary airflow of 6 m/s (19.7 ft/s) and primary duct diameter of 0.4 m (16 in). With this information it was determined that the flow rate required by the fan is 1.727 m3/s (3660 CFM).Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Screening for prostate cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Objective To examine the evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Electronic databases including Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, abstract proceedings, and reference lists up to July 2010. Review methods Included studies were randomised controlled trials comparing screening by prostate specific antigen with or without digital rectal examination versus no screening. Data abstraction and assessment of methodological quality with the GRADE approach was assessed by two independent reviewers and verified by the primary investigator. Mantel-Haenszel and inverse variance estimates were calculated and pooled under a random effects model expressing data as relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Results Six randomised controlled trials with a total of 387 286 participants that met inclusion criteria were analysed. Screening was associated with an increased probability of receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer (relative risk 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.77; P Conclusions The existing evidence from randomised controlled trials does not support the routine use of screening for prostate cancer with prostate specific antigen with or without digital rectal examination.
Formation of UHMWPE polymeric transfer films on sliding glass counterfaces: early and steady-state wear studied by transmission electron microscopy

At a temperature of 30°C polymeric transfer films were generated on glass counterfaces during small-amplitude oscillatory sliding contact with an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) pin under a constant load of 6.5 MPa. Early discontinuous and continuous (steady-state) transfer films were studied with vertical platinum-carbon replication and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Nanometre-scale UHMWPE deposits in these transfer films have been visualized for the first time. Nanometre-scale particles averaging 20.6 ±6.3nm (5–40nm) were deposited on glass in the early stages of UHMWPE film transfer. After formation of a continuous transfer film, UHMWPE particles of slightly smaller dimensions, 13.5±6.1 nm (2–41 nm), were deposited on the transfer film surface. In addition, micrometre-scale particles (0.1–6.4 μm) were found at the ends of the wear track. At high magnification, a fraction of the UHMWPE polymer chains observed in particle surfaces and in the transfer film surface nearby were not oriented in the sliding direction. Some crystal- or plate-like particles of UHMWPE were seen in the transfer film. Plate-like and micrometre-scale spherulitic inclusions were also identified on the mostly amorphous UHMWPE pin surface fractured at liquid nitrogen temperatures. The high frequency of nanometre-scale UHMWPE particles in contrast to the less numerous micrometre-scale deposits near the ends of the wear track suggests that the nanometre-scale deposits contribute significantly to transfer film formation and to the wear characteristics of UHMWPE.
Depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts among former users of finasteride with persistent sexual side effects.

OBJECTIVE Finasteride, a commonly prescribed medication for male pattern hair loss, has recently been associated with persistent sexual side effects. In addition, depression has recently been added to the product labeling of Propecia (finasteride 1 mg). Finasteride reduces the levels of several neuroactive steroids linked to sexual function and depression. This study assesses depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts in former users of finasteride who developed persistent sexual side effects despite the discontinuation of finasteride. METHOD In 2010-2011, former users of finasteride (n = 61) with persistent sexual side effects for ≥ 3 months were administered standardized interviews that gathered demographic information, medical and psychiatric histories, and information on medication use, sexual function, and alcohol consumption. All former users were otherwise healthy men with no baseline sexual dysfunction, chronic medical conditions, current or past psychiatric conditions, or use of oral prescription medications before or during finasteride use. A control group of men (n = 29), recruited from the community, had male pattern hair loss but had never used finasteride and denied any history of psychiatric conditions or use of psychiatric medications. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the prevalence of suicidal thoughts as determined by the Beck depression inventory II (BDI-II); all subjects self-administered this questionnaire at the time of the interview or up to 10 months later. RESULTS Rates of depressive symptoms (BDI-II score ≥ 14) were significantly higher in the former finasteride users (75%; 46/61) as compared to the controls (10%; 3/29) (P < .0001). Moderate or severe depressive symptoms (BDI-II score ≥ 20) were present in 64% (39/61) of the finasteride group and 0% of the controls. Suicidal thoughts were present in 44% (27/61) of the former finasteride users and in 3% (1/29) of the controls (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Clinicians and potential users of finasteride should be aware of the potential risk of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. The preliminary findings of this study warrant further research with controlled studies.
Spontaneous Generation and Stereoselective Coupling of Co2(CO)6-Complexed Propargyl Radicals

The spontaneous generation and stereoselective coupling of Co2(CO)6-complexed propargyl radicals have been discovered. One- and two-step complementary methods (Method A: (1) HBF4; (2) CH2Cl2, 20 °C; Method B: Tf2O, CH2Cl2, 20 °C) provided an easy access to synthetically useful d,l-3,4-diaryl-1,5-alkadiynes (de 74−98%).
The complexity of the overlap method for sequencing biopolymers

The problem of trying to reconstruct the sequence of a biopolymer by using overlapping fragments obtained from cleaving agents is shown to be computationally intractable. This strongly suggests that any computer program for overlap sequencing, even though it may work well for a limited number of inputs, will not work sufficiently for all inputs. However, if the problem is restricted so that certain crucial fragments are known, called prime strings, a sequence can be found efficiently in all cases. Graph theory techniques for doing so can also be used to count the number of sequences consistent with the fragment data to determine whether a unique sequence has been obtained.
The role of haemopoietic growth factors in neonatal neutropenia and infection

Recombinant haemopoietic growth factors are increasingly used in the treatment and prevention of a variety of inherited and acquired cytopenias in adults and children. In neonatal medicine, most of the available data describe the effects of recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on neutrophil production, and the putative roles of these factors in ameliorating neonatal sepsis. G-CSF induces a dose-dependent increase in blood neutrophils, bone marrow neutrophils and neutrophil progenitors, both in term and preterm babies using doses as low as 5 μg/kg daily. The effects of G-CSF are rapidly reversible, and no serious short- or long-term side-effects have been reported in newborns. However, evidence that G-CSF improves the outcome of neonatal sepsis is not yet available. An alternative approach, administration of G-CSF to pregnant women with an imminent preterm delivery, may result in transplacental passage of G-CSF sufficient to exert a biological effect on the fetus, but further studies are needed to determine whether this reduces the incidence of neonatal sepsis and improves outcome. There has been even less experience of GM-CSF in neonates. In randomized trials, a dose of 10 μg/kg daily has been shown to increase circulating neutrophil and monocyte counts without any evidence of toxicity. While preliminary evidence suggests that GM-CSF may reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections, additional controlled studies of both G-CSF and GM-CSF are needed before their routine use in neonates can be recommended.
Tests of permanent magnet and superconducting magnet MPD thrusters

Radiation cooled MPD thrustor with permanent and superconducting magnets, describing test facilities and measurement techniques for performance tests
Comparative evolutionary analysis of olfactory receptor gene clusters between humans and mice.

Olfactory receptor (OR) genes form the largest multigene family in mammalian genomes. Humans have ∼800 OR genes, but >50% of them are pseudogenes. By contrast, mice have ∼1400 OR genes and pseudogenes are ∼25%. To understand the evolutionary processes that shaped the difference of OR gene families between humans and mice, we studied the genomic locations of all human and mouse OR genes and conducted a detailed phylogenetic analysis using functional genes and pseudogenes. We identified 40 phylogenetic clades with high bootstrap supports, most of which contain both human and mouse genes. Interestingly, a particular clade contains ∼100 pseudogenes in humans, whereas the numbers of pseudogenes are <20 for most of the mouse clades. We also found that the organization of OR genomic clusters is well conserved between humans and mice in many chromosomal locations. Despite the difference in the numbers of genes, the numbers of large genomic clusters are nearly the same for humans and mice. These observations suggest that the greater OR gene repertoire in mice has been generated mainly by tandem gene duplication within each genomic cluster.
Diagnostic tests for children who are referred for the investigation of Cushing syndrome.

OBJECTIVE. Endogenous Cushing syndrome in children is a rare disorder that is most frequently caused by pituitary or adrenocortical tumors. Diagnostic criteria have generally been derived from studies of adult patients despite significant differences in both the physiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the epidemiology of Cushing syndrome in childhood. The purpose of this study was to identify the tests that most reliably and efficiently diagnose pituitary or adrenal tumors in a large cohort of pediatric patients with Cushing syndrome. METHODS. A retrospective review of clinical data of children who were referred to a tertiary care center for evaluation for Cushing syndrome during the years 1997 to 2005 was conducted. A total of 125 consecutive children were studied retrospectively; 105 were found to have Cushing syndrome, which was confirmed histologically; and 20 children who did not have Cushing syndrome or any other endocrinopathy served as the control group. The following tests were performed in all children: midnight and morning cortisol, corticotropin hormone, urinary free cortisol and 17-hydroxycorticosteroid levels, ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test, and overnight high-dosage dexamethasone suppression test. Imaging of the pituitary and adrenal glands was also obtained. The main outcome measure was the sensitivity of these parameters for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Cushing syndrome at 100% specificity. RESULTS. A midnight cortisol value of ≥4.4 μg/dL confirmed the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome in almost all children, with a sensitivity of 99% and a specificity of 100%. Suppression of morning cortisol levels >20% in response to an overnight, high-dosage dexamethasone test excluded all patients with adrenal tumors and identified almost all patients with pituitary tumors (sensitivity: 97.5%; specificity: 100%). CONCLUSIONS. Our study suggests that among children who were referred for the evaluation of possible Cushing syndrome, a single cortisol value at midnight followed by overnight high-dosage dexamethasone test led to rapid and accurate confirmation and diagnostic differentiation, respectively, of hypercortisolemia caused by pituitary and adrenal tumors.
Currents of Change

Electric ship propulsion systems could be found on marine vessels a century ago. In these early ships, the electrical propulsion system acted as a gearbox, and shipboard power requirements were dwarfed by those of propulsion. While electric propulsion systems later gave way to mechanical drive systems, the past two decades have seen a resurgence in electric ship technology.
Emission Mechanisms in UV Emitting GaN/AlN Multiple Quantum Well Structures

The need for efficient UV emitting semiconductor sources has prompted the study of a number of heterostructures of III-N materials. In this work, the temperature dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) properties of UV-emitting GaN/AlN multiple quantum well (MQW) heterostructures were investigated in detail. In all samples studied, the structure consisted of 20 GaN quantum wells, with well widths varying between 7 and 15 A, clad by 6nm AlN barriers, grown on top of a thick AlN buffer that was deposited on sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy. The observed energy corresponding to the peak of the emission spectrum is in agreement with a model that includes the strong confinement present in these structures and the existence of the large built-in piezoelectric field and spontaneous polarization present inside the wells. The observed emission varies from 3.5 eV (15 A well) to 4.4 eV (7 A well). Two activation energies associated with the photoluminescence quenching are extracted from the temperature dependence of the time-integrated PL intensity. These activation energies are consistent with donor and acceptor binding energies and the PL is dominated by recombination involving carriers localized on donor and/or acceptor states. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the PL feature indicates that inhomogeneous broadening dominates the spectrum at all temperatures. For the 15 and 13 A wells, we estimate that the electron-phonon interaction is responsible for less than 30% of the broadening at room temperature. This broadening is negligible in the 9 A wells over the entire temperature range studied. Well width fluctuations are primarily responsible for the inhomogeneous broadening, estimated to be of the order of 250meV for one monolayer fluctuation in well width.
Effect of Sub-Canopy on Habitat Selection in the Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale-jeffersonianum unisexual complex)

Elucidating the mechanisms that influence spatial distribution patterns is vital to understanding how populations persist. We examined distribution in one of the most common salamanders in southeastern Michigan, the Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale-jeffersonianum unisexual complex). Three major tree species dominate the sub-canopy in the study site and form monospecific patches, which may have an effect on the distribution of terrestrial phases of local amphibian species. To examine this, we tested whether adult salamanders are significantly associated negatively or positively with patches of particular tree species. We then examined two potential causal factors: habitat quality, using leaf litter macroinvertebrate biomass as a proxy, and behavioral site choice in the Blue-spotted Salamander. We found that this species is positively associated with patches of red maple and negatively associated with patches of black cherry. We also found that, when presented with a choice, salamanders choose re...
Chronic pain in a large community sample of persons with multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: This study examined the prevalence, intensity, interference, and biopsychosocial correlates of pain in a large community-based sample of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Mail surveys were returned by 442 members of the King C ounty (WA) MS Association. Average pain intensity, pain-related activity interference, depressive symptoms and severity of MS were assessed. Results: Forty-four percent reported persistent, bothersome pain in the three months prior to completing the survey. Participants with pain reported an average pain intensity rating of 5.2 (SD =2.3) on the 0 (no pain) to 10 (pain as bad as could be) scale. Twenty-seven percent reported severe pain (score of 7-10), while 51% of those with pain rated the interference of their pain with daily activities as none to minimal. Twenty percent reported severe interference in activities as a result of pain. In multivariate modeling, MS illness severity, marital status, and self-ratings of overall health were significantly assoc...
Aluminum Foil/Carbon Nanotube Thermal Interface Materials

Vertically oriented carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays have been simultaneously synthesized at relatively low growth temperatures (i.e., < 700°C) on both sides of aluminum foil via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The resulting CNT arrays were highly dense, and the average CNT diameter in the arrays was approximately 10 nm, much smaller than in previous work. Also, the CNT arrays were smaller in height than the arrays in previous work. At moderate pressures, the aluminum foil/CNT material achieves resistances as low as 10 mm2 ·K/W for relatively smooth and flat interfaces, similar to previous work. However, the aluminum foil/CNT material performs relatively poor for less ideal, rougher interfaces presumably due to the small height and very close packing of CNTs that decreases the materials ability to fill interfacial voids and conform to the geometry of the mating surfaces. It is also possible that the aluminum foil was slightly stiffened during CNT growth (through hydrogen embrittlement), which could further reduce the conformability of the aluminum foil/CNT material.© 2007 ASME
HOM Effects in Vacuum Chamber with Short Bunches

High luminosity in electron-positron factories requires high currents of very short bunches. SLAC PEP-II and KEKB B-factories are progressively increasing currents gaining more and more luminosity [1-2]. Simultaneously the interaction of high currents and vacuum chamber elements becomes more important for operation of the rings. High Order Modes excited by short intense bunches are propagating along the vacuum chamber, penetrating and dissipating inside vital vacuum elements, like shielded bellows, vacuum valves and vacuum pump. As a result these elements get large temperature rise or temperature oscillations. Often HOM heating has a resonance character. HOM heating of vacuum pumps leads to increasing of the vacuum pressure. High frequency modes “check” the quality of vacuum chamber: they detect small gaps, weak RF screens or feed-through. Smooth tapers and collimators become the source of HOM production. We will discuss the physical nature of these exciting HOM effects.
Cavitation Nuclei Measurements With an Optical System

Etude de la precision de la technique de diffusion de lumiere pour mesurer les distributions de germes de cavitation
Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein 3 in the rat testis: follicle-stimulating hormone dependence of mRNA expression and inhibition of IGF-I action on cultured Sertoli cells.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) is the predominant IGF binding protein produced by cultured rat Sertoli cells. Previous studies have shown that FSH lowers the abundance of IGFBP-3 protein in Sertoli cell culture medium, suggesting that this binding protein has a physiological role in modulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) activity in the testis. To characterize the physiological relevance of the FSH regulation of IGFBP-3, in this study we examined effects of FSH on IGFBP-3 mRNA expression in testes from hypophysectomized rats and in Sertoli cell culture. We then examined whether or not IGFBP-3 could alter the effects of IGF-I on cultured Sertoli cells. FSH (1-300 ng/ml) treatment of rat Sertoli cells dose-dependently decreased IGFBP-3 mRNA, with near-complete inhibition by 12 h of treatment. To evaluate this effect in the whole animal, male rats were hypophysectomized at 20 days of age and injected with FSH 10 days later. Testis IGFBP-3 mRNA increased following hypophysectomy relative to the value in sham animals, while FSH treatment decreased IGFBP-3 mRNA to sham levels within 6 h. To determine wether or not IGFBP-3 modulates IGF-I activity in the Sertoli cell, recombinant human non-glycosylated rIGFBP-3 was added to Sertoli cell cultures in the presence or absence of IGF-I. The rIGFBP-3 dose-dependently inhibited IGF-I-stimulated lactate production with a half-maximal dose of 100 ng/ml. Neither basal lactate production nor FSH-stimulated lactate was altered by addition of rIGFBP-3. Recombinant N-glycosylated rgIGFBP-3 inhibited IGF-I-stimulated lactate production in an identical manner to that of the non-glycosylated binding protein and was without effect on FSH activity. Preincubation of Sertoli cells with either glycosylated or non-glycosylated IGFBP-3 (1000 ng/ml) for 24 or 72 h followed by IGF-I treatment showed neither inhibition nor stimulation of the IGF-I effect on lactate. The results demonstrate that IGFBP-3 inhibits IGF-I action in the Sertoli cell. Additionally, although FSH action on lactate appears to be independent of changes in the autocrine expression of IGFBP-3 in the cultured Sertoli cell environment, the potent inhibition of IGFBP-3 by FSH suggests that IGFBP-3 may modulate IGF-I activity in the testis
Extreme chirped pulse modelocked diode laser ring oscillator using a theta cavity design

We demonstrate an extreme chirped pulse modelocked laser, simultaneously generating near-transform-limited 3.6 psec optical pulses and a 510 psec linearly chirped output. The design overcomes fundamental limitations of energy extraction and nonlinearities induced by gain dynamics
Epidemiology of Chronic Kidney Disease in Heart Failure

Heart failure is common and is associated with a poor prognosis. Chronic kidney disease is common in heart failure and shares many risk factors with heart failure, such as age, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. Over half of all patients who have heart failure may have moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease. The presence of chronic kidney disease is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, yet it is also associated with underuse of evidence-based heart failure therapy that may reduce morbidity and mortality. Understanding the epidemiology and outcomes of chronic kidney disease in heart failure is essential to ensure proper management of these patients.
Harn, Harnbildung und Harnentleerung

Die Stoffwechselendprodukte, welche, in den Organen entstanden, mit der Lymphe dem Blut zugefuhrt werden, werden als Schlacken aus dem Korper entfernt. Dies geschieht teils durch die Lungen, welche das Kohlendioxyd eliminieren, teils durch den Dickdarm, dessen Drusen z. B. Kalk und Eisen zur Ausscheidung bringen; vor allem werden die festen wasserloslichen Zerfallsprodukte aber durch Nieren und Schweisdrusen abgegeben. Inwieweit dies fur die Nieren der Fall ist, lehrt uns die Chemie des Harns.
Integrated Product Development Process at Ti/dseg

This 2-day workshop has saved my program 6 weeks of planning time!" This comment came from a program manager after attending a tailoring session for his program. They had just finished making the TI/DSEG IPD Process fit their program. Comments like this are common from programs that understand and use the process. ONCURRENT Engineering IS the design practice C of the future. The Integrated Product Development Process is our way of ingraining the concept into the culture of TI/DSEG. Our process describes the DoD procurement cycle by listing the tasks we must accomplish in each of the phases. Those phases are Concept Explo- ration (CE), Demonstration/Validation (Dem/Val>, Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Production, and Operation/Support. This IPD process contains more than 100 flowcharts, detailing over 900 tasks in the life cycle of the nominal DoD program. We have a commercial version as well.
Entangled-photon quantum cryptography

Summary form only given. Quantum cryptography uses single photons to allow secure distribution of secret key material to sender and receiver, without the possibility of an undetected eavesdropper. In the protocol suggested by Ekert, each photon of a quantum-mechanically entangled pair is sent to the sender and receiver, who randomly measure the polarization in various bases. If the bases are the same, then sender and receiver will have completely correlated measurement results, which become the shared secret key. Other combinations of measurements are used to test Bell's inequalities, which limit the possible correlations achievable with any local realistic theory. The presence of an intermediate eavesdropper can be readily detected by an inability to violate Bell's inequality. Using the polarization-entangled photon pairs from a novel spontaneous parametric down-conversion source, we have experimentally implemented. Ekert's proposal.
226Ra/230Th excess generated in the lower crust: Implications for magma transport and storage time scales: Comment and Reply: REPLY

We welcome the comments by Berlo et al. (hereafter BTBH) and thank them for the opportunity to further discuss lower crustal melting processes in arc settings. Our intention in [Dufek and Cooper (2005)][1] was not to explain the U-series disequilibria in all arc magmas through a single model.
Fourier contamination of a finite length of data in tidal analysis

Summary. The contamination effect when a discrete Fourier analysis is applied to a short length of data in order to estimate the main diurnal (O1) and semi-diurnal (M2) components of the solid body tide is estimated and it is shown that a moderate length of record (30 days) has distinct advantages over larger record lengths of less than 60 days or so.
Human genome sequencing in health and disease.

Following the “finished,” euchromatic, haploid human reference genome sequence, the rapid development of novel, faster, and cheaper sequencing technologies is making possible the era of personalized human genomics. Personal diploid human genome sequences have been generated, and each has contributed to our better understanding of variation in the human genome. We have consequently begun to appreciate the vastness of individual genetic variation from single nucleotide to structural variants. Translation of genome-scale variation into medically useful information is, however, in its infancy. This review summarizes the initial steps undertaken in clinical implementation of personal genome information, and describes the application of whole-genome and exome sequencing to identify the cause of genetic diseases and to suggest adjuvant therapies. Better analysis tools and a deeper understanding of the biology of our genome are necessary in order to decipher, interpret, and optimize clinical utility of what the variation in the human genome can teach us. Personal genome sequencing may eventually become an instrument of common medical practice, providing information that assists in the formulation of a differential diagnosis. We outline herein some of the remaining challenges.
Test sequences to achieve high defect coverage for synchronous sequential circuits

Test sets that detect each stuck-at fault n>1 times (called n-detection stuck-at test sets) were shown to be effective in achieving high defect coverages. In addition, a pseudofunctional fault model defined before was shown to result in test sets having similar defect coverages. Previous studies of n-detection stuck-at test sets and pseudofunctional test sets were for combinational circuits, In this paper, we study detection stuck-at test sequences and pseudofunctional test sequences for synchronous sequential circuits. Considering stuck-at faults, we propose five definitions of the number of detections achieved by a test sequence. These definitions lead to five different definitions of n-detection stuck at test sequences. We discuss the effects of these definitions on fault-simulation and test-generation procedures and present experimental results for benchmark circuits to evaluate their relative effectiveness. The experimental results indicate the usefulness of the simplest definition in generating test sequences that achieve improved defect coverages. We also describe a pseudofunctional fault model that extends previous definitions. We describe fault-simulation and test-generation methods for this model and give experimental data to evaluate its effectiveness. The results indicate that this model too can be used to generate test sequences with improved defect coverage. Its advantages and disadvantages compared to the n-detection stuck-at model are also considered.
New Lower and Middle Ordovician stelleroids (Echinodermata) and their bearing on the origins and early history of the stelleroid echinoderms

Ophioxenikos langenheimi n. gen. and sp. (class Somasteroidea), Stibaraster ratcliffei n. gen. and sp., and Cnemidactis? macroadambulacralatus n. sp. (both class Asteroidea) are new stelleroid echinoderms described from Lower and Middle Ordovician strata of the western United States. Stibaraster clearly is at the asteroid grade of organization, although an early representative of the class. Ophioxenikos is the first fossil somasteroid recognized from beyond Europe. It is similar to Chinianaster and Villebrunaster, ambulacral characters of all three suggest affinities with ophiuroids. Cnemidactis? is recognized from North America; it is unusual in the presence of proportionately large marginal ossicles. An indeterminate species is unusual in its structural parallels with living taxa. In recent years, the possibility that edrioasteroids were ancestral to stelleroids has been revived. Supporting arguments for this hypothesis neglect important differences; ancestry of stelleroids remains uncertain.
Antibiotic Resistance and Implications for the Appropriate Use of Antimicrobial Agents

The development of antibiotics completely revolutionized medicine in the second half of the 20th century. By 1940, the team researching penicillin recognized that its discovery was a monumental event. Fearing Hitler’s invasion of Great Britain, they rubbed spores of Penicillium notatum into their coat linings to ensure that the mold would go with them in the event they had to escape rapidly (1). In the more than 60 years since its discovery, penicillin has evolved from being a miraculous cure for infectious disease to being a small part of an arsenal of antimicrobial drugs. With the expansion of antibiotic therapy, hygiene, and sanitation in the United States, mortality due to infectious diseases has dropped markedly over the 20th century (2–4). Since 1982, however, deaths attributable to infectious diseases have begun to climb (3) and this rise has occurred in parallel with increased antibiotic resistance.
Price Discovery for Cross-Listed Stocks

We investigate price discovery for internationally traded stocks. For a sample of Canadian stocks cross-listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) and the NYSE, we find that both markets contribute to price discovery. The U.S. share of price discovery ranges from 0.4 percent to 98.1 percent, and averages 36 percent. The U.S. contribution is directly related to the U.S. share of trading and to the ratio of proportions of informative trades on the NYSE and the TSE, and inversely related to the ratio of bid-ask spreads on the NYSE and the TSE. In response to a positive shock to the C$/US$ exchange rate, stock prices on the TSE rise, whereas those on the NYSE decline. The NYSE bears a much greater burden of adjusting to the exchange rate changes.
Applying Body Therapy to Dance and Sport

Abstract Laban/Bartenieff and other body therapies revolve on the idea that movement is not mindless and that anyone can learn to be more coordinated.