cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The reversed medial hemisoleus muscle flap and its role in reconstruction of an open tibial wound in the lower third of the leg.

The usefulness of a reversed hemisoleus muscle flap as a local reconstructive option for soft-tissue coverage of an open tibial wound in the lower third of the leg has never been acknowledged. Over the past 2 years, 8 patients underwent soft-tissue reconstruction of an open tibial wound (3 X 3 to 10 X 6 cm) in the lower third of the leg with the reversed medial hemisoleus muscle flap modified by the author. The flap was dissected with attention to preserve several critical perforators from the posterior tibial vessels to the flap as possible while allowing adequate turnover of the flap to cover the exposed tibia or hardware. There was no total flap loss, and limb salvage was achieved in all patients. Only 2 patients developed insignificant distal flap necrosis, and they were treated subsequently with debridement and flap readvancement. All patients had reliable healing of their tibial wounds, with good reconstructive and cosmetic outcomes of their flap reconstructions during follow-up. Therefore, the author believes that the reversed medial hemisoleus muscle flap can be a good choice for soft-tissue coverage of a sizable open tibial wound in the lower third of the leg and may be used successfully to replace free tissue transfer in selected patients.
Trading group theory for randomness

In a previous paper [BS] we proved, using the elements of the theory of nilpotent groups, that some of the fundamental computational problems in matriz groups belong to NP. These problems were also shown to belong to coNP, assuming an unproven hypothesis concerning finite simple groups.The aim of this paper is to replace most of the (proven and unproven) group theory of [BS] by elementary combinatorial arguments. The result we prove is that relative to a random oracle B, the mentioned matrix group problems belong to (NP∩coNP)B.The problems we consider are membership in and order of a matrix group given by a list of generators. These problems can be viewed as multidimensional versions of a close relative of the discrete logarithm problem. Hence NP∩coNP might be the lowest natural complexity class they may fit in.We remark that the results remain valid for black box groups where group operations are performed by an oracle.The tools we introduce seem interesting in their own right. We define a new hierarchy of complexity classes AM(k) “just above NP”, introducing Arthur vs. Merlin games, the bounded-away version of Papdimitriou's Games against Nature. We prove that in spite of their analogy with the polynomial time hierarchy, the finite levels of this hierarchy collapse to AM=AM(2). Using a combinatorial lemma on finite groups [BE], we construct a game by which the nondeterministic player (Merlin) is able to convince the random player (Arthur) about the relation [G]=N provided Arthur trusts conclusions based on statistical evidence (such as a Slowly-Strassen type “proof” of primality).One can prove that AM consists precisely of those languages which belong to NPB for almost every oracle B.Our hierarchy has an interesting, still unclarified relation to another hierarchy, obtained by removing the central ingredient from the User vs. Expert games of Goldwasser, Micali and Rackoff.
AT&T’s CHARM System

AT&T’s CHARM (Concurrent Hardware Allocation by Repeated Merging) system uses AT&T’s Bridge system for scheduling. CHARM (previously called SAM) then performs the data path synthesis. See alsoAT&T’s Bridge System.
Spectral properties of multiorder diffractive lenses

Diffractive lenses have been traditionally designed with the first diffracted order. The spectral characteristics of diffractive lenses operating in higher diffracted orders differ significantly from the first-order case. Multiorder diffractive lenses offer a new degree of freedom in the design of broadband and multispectral optical systems that include diffractive optical elements. It is shown that blazing the surface-relief diffractive lens for higher diffraction orders enables the design of achromatic and apochromatic singlets. The wavelength-dependent optical transfer function and the associated Strehl ratio are derived for multiorder diffractive lenses. Experiments that illustrate lens performance in two spectral bands are described, and the results show excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions.
Controlled evaluation of BACTEC PLUS 27 and Roche Septi-Chek anaerobic blood culture bottles.

Blood culture bottles that accept up to 10 ml of blood have recently been introduced for the BACTEC nonradiometric blood culture system. The new formulation, designated BACTEC Plus, contains 25 ml of tryptic soy broth, 0.05% sodium polyanetholesulfonate, and mixed resins. In a collaborative study conducted at three university hospitals, we evaluated the BACTEC Plus 26 (BP26) aerobic bottle and the Roche Septi-Chek aerobic bottle with its agar slide paddle in 5,293 paired blood cultures. Significantly more microorganisms (P less than 0.001), especially Staphylococcus aureus (P less than 0.001), Staphylococcus epidermidis (P less than 0.01), enterococci (P less than 0.005), and members of the family Enterobacteriaceae (P less than 0.005), were detected by the BP26 bottle. When both bottles detected growth, BP26 did so earlier (P less than 0.001). In particular, S. epidermidis (P less than 0.001), streptococci (P less than 0.005), enterococci (P less than 0.05), and members of the family Enterobacteriaceae (P less than 0.001) were detected earlier by the BP26 bottle. We conclude that the BP26 bottle provides a yield and speed of detection of microorganisms superior to those of the Roche Septi-Chek aerobic blood culture bottle.
The expanded role of minimally invasive coronary grafting

The evolution of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) grafting has extended the role of this approach for limited coronary revascularization. MIDCAB techniques can now be used to address isolated stenoses in the inferior and lateral coronary distributions. MIDCAB techniques are increasingly being used in the reoperative setting, and multiple vessels can be bypassed during a single operation. This article reviews the expanded role of MIDCAB grafting in the treatment of coronary artery disease.
Dynamic shading, motion parallax and qualitative shape

The authors address the problem of qualitative shape recovery from moving surfaces. The analysis is unique in that they consider specular interreflections and explore the effects of both motion parallax and changes in shading. To study this situation they define an image flow field called the reflection flow field, which describes the motion of reflection points and the motion of the surface. From a kinematic analysis, they show that the reflection flow is qualitatively different from the motion parallax because it is discontinuous at or near parabolic curves. They also show that when the gradient of the reflected image is strong, gradient-based flow measurement techniques approximate the reflection flow field and not the motion parallax. They conclude that reliable qualitative shape information is generally available only at discontinuities in the image flow field. >
Range‐wide genetic homogeneity in the California sea mussel (Mytilus californianus): a comparison of allozymes, nuclear DNA markers, and mitochondrial DNA sequences

We tested for genetic differentiation among six populations of California sea mussels (Mytilus californianus) sampled across 4000 km of its geographical range by comparing patterns of variation at four independent types of genetic markers: allozymes, single-copy nuclear DNA markers, and DNA sequences from the male and female mitochondrial genomes. Despite our extensive sampling and genotyping efforts, we detected no significant differences among localities and no signal of isolation by distance suggesting that M. californianus is genetically homogeneous throughout its range. This concordance differs from similar studies on other mytilids, especially in the role of postsettlement selection generating differences between exposed coastal and estuarine habitats. To assess if this homogeneity was due to M. californianus not inhabiting estuarine environments, we reviewed studies comparing allozymes with other classes of nuclear DNA markers. Although both types of markers gave broadly consistent results, there was a bias favouring studies in which allozymes were more divergent than DNA markers (nine to three) and a disproportionate number of these cases involved marine taxa (seven). Furthermore, allozymes were significantly more heterogeneous than DNA markers in three of the four studies that sampled coastal and estuarine habitats. We conclude that the genetic uniformity exhibited by M. californianus may result from a combination of extensive gene flow and the lack of exposure to strong selective gradients across its range.
Built-in self-testing of random-access memories

Built-in self-test (BIST) methods are examined, including the fault models and the test algorithms on which the BIST implementations are based. The notion of generic test architectures suitable for implementing a wide variety of test algorithms is introduced. A taxonomy for test architectures is provided and used to categorize BIST implementations, and important implementations are surveyed. It is demonstrated that BIST is a viable solution to the problem of testing large memories and that approaches based on test architectures rather than on test algorithms are more versatile and will likely predominate in the future. >
Human papillomavirus type 6b DNA required for initiation but not maintenance of transformation of C127 mouse cells.

Abstract We describe the transformation of C127 mouse fibroblasts with human papillomavirus type 6b (HPV-6b) DNA, which is associated primarily with benign tumors of the human genital tract. The major transformed phenotype of the HPV-6b-transfected cells lines, which had been G418 selected, pooled, and maintained without subsequent selection, was tumorigenicity in nude mice. We found that, unlike that reported for other HPVs or papovaviruses, the transformed phenotype was expressed after a delay, in which the cells had undergone extensive culture passages (about 20 passages or 100 generations). Interestingly, the HPV-6b DNA had become reduced or nondetectable in copy number in the cells by the time the transformed phenotype was expressed and in most of the tumors induced by the cells in nude mice, indicating that high levels of HPV-6b DNA were not required for maintenance of the transformed phenotype. Clonal cell lines gave similar results. When continued G418 selection was used to maintain high-copy-number HPV-6b DNA, the cells were tumorigenic, indicating that high levels of HPV-6b DNA did not suppress tumorigenesis. These studies suggest that HPV-6b DNA initiates transformation of C127 cells but is dispensable for expression or maintenance of the transformed phenotype. Transformation by HPV-6b DNA in vitro may provide insights into the HPV type-specific association with benign versus malignant lesions in vivo and may elucidate some of the oncogenic processes involved in tumor progression.
A Consolidated Approach to Minimize Semiconductor Production Loss Due to Unscheduled ATE Downtime

A production-loss based maintenance plan is proposed to minimize the cost due to unscheduled ATE (automatic test equipment) downtime in the back-end process of semiconductor manufacturing. This paper suggests two methods, active redundancy and cold standby redundancy, to expedite the ATE system repair time for returning the system back to production. This strategy is different from other reliability improvement methods such as corrective actions and preventive maintenance. By reducing the repair time, the system upper time actually increases and hence the production loss is minimized. The optimization is formulated to minimize the production loss considering the system depreciations, lost sales and idle labor when they are subject to maintenance budget and volume constraint. To solve this optimization problem, genetic algorithm is used to find the near-optimal solution. The illustrative example demonstrates that using redundant modules is a very effective way to minimize the semiconductor production loss due to unscheduled system downtime.
Analysis of supply chains using system dynamics, neural nets, and eigenvalues

Supply chain management is a critically significant strategy that enterprises depend on in meeting the challenges of today's highly competitive and dynamic business environments. An important aspect of supply chain management is how enterprises can detect the supply chain behavioral changes due to endogenous and/or exogenous influences and to predict such changes and their impacts in the short and long term horizons. A methodology for addressing this problem that combines system dynamics and neural networks analysis is proposed in this paper. We use neural networks' pattern recognition abilities to capture a system dynamics model and analyze simulation results to predict changes before they take place. We also describe how eigenvalue analysis can be used to enhance the understanding of the problematic behaviors. A case study in the electronics manufacturing industry is used to illustrate the methodology.
Breathing new life into immunotherapy: review of melanoma, lung and kidney cancer

Previously, clinical approaches to using the immune system against cancer focused on vaccines that intended to specifically initiate or amplify a host response against evolving tumours. Although vaccine approaches have had some clinical success, most cancer vaccines fail to induce objective tumour shrinkage in patients. More-recent approaches have centred on a series of molecules known as immune checkpoints-whose natural function is to restrain or dampen a potentially over-exuberant response. Blocking immune checkpoint molecules with monoclonal antibodies has emerged as a viable clinical strategy that mediates tumour shrinkage in several cancer types. In addition to being part of the current treatment armamentarium for metastatic melanoma, immune checkpoint blockade is currently undergoing phase III testing in several cancer types.
The desirability bias in predictions: Going optimistic without leaving realism

Does desire for an outcome inflate optimism? Previous experiments have produced mixed results regarding the desirability bias, with the bulk of supportive findings coming from one paradigm—the classic marked-card paradigm in which people make discrete predictions about desirable or undesirable cards being drawn from decks. We introduce a biased-guessing account for the effects from this paradigm, which posits that people are often realistic in their likelihood assessments, but when making a subjectively arbitrary prediction (a guess), they will tend to guess in a desired direction. In order to establish the validity of the biased-guessing account and to distinguish it from other accounts, we conducted five experiments that tested the desirability bias within the paradigm and novel extensions of it. In addition to supporting the biased-guessing account, the findings illustrate the critical role of moderators (e.g., type of outcome, type of forecast) for fully understanding and predicting desirability biases.
Single-poly bipolar transistor with selective epitaxial silicon and chemo-mechanical polishing

Fabrication of bipolar transistors employing selective epitaxial growth (SEG) and chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP) is demonstrated. The SEG/CMP combination allows for lithography-limited isolation and results in inherently planar surfaces. The pedestal structure made possible by these technologies facilitates reduction of extrinsic base-collector capacitance and reduces the edge leakage common in SEG structures. The pedestals protect the SEG sidewalls from any potential contaminants or oxidation-induced stress during subsequent processing, and hence help eliminate any induced leakage. >
Optimization of via formation in photosensitive dielectric layers using neural networks and genetic algorithms

Via formation using photosensitive polymer technology can reduce process cost by reducing process complexity and is hence of great interest in electronics packaging substrate fabrication. However, to overcome technical difficulties and to facilitate low-cost manufacturing, process modeling, optimization and control are required. In this paper, a process optimization approach for via formation in dielectric layers composed of photosensitive benzocyclobutene (BCB) for high density interconnect (HDI) in MCM-L/D substrates is presented. A series of designed experiments are used to characterize the via formation workcell (which consists of the spin coat, soft bake, expose, develop, cure, and plasma de-scum unit process steps). Neural network process models are then constructed to characterize via yield and geometry, as well as film thickness, retention, and uniformity. These models are used for process optimization using genetic algorithms (GA's) and hybrid combinations of GA's with the Powell algorithm and with the simplex algorithm. The optimized process recipes are verified experimentally. Comparison of the three approaches reveals that the hybrid GA/simplex method yields superior recipes.
Influenza virus transmission is dependent on relative humidity and temperature.

Using the guinea pig as a model host, we show that aerosol spread of influenza virus is dependent upon both ambient relative humidity and temperature. Twenty experiments performed at relative humidities from 20% to 80% and 5 °C, 20 °C, or 30 °C indicated that both cold and dry conditions favor transmission. The relationship between transmission via aerosols and relative humidity at 20 °C is similar to that previously reported for the stability of influenza viruses (except at high relative humidity, 80%), implying that the effects of humidity act largely at the level of the virus particle. For infected guinea pigs housed at 5 °C, the duration of peak shedding was approximately 40 h longer than that of animals housed at 20 °C; this increased shedding likely accounts for the enhanced transmission seen at 5 °C. To investigate the mechanism permitting prolonged viral growth, expression levels in the upper respiratory tract of several innate immune mediators were determined. Innate responses proved to be comparable between animals housed at 5 °C and 20 °C, suggesting that cold temperature (5 °C) does not impair the innate immune response in this system. Although the seasonal epidemiology of influenza is well characterized, the underlying reasons for predominant wintertime spread are not clear. We provide direct, experimental evidence to support the role of weather conditions in the dynamics of influenza and thereby address a long-standing question fundamental to the understanding of influenza epidemiology and evolution.
Preparation of a plasma polymer containing phosphine complexed nickel by concurrent nickel evaporation

This article describes one of the first examples of concurrent metal evaporation and substituted hydrocarbon plasma polymerization as a general method for preparing thin films containing a metal coordinated to a plasma polymer. In this report, the evaporation of Ni into a triallylphosphine (TAP) glow discharge is described Deposition of a plasma polymer with concurrent reaction of Ni atoms with phosphine groups forms nickel containing triallylphosphine plasma polymer, NiTAPPP. The chemical nature of the product is derived on the basis of infrared spectra taken of the film as formed and after reaction with air, CO, and NO. The extent of the reaction is deduced from gravimetric data obtained during reaction with CO and with NO; each case was followed by evacuation of the gas. The CO gravimetric data also suggest that uncoordinated Ni is predominantly formed at high (Ni evaporation rate)/(plasma polymer deposition rate) ratios; coordinated Ni predominates at low values of this parameter. The ESCA spectra are also obtained for this plasma polymer (NiTAPPP) as well as for that described in the previous paper, in which TAP is plasma polymerized (yielding TAPPP) and subsequently reacted with Ni(CO)4 (TAPPP + Ni(CO)4). In both cases, it was found that Ni is oxidized on contact with air. After such air exposure, ESCA spectra reveal the presence of residual NiP moieties on the surface of TAPPP + Ni(CO)4, but not of NiTAPPP. This is attributed to the greater reactivity of the coordinatively unsaturated Ni sites postulated for NiTAPPP.
ON NONLINEAR COMBUSTION INSTABILITY

A crucial need in rocket motor development programs is a valid analytical/computational model of nonlinear combustion instability. The motor designer frequently must attempt to estimate not only the probability that a particular acoustic mode may "tend to grow," but what will be the amplitude of the oscillations if they are triggered in some way. A major objective of nonlinear modeling must be to estimate the system limit amplitudes as well as triggering amplitudes above which a pulse containing oscillatory energy causes the system amplitude to increase to a higher-amplitude limit cycle. Along with this is a need for accurate interpretation of data secured in pulsed motor stability testing. There presently exist no universally accepted or wellestablished methods for carrying out this type of data analysis. Most investigators apply only linear combustion instability theory; any attempted nonlinear interpretation is then entirely qualitative. In this paper, presently accepted nonlinear instability concepts are critically examined from the standpoint of both their correspondence to the observations and their potential practical use as diagnostic or predictive tools. It is demonstrated that there are now three main lines of research in this area that do not appear likely to converge to a single model that encompasses all of the requirements for a useful tool with the attendant physical understanding of important nonlinear processes. The shortcomings of each method are identified, and a plan for improving this currently somewhat unpromising scenario is suggested.
A further simplification of the revised physical adsorption (RPA) model.

We present a further simplification of the essentially parameter-free revised physical adsorption model (K. Agashe, J.R. Regalbuto, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 185 (1997) 174) in this paper. It has been discovered that a physical adsorption model describing the uptake of various metal complexes from aqueous solutions onto oxide surfaces can most accurately simulate experimental data when the model contains only a coulombic energy term, and not a solvation energy term. The results of the simulation for cobalt/silica, chloroplatinic acid (CPA)/alumina, and tetraamonium platinate (TAP)/alumina and silica are presented here. A reasonable justification for the omission of this term is that solvation effects are negligible when adsorbing metal complexes retain one or more hydration sheaths.
Late Neoproterozoic paleogeography of the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone: Insights from U-Pb geochronology and paleomagnetism

Integrated geochronologic and paleomagnetic investigation of the arc-related Lynn and Mattapan volcanic complexes around Boston, Massachusetts, establishes a Neoproterozoic paleopole for the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone. Four new U-Pb zircon dates obtained using isotope dilution and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) methods range from 597.4 ± 1.5 Ma to 595.7 ± 1.6 Ma, in agreement with published Lynn-Mattapan results of ca. 596 Ma. The mean direction calculated from the A component of magnetization at nine Lynn-Mattapan sites has a declination (D) of 319.9° and an inclination (I) of 57.0° (α95 = 7.4°); the paleopole based on this mean direction is 206°E, 60°N. These results pass both reversals and fold tests and are regionally consistent among lithologies that include basalt, andesite, rhyodacite, and rhyolite, which represent both volcanic and subvolcanic phases. Most sites also contain stable B and C magnetic components with directions that suggest Ordovician to Permian remagnetizations. A broadly comparable A component direction with D = 109.0° and I = −63.4° (α95 = 9.4°, n = 11 samples) was obtained from one site in the Squantum Member of the Roxbury Conglomerate (maximum age of 593 Ma) overlying the volcanic sequence. The Lynn-Mattapan results indicate that southeastern New England occupied a mid-latitude position at ca. 595 Ma, similar to those reported from Avalonian terranes in maritime Canada. The most likely peri-Gondwanan position for Avalonia consistent with these paleomagnetic data lies off the West African margin. Using poles from the East Sahara craton (Egypt) and the Rio de la Plata craton (Brazil) has permitted reconstruction of West Gondwana without recourse to Laurentian proxies.
Efficacy of recombinant human deoxyribonuclease I in the hospital management of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.

Objective To evaluate the effect of recombinant humandeoxyribonuclease I (rhDNase) in shortening the length of thehospitalization and improving the chest radiographs (CXRs) inhospitalized infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infectionas a result of its mucolytic properties. Methods Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of 75patients with RSV bronchiolitis. The study was conducted at the University of Michigan Medical Center and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, both in Ann Arbor, MI. Results The respiratory rate, wheezing, and retraction difference scores, obtained by subtracting thehospital discharge score from the corresponding hospital admissionscore, show no difference between the two groups, but the CXRdifference scores show that the rhDNase group improved by 0.46 whilethe placebo group worsened by 0.60 (p t test statistics in each of the two groups werecomputed. For the placebo group, the mean increase of 0.60 wassignificant (p = 0.02), and the mean decrease of 0.46 for the rhDNasegroup was also significant (p = 0.02). A one-way analysis ofcovariance with the hospital discharge CXR scores as the dependentvariable and the hospital admission score as the covariate showed thatthere was a significant difference between the groups(p = 0.01). Conclusion In patients with RSVbronchiolitis, there was significant improvement in the CXRs with theuse of rhDNase compared to significant worsening in the placebo group. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of rhDNase totreat RSV bronchiolitis.
The recognition of isolated words on a speaker dependent system

The speaker-dependent recognition of isolated words is done on a MC68000 microprocessor system. Templates are made after performing data selections and compressions on vocabularies. The input pattern obtained during run time is classified according to the zero crossing rate and the number of matching elements. It is concluded that the speech recognition system faces two major problems in comparison and averaging of templates. Speed becomes more and more critical when the size of vocabularies increases. Distortion may result during template averaging. These problems may be tackled by combining zero crossing rates and template matching methods into a two-phased recognition strategy. Template matching is performed on candidates with close zero crossing values. This may speed up the process as well as ensure the accuracy of the system. >
CASK Deletion in Intestinal Epithelia Causes Mislocalization of LIN7C and the DLG1/Scrib Polarity Complex without Affecting Cell Polarity

CASK is the mammalian ortholog of LIN2, a component of the LIN2/7/10 protein complex that targets epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to basolateral membranes in Caenorhabditis elegans. A member of the MAGUK family of scaffolding proteins, CASK resides at basolateral membranes in polarized epithelia. Its interaction with LIN7 is evolutionarily conserved. In addition, CASK forms a complex with another MAGUK, the DLG1 tumor suppressor. Although complete knockout of CASK is lethal, the gene is X-linked, enabling us to generate heterozygous female adults that are mosaic for its expression. We also generated intestine-specific CASK knockout mice. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that in intestine, CASK is not required for epithelial polarity or differentiation but is necessary for the basolateral localization of DLG1 and LIN7C. However, the subcellular distributions of DLG1 and LIN7C are independent of CASK in the stomach. Moreover, CASK and LIN7C show normal localization in dlg1−/− intestine. Despite the disappearance of basolateral LIN7C in CASK-deficient intestinal crypts, this epithelium retains normal localization of LIN7A/B, EGFR and ErbB-2. Finally, crypt-to-villus migration rates are unchanged in CASK-deficient intestinal epithelium. Thus, CASK expression and the appropriate localization of DLG1 are not essential for either epithelial polarity or intestinal homeostasis in vivo.
Proposed immunologic models of the inflammatory myopathies and potential therapeutic implications

Several immune system cell types and processes have been recently identified in muscle in inclusion body myositis, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells, the immune system’s professional producer of the type 1 interferons alpha and beta, are present in dermatomyositis muscle and skin. These tissues also show high expression of transcripts and proteins from genes that are induced by interferon alpha and beta. Myeloid dendritic cells, which contribute to an immunologic synapse responsible for activation of the adaptive immune system, are abundant within muscle in inclusion body myositis and polymyositis. B cells and plasma cells, effector cells of the humoral immune system, have been stimulated by antigen to transcribe immunoglobulins and produce antibodies in muscle in all three of these diseases. The presence of these immune cells and processes suggests revisions in models of the pathogenesis of the inflammatory myopathies and provides rationales for future therapeutic approaches.
LYME DISEASE DURING PREGNANCY

There has been great concern in the past regarding the possible fetal infection and teratogenicity from Lyme disease contracted during pregnancy because of the similarities of disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi to syphilis. Although the initial retrospective case reports were alarming, more recent prospective data have been reassuring. This article reviews the evidence that currently supports the assurance of the benign nature of this infection with respect to the fetus.
Childlessness, Parenthood, and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Prior research has examined whether parenthood is associated with higher levels of well-being among older adults, but definitions of parental status have varied. The authors examine links between parental status and depressive symptoms among older adults, comparing biological and social definitions of parenthood. The study finds few differences between biological and social parenthood but substantial variation in the relationship between parental status and depressive symptoms by gender and marital status. Biologically and socially childless adults had the lowest predicted levels of depression across all marital status groups. Widowed men averaged higher levels of depression than other men. For women, the highest predicted levels of depressive symptoms were observed among never-married biological parents and formerly married women who had outlived their children. Increased sampling of less common parental subgroups and diverse kinship relations to allow for more precise classifications and the considerati...
Cognitive Aspects of Echolocation

Echolocation is an active mode of perception. Rather than passively waiting for information to arrive at its sense organs, an echolocating animal emits probing signals and listens for important information supplied by the resulting echoes. A comparably active process is the electric orientation that has independently evolved in several groups of fish. They also broadcast informative energy and gather important information by sensing alterations in the electric fields in which they find themselves. What we might call “active perception” of this sort requires that the brain must both generate the appropriate type of probing signal, which often differs according to the animal’s situation, and then selectively process the raw afferent input from its receptors to obtain the information needed at the moment. This amounts to a sort of dialog between the animal and its environment. Furthermore such active probing for important information suggests spontaneous control by the animal of its own behavior, rather than a set of fixed and automatic responses to external stimulation.
Autologous Culture-Modified Mononuclear Cells Confer Vascular Protection After Arterial Injury

Background— Bone marrow–derived cells have been shown to contribute to endothelial replacement after vascular injury. In vitro culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells produces cells with phen...
Sensory innervation of the calvarial bones of the mouse.

Migraine sufferers frequently testify that their headache feels as if the calvarial bones are deformed, crushed, or broken (Jakubowski et al. [2006] Pain 125:286–295). This has lead us to postulate that the calvarial bones are supplied by sensory fibers. We studied sensory innervation of the calvaria in coronal and horizontal sections of whole-head preparations of postnatal and adult mice, via immunostaining of peripherin (a marker of thinly myelinated and unmyelinated fibers) or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP; a marker more typical of unmyelinated nerve fibers). In pups, we observed nerve bundles coursing between the galea aponeurotica and the periosteum, between the periosteum and the bone, and between the bone and the meninges; as well as fibers that run inside the diploe in different orientations. Some dural fibers issued collateral branches to the pia at the frontal part of the brain. In the adult calvaria, the highest concentration of peripherin- and CGRP-labeled fibers was found in sutures, where they appeared to emerge from the dura. Labeled fibers were also observed in emissary canals, bone marrow, and periosteum. In contrast to the case in pups, no labeled fibers were found in the diploe of the adult calvaria. Meningeal nerves that infiltrate the periosteum through the calvarial sutures may be positioned to mediate migraine headache triggered by pathophysiology of extracranial tissues, such as muscle tenderness and mild trauma to the skull. In view of the concentration of sensory fibers in the sutures, it may be useful to avoid drilling the sutures in patients undergoing craniotomies for a variety of neurosurgical procedures. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:331–348, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dynamic network visualization in 1.5D

The dynamic network visualization has been a challenging topic due to the complexity introduced by the extra time dimension. Existing solutions to this problem are usually good for the overview and presentation, but not for the interactive analysis. We propose in this paper a new approach which only considers the dynamic network central to a focus node (aka dynamic ego network). The navigation of the entire network is achieved by switching the focus node with user interactions. With this approach, the complexity of the compressed dynamic network is greatly reduced without sacrificing the network and time affinity central to the focus node. As a result, we are able to present each dynamic ego network in a single static view, well supporting user analysis on temporal network patterns. We describe our general framework including the network data pre-processing, 1.5D network and trend visualization design, layout algorithms, as well as several customized interactions. In addition, we show that our approach can also be extended to visualize the event-based and multimodal dynamic networks. Finally, we demonstrate, through two practical case studies, the effectiveness of our solution in support of visual evidence and pattern discovery.
GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION AND DIALECTS IN SONGS OF THE BRONZED COWBIRD (MOLOTHRUS AENEUS)

Abstract Vocal dialects have presented a puzzle for evolutionary biologists for nearly 50 years. However, there is still a dearth of detailed description of variation in species with dialects, especially regarding acoustic characteristics that discriminate among dialects. In this study, I show that dialects occur in the “flight whistle” song type of the Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus). Dialects in this species occur at a very large scale, spanning hundreds of kilometers. A discriminant function analysis revealed that the initial element of the song shows greater differences among dialects than a major element in the final portion of the song. This quantitative analysis of the dialect system provides the basis for understanding how Bronzed Cowbirds recognize songs from different dialects.
Microphysics of Clouds with the Relaxed Arakawa–Schubert Scheme (McRAS). Part I: Design and Evaluation with GATE Phase III Data

Abstract A prognostic cloud scheme named McRAS (Microphysics of Clouds with Relaxed Arakawa–Schubert Scheme) has been designed and developed with the aim of improving moist processes, microphysics of clouds, and cloud–radiation interactions in GCMs. McRAS distinguishes three types of clouds: convective, stratiform, and boundary layer. The convective clouds transform and merge into stratiform clouds on an hourly timescale, while the boundary layer clouds merge into the stratiform clouds instantly. The cloud condensate converts into precipitation following the autoconversion equations of Sundqvist that contain a parametric adaptation for the Bergeron–Findeisen process of ice crystal growth and collection of cloud condensate by precipitation. All clouds convect, advect, as well as diffuse both horizontally and vertically with a fully interactive cloud microphysics throughout the life cycle of the cloud, while the optical properties of clouds are derived from the statistical distribution of hydrometeors and i...
The Pathophysiology and Metabolic Impact of Hyperglycemia

Accelerated vascular injury and inflammation are intimately associated with the devastating complications of type-2 diabetes. This process is initiated and perpetuated by the pathophysiological consequences of the hyperglycemic state. The vascular devastation of hyperglycemia can occur by several mechanisms, impacting the vessel wall, monocyte derived macrophages, and vascular smooth muscle cells.s
Concomitant BCR-ABL1 positive chronic myelogenous leukemia emerging in a patient with MPL W515L associated primary myelofibrosis

Abstract Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by proliferation of one or more cell lineages in the bone marrow. At present, the main criterion in the 2008 World Health Organization classification of MPNs is the presence of an underlying genetic abnormality. These mutations are generally mutually exclusive except for rare reports in the literature. We report for the first time a detailed analysis of the clinical, histologic and cytogenetic/molecular features of a patient who initially presented with MPL W515L positive primary myelofibrosis and over the course of five years developed an MPN associated with both BCR-ABL1 and MPL W515L mutation. We discuss the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic implications of concomitant BCR-ABL1 translocation with MPL W515L mutation. Multiple genetic alterations may simultaneously coexist in patients exhibiting features of myeloproliferative disorders.
Trends in Fatal Firearm-Related Injuries, United States, 1962-1993

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to review historical trends in U.S. fatal firearm-related injuries for the years 1962-1993. METHODS: Using mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics and population estimates projected from census data, we calculated national age-adjusted mortality rates and examined trends over the 32-year period. Data were also examined by type of firearm-related death (unintentional, suicide, homicide, legal intervention, and undetermined intention), race, gender, and age group. RESULTS: During the 32-year period, the total number of firearm-related deaths increased by 137%, from 16,720 in 1962 to 39,595 in 1993. Suicide and homicide were responsible for most firearm fatalities. Rates for both firearm suicides and firearm homicides increased over time, while rates for unintentional, legal intervention, and undetermined intention decreased. The highest rates and widest variation in total firearm-related mortality occurred among African-American men (35.2/100,000 to 84.5/100,000). Persons 15-19, 20-24, and > or = 75 years of age experienced the largest changes in rates during recent years; total firearm mortality was higher for the younger age groups (15-19, 20-24) during 1990 through 1993 than any other time during the 32-year period. CONCLUSIONS: These surveillance data help characterize trends over time and the magnitude of firearm-related mortality and identify groups at risk. However, further efforts to improve our understanding of firearm-related deaths and injuries, such as expansion of current surveillance to include information about morbidity associated with firearms and additional epidemiologic research to identify modifiable individual and societal risk factors, are necessary.
The use of information graphs to evaluate and compare diagnostic tests.

Objectives: The purpose of this communication is to demonstrate the use of “information graphs” as a means of characterizing diagnostic test performance. Methods: Basic concepts in information theory allow us to quantify diagnostic uncertainty and diagnostic information. Given the probabilities of the diagnoses that can explain a patient’s condition, the entropy of that distribution is a measure of our uncertainty about the diagnosis. The relative entropy of the posttest probabilities with respect to the pretest probabilities quantifies the amount of information gained by diagnostic testing. Mutual information is the expected value of relative entropy and, hence, provides a measure of expected diagnostic information. These concepts are used to derive formulas for calculating diagnostic information as a function of pretest probability for a given pair of test operating characteristics. Results: Plots of diagnostic information as a function of pretest probability are constructed to evaluate and compare the performance of three tests commonly used in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. The graphs illustrate the critical role that the pretest probability plays in determining diagnostic test information. Conclusions: Information graphs summarize diagnostic test performance and offer a way to evaluate and compare diagnostic tests.
The Enigmatic Chloroplast Stt7 Kinase: Trans-Membrane Function with Cytochrome b6f Complex in situ; Kinase Activity in vitro

The distribution of light energy between the two photosystems in oxygenic photosynthesis is regulated in the alga, C. reinhardtii, by a 754 residue State Transition Kinase, Stt7, which is unique in using a trans-membrane topology to carry out its signaling function (1). It is activated by oxidation of plastoquinol on the electrochemically positive, lumen side of the cytochrome b6f complex (2), and phosphorylates the major light-harvesting chlorophyll protein II (3) on the opposite side of the membrane (1). Stt7, which binds to cyt b6f (1), requires a disulfide bond on the p-side proximal to the quinol oxidation site for its activation (1, 3). In the present study, Stt7 has been cloned in E. coli and purified as a soluble protein whose monomer mass, determined by mass spectrometry is 79,501. On Clear Native PAGE, Stt7 runs close to a position expected for a heptamer. Purified Stt7 has significant redox-dependent kinase activity in vitro. The demonstration of in vitro activity, the absence of a documented membrane bound state, and the small stoichiometry (circa 1:20) of interaction with the b6f complex (1), suggest that reaction of the kinase with the LHCII occurs through a membrane-peripheral domain of the b6f complex. (1) Lemeille, S. et al. (2009) PLoS Biology 7, e1000045; (2) Vener, A. V. et al. (1997) PNAS, 94, 1585-1590. (3) Millner, P. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 257, 1736-1742, 1982. Support from NIHGMS-038323.
Regeneration of Gold Surfaces Covered by Adsorbed Thiols and Proteins Using Liquid-Phase Hydrogen Peroxide-Mediated UV-Photooxidation

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) response of 6-mercapto-1-hexanol chemisorption was used as a model system for examining regeneration of gold (Au) surfaces covered by sulfur-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) using a liquid-phase UV-photooxidation (liquid-UVPO) technique. The treatment facilitated oxidation of the Au–thiolate bond in liquid as supported by time-of-flight matrix-free laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-TOF-MS) and post-treatment SAM reformation. The liquid-UVPO technique also showed the ability to regenerate Au surfaces covered by adsorbed proteins, demonstrated using bovine serum albumin (BSA). Comparison with Au regeneration achieved using standard piranha treatment showed the liquid-UVPO technique better preserved the original Au film properties than did piranha treatment. Piranha treatment was found to affect both surface morphology, in terms of surface roughness increase, and film crystal structure, in terms of Au ⟨111⟩ phase fractional decrease, that were relative...
Jobs for all, economic justice, and the challenge of welfare "reform".

Jobs for All at decent wages is not the only strategy for reducing poverty and economic inequality, but it is more desirable and more consonant with American values than a primary strategy of direct income redistribution through government benefits. To make jobs the primary strategy for people of working age, however, is not to overlook the need for certain types of income support in good times and in bad, and the important economic functions of the welfare state. Current welfare “reform” poses as a work strategy but is the very antithesis of jobs for all because it creates job seekers rather than jobs and will increase unemployment and lower wages. Economic and social benefits of full employment are identified, and criticisms of the strategy—that many current jobs are risky, boring and poorly paid—are addressed. The abiding and new obstacles to full employment are acknowledged, their seriousness assessed, and means for overcoming them proposed. The author concludes that the obstacles to jobs for all are primarily political rather than economic, and shows how the National Jobs for All Coalition is attempting to overcome them and to build a new movement for economic justice.
Enhance Visualization in GIS with Route Panoramas

This paper explores the route panorama and its integration with geographic information system for a visual indexing of a route and city.A more detailed layer than a road map in GIS systems associated with real cityscapes is introduced and implemented.Sequential route panoramas with small amount of data,continuous coverage of route scenes are acquired along all streets in an urban area.We construct an Internet based virtual city for free navigation in the area.Different visualization approaches realize fast streaming of visual data over the Internet and dynamic rendering of scenes in respond to viewer's interaction.The integration of the route panorama with the GIS provides a visual index for discovery and retrieval of the information related to cities and geographic spaces.The applications of the route panorama are applied to city navigation,scene archiving,virtual tour,modeling and simulation,georeferencing,etc.