cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intersecting identities and global climate change

This article explores the place of race, class, gender, sexual and national identities and cultures in global climate change. Research on gendered vulnerabilities to disasters suggests that women are more vulnerable than men to many meteorological disasters related to climate change, specifically flooding and drought. This is because of their relative poverty, economic activities (especially subsistence agriculture) and the moral economies governing women's modesty in many cultures. Research on historical and contemporary links between masculinity and the military in environmental politics, polar research and large-scale strategies for managing risk, including from climate change, suggests that men and their perspectives have more influence over climate change policies because of their historical domination of science and government. I expect that masculinist identities, cultures and militarised institutions will tend to favour large-scale remedies, such as geoengineering, minimise mitigation strategies, ...
LATERAL EYE MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN

The lateral eye movement phenomenon, studied frequently in adults, was investigated for 52 children aged 2–8 to 9–11, using both spatial and verbal-analytic questions. The phenomenon was observed in 50 of the 52 children and appeared well established by age 3 1/2; about half of the children were classifiable as either right movers or left movers. Some interesting developmental findings were noted, including a few important discrepancies with the results of adult studies. In addition, type of question had no effect on the direction of a child's eye movements. The implications of these findings were discussed.
“Polysomy 17” by FISH for HER2 in breast cancer is a misnomer: results of chromosome 17 analysis by array comparative genomic hybridization.

Abstract #3008 Background: The term “polysomy 17” has been widely used to refer to breast cancer cases in which fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays for HER2 were performed and found to contain >3 copies of the chromosome 17 centromere (probe CEP 17, D17Z1). The proportion of breast cancers that are reported to have polysomy 17 varies, but some studies report over 40% incidence. In these cases, the centromere is assumed to be representative of the entire chromosome. In this study, we analyzed chromosome 17 in breast cancers using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) to assess the incidence of whole chromosome 17 polysomy. Design: Fresh frozen tissue from 95 breast cancers was analyzed, including 84 invasive ductal carcinomas, 10 invasive lobular carcinomas, and one case with mixed ductal-lobular features. Frozen sections were reviewed to ascertain tumor content, and genomic DNA was isolated from 25-50 mg of tissue from each case. Samples were then analyzed by array CGH using an array that included whole genome coverage as well 63 probes for chromosome 17. A subset of 29 cases was also analyzed by FISH using the Vysis Pathvysion HER2 assay, which includes a chromosome 17 centromere probe and a HER2 probe. Results: Multiple abnormalities were identified on chromosome 17, including losses and gains in both the p and q arms. Examination of the centromeric region by array CGH showed 6 cases with gains, and 10 cases with losses. Three of six cases with centromeric gains also showed HER2 amplifications. Two cases showed polysomy by FISH. Although other chromosomes in our study exhibited whole chromosome polysomy using array CGH, no cases showed complete polysomy of chromosome 17. Conclusions: A review of the literature for chromosome 17 polysomy in breast cancer reveals that this finding almost exclusively relies on FISH analysis using chromosome 17 centromere probes. Our analysis of 95 breast cases by array CGH did not reveal any gains of whole chromosome 17. These results suggest that whole chromosome 17 polysomy is extremely uncommon in breast cancer. Those cases that are identified to have chromosome 17 polysomy by FISH are better termed “chromosome 17 centromere amplified.” Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 3008.
Path-Dependent Explanations of Regime Change: Central America in Comparative Perspective

This article explores the application of ideas about path dependence to the study of national political regime change. It first reviews the central components of pathdependent explanation, including the concepts of critical juncture and legacy. This mode of explanation is then employed in the analysis of diverging regime trajectories in Central America during the 19th and 20th centuries. The article argues that the 19th-century liberal reform period was a critical juncture that locked the Central American countries onto divergent paths of long-term development, culminanting in sharply contrasting regime outcomes. A final section puts the argument about Central America in a broader comparative perspective by considering other pathdependent explanations of regime change.
Relation of Level of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide With Outcomes in Patients With Infective Endocarditis

Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a marker of poor outcomes in heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, and sepsis. Elevated cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is associated with adverse outcomes in infective endocarditis. It was hypothesized that elevated BNP would be associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality in patients with infective endocarditis, particularly when combined with elevated cTnI. Consecutively enrolled patients in the International Collaboration on Endocarditis Prospective Cohort Study (ICE-PCS) were evaluated at a single center. The association between elevated BNP and a composite outcome of death, intracardiac abscess, and central nervous system event and the individual components of the composite was determined. Similar analyses were performed in patients who had BNP and cTnI measured. Of 103 patients, 45 had BNP measured for clinical indications. The median BNP level was higher in patients with the composite outcome (1,498 vs 433 pg/ml, p = 0.03) and in those who died (2,150 vs 628 pg/ml, p = 0.04). Elevated BNP was significantly associated with the composite outcome (p <0.01) and intracardiac abscess (p = 0.02). Patients with elevation of BNP and cTnI had a significantly higher probability of the composite outcome (69%) than patients with either BNP or cTnI elevated (29%) or neither BNP nor troponin elevated (0%) (p for trend <0.01). In conclusion, these data demonstrate a significant association between elevated BNP alone and in combination with cTnI for serious outcomes in infective endocarditis and warrant prospective evaluation.
Simulations of the February 1979 stratospheric sudden warming: Model comparisons and three-dimensional evolution

The evolution of the stratopsheric flow during the major stratospheric sudden warming of February 1979 is studied using two primitive equation models of the stratosphere and mesosphere. The United Kingdom Meteorological Office Stratosphere-Mesosphere Model (SMM) uses log pressure as a vertical coordinate. A spectral, entropy coordinate version of the SMM (entropy coordinate model, or ECM) that has recently been developed is also used. Comparison of SMM simulations with forecasts performed using the University of California, Los Angeles general circulation model confirms the previously noted sensitivity of stratospheric forecasts to tropospheric forecasts and emphasizes the importance of adequate vertical resolution in modeling the stratosphere. The ECM simulations provide a schematic description of the three-dimensional evolution of the polar vortex and the motion of air through it. During the warming, the two cyclonic vortices tilt westward and equatorward with height. Strong upward velocities develop in the lower stratosphere on the west (cold) side of a baroclinic zone as it forms over Europe and Asia. Strong downward velocities appear in the upper stratosphere on the east (warm) side, strengthening the temperature gradients. After the peak of the warming, vertical velocities decrease, downward velocities move into the lower stratosphere, and upward velocities move into the upper stratosphere.
Evolution and Design of Protein Structure by Folding Nucleus Symmetric Expansion

Summary Models of symmetric protein evolution typically invoke gene duplication and fusion events, in which repetition of a structural motif generates foldable, stable symmetric protein architecture. Success of such evolutionary processes suggests that the duplicated structural motif must be capable of nucleating protein folding. If correct, symmetric expansion of a folding nucleus sequence derived from an extant symmetric fold may be an elegant and computationally tractable solution to de novo protein design. We report the efficient de novo design of a β-trefoil protein by symmetric expansion of a β-trefoil folding nucleus, previously identified by ɸ-value analysis. The resulting protein, having exact sequence symmetry, exhibits superior folding properties compared to its naturally evolved progenitor—with the potential for redundant folding nuclei. In principle, folding nucleus symmetric expansion can be applied to any given symmetric protein fold (that is, nearly one-third of the known proteome) provided information of the folding nucleus is available.
Chemical vapor infiltration of non-oxide ceramic matrix composites

Continuous fiber ceramic composites are enabling new, high temperature structural applications. Chemical vapor infiltration methods for producing these composites are being investigated, with the complexity of filament weaves and deposition chemistry merged with standard heat and mass transport relationships. Silicon carbide- based materials are, by far, the most mature, and are already being used in aerospace applications. This paper addresses the state-of-the-art of the technology and outlines current issues.
Use of Trialkyl Ammonium Phosphate (TAAP) Buffers in Reverse Phase HPLC for High Resolution and High Recovery of Peptides and Proteins

Abstract A new buffer system compatible with reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP -HPLC) column packings and giving high recoveries and high resolution for peptides and proteins is described. The TEAP buffer (triethylammonium phosphate), one of several TAAP buffers (trialkylammonium phosphate) compatible with RP-HPLC, gives high resolution and high recovery for closely related peptides or proteins as well as day to day reproducibility. It is UV transparent to less than 200 nm, extremely versatile, and could probably be used for several other classes of compounds (phosphatidyl cholines and sphingomyelin, for example). Furthermore, this system is compatible with in vitro and in vivo biological systems after removal of the organic solvent. We have applied our system to the purification of radioactive peptides, i.e. the separation and total recovery of tritiated luteinizing hormone releasing factor (LRF) from closely related radioactive impurities. Peptides and proteins as different as LRF, s...
Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices in the ICU

The medical community has used implantable mechanical circulatory support devices at increasing rates for patients dying from heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Newer-generation devices offer a more durable and compact option when compared with bulky early-generation devices. This article is a succinct introduction and overview of the hemodynamic principles and complications after device implantation for ICU clinicians. We review the concepts of device physiology, clinical pearls for perioperative management, and common medical complications after device implantation.
Relaxin stimulates cAMP production in MCF-7 cells upon overexpression of type V adenylyl cyclase.

Relaxin stimulates cAMP production and activation of ERK and PI3K in THP-1 cells. Relaxin also stimulates protein kinase C zeta (PKCζ) translocation to the plasma membrane in a PI3K-dependent manner in THP-1 and MCF-7 cells. However, relaxin did not increase cAMP production in MCF-7 cells. We overexpressed different adenylyl cyclase (AC) isoforms in MCF-7 cells to examine coupling of endogenous relaxin receptors to cAMP production. Overexpression of types II and IV AC had no effect on cAMP production by relaxin. However, overexpression of type V AC, which is activated by PKCζ, showed synergistic stimulation of cAMP by relaxin and forskolin.
The sea urchin's siren.

Abstract This issue of Developmental Biology features articles that constitute a new wave of insights into how a genome interacts with itself (as DNA) and with effectors—proteins and probably RNAs, collectively operating as a kind of “cis-trans” dualism. We learned a test for allelism in genetics class that bore that Latin name but now it comes as a new day for biological science—a welcome era in which a phenomenon as complex as development can be envisioned from principles of chemical binding energy and specificity. The buzzword (the term is just—as there is deserved buzz) is that the genome is hard-wired, in the sense that it has been shaped to both encode and react to a regulatory network, of which it is itself a part. I here review some of the milestones of embryology in which the sea urchin was the key player, segueing into the modern era in which this organism launched an entirely new intellectual construct of genome organization and gene expression during development. This essay also contains a number of personal perspectives as well as some views on the overall epistemological fabric of developmental biology. Like all of us, I am excited to see the S. purpuratus genome appear and heartily congratulate, by writing this essay, the trailblazers whose intellectual courage and persistence has brought us to this happy position.
Skeletal Muscle Reflex in Heart Failure Patients Role of Hydrogen

Background— An important role of the increased stimulation of skeletal muscle ergoreceptors (intramuscular afferents sensitive to products of muscle work) in the genesis of symptoms of exertion intolerance in chronic heart failure (CHF) has been proposed. With the use of selective infusions and dietary manipulation methods, we sought to identify the role of H+, K+, lactate, and peripheral hemodynamics on ergoreflex overactivation. Methods and Results— Ten stable CHF patients (aged 67.9±2.5 years, peak oxygen uptake 16.3±1.2 mL · kg−1 · min−1) and 10 age-matched and sex-matched healthy subjects were studied. The ergoreflex contribution to ventilation was assessed by post-handgrip regional circulatory occlusion (PH-RCO) and computed as the difference in ventilation between PH-RCO and a control run without PH-RCO. This test was performed on 6 separate occasions. On each occasion a different chemical was infused (insulin, sodium nitroprusside, sodium bicarbonate, dopamine, or saline) or a 36-hour glucose-free...
Methods for estimating the proper length of a cane

Abstract Objective: To find a practical method of cane length measurement that achieves the elbow flexion of 20° to 30°. Design: Two standard methods of cane length measurements were compared. Method I: Length of the cane measured from the floor to the top of the greater trochanter. Method II: Length of the cane measured from the floor to the distal wrist crease. Using an adjustable cane, each individual was fitted according to the two methods, and elbow angle was measured after each adjustment. Cane length was also correlated with arm length and height. Participants: Fifty-two normal volunteers who were ambulatory without assistive devices. Results: Mean ± SD of the elbow angle according to Method I and Method II was 44.8 ± 11.8 and 25.4 ± 6.1, respectively. A significant difference was found in the elbow angle between the two methods (unpaired two-tailed student t test, p = 5.910−18). Of the 52 volunteers, 4 (7.7%) measured according to method I and 49 (94.3%) measured according to method II showed the elbow angle between 20° and 30°. The ideal length of the cane (L) also can be determined by the formula L = H × .45 + .87 meters or A × .76 + .19 meters, where H is the height of the individual in meters and A is the arm length measured in meters. Conclusion: Ideally, cane length should be measured from the floor to the distal wrist crease. The length can also be determined using the above formulae.
Defining vitamin D deficiency in children: beyond 25-OH vitamin D serum concentrations.

It is generally accepted that of the circulating vitamin D metabolites, serum 25-OH vitamin D (25[OH]D) measurements best reflect clinical vitamin D status. In this issue of Pediatrics , Mansbach et al1 address this issue, namely, what serum levels of 25(OH)D in infants and children should be used to define vitamin D sufficiency and deficiency states? Using the 2001–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's cross-sectional surveys of 25(OH)D serum concentrations in a presumed healthy population of 4558 US children between ages 1 and 11 years, the authors estimate that 320000 US children (95% confidence interval [CI]: 220000–430000) have 25(OH)D levels at <25 nmol/L, 6.3 million children (95% CI: 5.4–7.2 million) have levels at <50 nmol/L, and 24 million children (95% CI: 21–26 million) have levels at <75 nmol/L. Not unexpectedly, the lowest mean values were found in black children, nearly all of whom had levels of <75 nmol/L. If one approximates the total population of US children between 1 and 11 years of age as 40 million,2 the estimated prevalence of 25(OH)D levels of <75 nmol/L would be 60%, and the estimated prevalence with levels of <50 nmol/L would be 16%. Relatively few children (1%) would have serum levels of <27.5 nmol/L, the value used to define the level of deficiency in a 1997 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report.3 However, if one uses a cut-off value of <50 nmol/L, as recently suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics, then this article raises the issue that … Address correspondence to Frank R. Greer, MD, Meritor Hospital, Perinatal Center, 202 S Park St, Madison, WI 53715. E-mail: frgreer{at}pediatrics.wisc.edu
Modeling emotions for choosing between deliberation and action

Agents that operate in the real world have to make decisions on how long they can deliberate before they act. If the agent deliberates for too long, the agent may miss a deadline or the environment may change such that the preconditions for acting may no longer hold true. If the agent acts too quickly without proper deliberation, it may miss opportunities or may even perform the wrong action. Artificial agents with a metacognitive ability to monitor and influence its deliberation and action can potentially make intelligent decisions on when to stop deliberating and start acting. This research is motivated by the evidence that suggests the role of emotions in the cognitive activities of humans. This paper describes how a model of emotions can be applied to enhance the metacognitive capabilities of an artificial agent to choose between deliberation and action. The emotional model is illustrated within the domain of an air traffic control simulation system.
Ar and Kr adsorption on Ag(111)

Abstract Precise structural and thermodynamic studies of Kr and of Ar adsorbed on Ag(111) are made using low energy electron diffraction. The phase diagram, lattice constants of the unconstrained monolayer and of the monolayer in equilibrium with the bilayer, latent heats of adsorption and isosteric heats are measured. The results are similar to those of an earlier study of Xe adsorbed on Ag(111). The results are compared to model calculations using effective lateral interactions which are similar to those for Xe/Ag(111). Comparison of the results for Xe, Kr, and Ar on Ag(111) is made using corresponding states scalings. A comparison is also made with properties of the non-registry phases of Xe, Kr, and Ar on basal plane graphite.
Sampling to characterize landscape pattern

Current reseach suggests that metrics of landscape pattern may reflect ecological processes operating at different scales and may provide an appropriate indicator for monitoring regional ecological changes. This paper examines the extent to which a 1/16 areal subset of the landscape using equally spaced 40-km2 hexagons can characterize the spatial extent of land cover types and landscape pattern (number of types of edges, patch shape complexity, dominance, and contagion). For 200-m resolution data the hexagon subset gives a reasonable estimate of overall landscape cover but may not be adequate for monitoring uncommon land cover types such as wetlands. For agriculture and forest, their proportion of the full landscape units is only outside the 95% confidence interval of the hexagon estimate 4–8% of the time, whereas the proportions for wetland and barren areas are outside the confidence interval 11–34% of the time. The hexagon subset also does not appear to be adequate as the sole basis for monitoring landscape pattern. The values for contagion, dominance, and shape complexity calculated on the full landscape units are outside the 95% confidence interval of the hexagon estimate 27–76% of the time. Other statistical analyses include regressions between full landscape and hexagon subsets, mean differences and standard errors along with tests on number of positive and negative values, and percent relative error of hexagon estimates. Although the research described in this article has been funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under Interagency Agreement DW89934921-01-0 with the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-84OR21400 with Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., it has not been subjected to Agency review. Therefore, it does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
New Insights into the Tumor Metastatic Process Revealed by Gene Expression Profiling

Gene expression profiling holds promise for cancer diagnosis, the identification of prognostic and predictive markers, and the discovery of fundamental insights into cancer processes such as metastasis. Despite increasing numbers of papers devoted to gene expression profiling, interpretation of the data has been subject to many variables and our understanding remains incomplete. In this issue of The American Journal of Pathology, Montel et al1 report an extensive gene expression profiling analysis using xenografts of MDA-MB-435 human breast carcinoma cells. The report, because of the relative simplicity of the model system as compared to human tumors, provides several clear results for further consideration. The model system consisted of two clonal sublines of MDA-MB-435 breast carcinoma cells, designated NM-2C5 and CL 16, which were of low and high tumor metastatic potential respectively to both the lungs and lymph nodes. The CL 16 line was the product of five rounds of serial orthotopic injection of a high metastatic subline, and re-culture of metastatic lesions. Both sublines were labeled to visualize metastases by fluorescence. The MDA-MB-435 cell line has been reported to be breast in origin, with phenotypic heterogeneity on microarray analysis.2 Microarrays were conducted comparing primary tumors from each line to lymph node metastases of the same subline, lung metastases of the same subline, and primary tumors of the other subline. Data were obtained using tumors from SCID mice as a training set and validated with data from the same lines injected into nude mice as a test set. The authors also performed microarrays on in vitro cultures of the sublines. A proportion of the differentially expressed genes were confirmed by RT-PCR and by protein methods.
Tritium systems: Issues and answers

The Office of Fusion Energy discusses tritium issues. The major issues where tritium technology has an impact on the fusion program is the fuel cycle and fuel reprocessing, safety and environment protection, and the breeding and blanket extraction systems. Work on the development of the fuel cycle and fuel reprocessing systems in the fuel program is being done. Cryogenic distillation as a means of separating hydrogen isotopes is a method being used. The author discusses the environmental, safety, and personnel protection systems that have to be evaluated. A photograph shows the facility. The TRIO experiment at Argonne is one where gamma-lithium aluminate was put into a specially designed cell, and put it in thef A-2 core position and irradiated the material, breeding tritium from the neutron interaction with lithium.
Identifying Molecular Targets of Lifestyle Modifications in Colon Cancer Prevention

One in four deaths in the United States is cancer-related, and colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-associated deaths. Screening strategies are utilized but have not reduced disease incidence or mortality. In this regard, there is an interest in cancer preventive strategies focusing on lifestyle intervention, where specific etiologic factors involved in cancer initiation, promotion, and progression could be targeted. For example, exposure to dietary carcinogens, such as nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons influences colon carcinogenesis. Furthermore, dietary deficiencies could alter sensitivity to genetic damage and influence carcinogen metabolism contributing to CRC. High alcohol consumption increases the risk of mutations including the fact that acetaldehyde, an ethanol metabolite, is classified as a group 1 carcinogen. Tobacco smoke exposure is also a risk factor for cancer development; approximately 20% of CRCs are associated with smoking. Additionally, obese patients have a higher risk of cancer development, which is further supported by the fact that physical activity decreases CRC risk by 55%. Similarly, chronic inflammatory conditions also increase the risk of CRC development. Moreover, the circadian clock alters digestion and regulates other biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes that could influence CRC. Taken together, colon carcinogenesis involves a number of etiological factors, and therefore, to create effective preventive strategies, molecular targets need to be identified and beleaguered prior to disease progression. With this in mind, the following is a comprehensive review identifying downstream target proteins of the above lifestyle risk factors, which are modulated during colon carcinogenesis and could be targeted for CRC prevention by novel agents including phytochemicals.
Control of TCF-4 expression by VDR and vitamin D in the mouse mammary gland and colorectal cancer cell lines.

Background The vitamin D receptor (VDR) pathway is important in the prevention and potentially in the treatment of many cancers. One important mechanism of VDR action is related to its interaction with the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Agonist-bound VDR inhibits the oncogenic Wnt/beta-catenin/TCF pathway by interacting directly with beta-catenin and in some cells by increasing cadherin expression which, in turn, recruits beta-catenin to the membrane. Here we identify TCF-4, a transcriptional regulator and beta-catenin binding partner as an indirect target of the VDR pathway. Methodology/principal findings In this work, we show that TCF-4 (gene name TCF7L2) is decreased in the mammary gland of the VDR knockout mouse as compared to the wild-type mouse. Furthermore, we show 1,25(OH)2D3 increases TCF-4 at the RNA and protein levels in several human colorectal cancer cell lines, the effect of which is completely dependent on the VDR. In silico analysis of the human and mouse TCF7L2 promoters identified several putative VDR binding elements. Although TCF7L2 promoter reporters responded to exogenous VDR, and 1,25(OH)2D3, mutation analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, showed that the increase in TCF7L2 did not require recruitment of the VDR to the identified elements and indicates that the regulation by VDR is indirect. This is further confirmed by the requirement of de novo protein synthesis for this up-regulation. Conclusions/significance Although it is generally assumed that binding of beta-catenin to members of the TCF/LEF family is cancer-promoting, recent studies have indicated that TCF-4 functions instead as a transcriptional repressor that restricts breast and colorectal cancer cell growth. Consequently, we conclude that the 1,25(OH)2D3/VDR-mediated increase in TCF-4 may have a protective role in colon cancer as well as diabetes and Crohn's disease.
Lower crustal granulite formation during Mesoproterozoic Namaqua-Natal collisional orogenesis, southern Africa

Single-grain U-Pb zircon and monazite geochronology and whole rock Sm-Nd isotopic systematics constrain the timing of metamorphism and protolith ages for granulitic lower crustal xenoliths from the Eastern Namaqualand and Northern Lesotho kimberlites of southern Africa. From these data, inferences regarding the Proterozoic tectonic evolution of the southern African continent, the mechanisms of lower crustal granulite formation, and the present day architecture of the lithosphere are drawn. U-Pb geochronology demonstrates that the granulitization of pre-existing Archean to Mesoproterozoic lower crust is a ~1.1 to ~1.0 Ga phenomenon, resulting from convergent margin tectonic activity represented by the Kaapvaal craton-bounding Proterozoic Namaqua-Natal orogenic belts. Episodic accessory mineral growth related to high-grade metamorphism of the Northern Lesotho granulites occurred at ~1.10, ~1.04 and ~1.00 Ga, first in response to crustal thickening associated with thrust stacking of the Tugela terranes across the southern margin of the Kaapvaal craton and juxtaposition of the adjoined Mzumbe terrane at ~1.10 Ga, and then by subsequent crustal accretion along an enigmatic southern convergent margin between ~1.04 and ~1.00 Ga. In Eastern Namaqualand, where Phanerozoic sediments obscure the basement architecture, crustal xenoliths illuminate the Namaqua front as a narrowing band of Mesoproterozoic Gordonia subprovince lithologies wedged between the Archean Kaapvaal craton margin and a Paleoproterozoic terrane of Bushmanland subprovince affinity. Metamorphism in the lower crust was episodic in Eastern Namaqualand, producing granulites in the margin of the Kaapvaal craton and the adjacent Gordonia subprovince lower crust at ~1.10 Ga, likely related to crustal thickening associated with collision of the Bushmanland microcontinent. In lower crustal xenoliths of the most southerly Bushmanland terrane kimberlites, ~1.00 Ga high-grade metamorphism is significantly younger, and like the contemporaneous metamorphism in Northern Lesotho xenoliths, may be related to continued crustal accretion of terranes along a southern convergent margin. In both Northern Lesotho and Eastern Namaqualand, the timing and spatial patterns of lower crustal granulite metamorphism are more consistent with models for granulite genesis involving crustal thickening related to collisional orogenesis, rather than advective heating through underplating of mafic magmas into the lower crust. With regard to the present-day crustal structure of southern Africa, crustal thickness variations across the Namaqua front at the southwestern margin of the Kaapvaal craton are clearly related to orogenic thickening and the formation of a granulitic lower crust at ~1.1 to ~1.0 Ga. This ≥10km step in crustal thickness is a likely manifestation of late stage transpressional shearing and steepening of the Archean-Proterozoic boundary, and is a long-lived feature of the southern African lithospheric architecture.
Sellars, concepts and conceptual change

Much discussion in recent philosophy of science assumes an holistic view of conceptual systems without providing any analysis of the nature of such systems. For several decades, however, Sellars has been attempting to develop and defend such a view. In this paper I examine Sellars' version of an holistic theory of concepts, discuss some of the objections to this view, and consider what insight Sellars' analysis can provide for problems concerning the introduction of new scientific concepts, and the nature of conceptual change in science.
Knowledge-Based Condition Survey Inspection Concepts

The U.S. Army’s Engineer Research and Development Center—Construction Engineering Research Laboratory has developed a “knowledge-based” approach to planning and conducting routine facility inspections. Rather than simply recording deficiencies on a calendar-based schedule this new approach uses knowledge of facilities to develop and execute a tailored inspection plan for individually defined facility “management units.” This knowledge includes measurable attributes such as facility importance, management unit importance, condition (past, present, and predicted future), desired condition thresholds, and expected asset remaining life. Also, recognizing that there are several inspection objectives to be met at different times in a management unit life cycle, different levels of inspections may be used at different times to attain those objectives. The “knowledge-based condition survey inspection (KBCSI)” approach marries all of these elements together to develop inspection plans for a vast array of facility ...
m,T Group Maintenance Policies

A model that recognizes the advantages of coordinated group maintenance planning is established. The maintenance policy that is investigated calls for group maintenance to be conducted at time T or upon m failures, whichever comes first. This policy combines the best features of the well-known T-age and m-failure replacement policies. Using a renewal approach the economic objective is to minimize the long-run expected average cost per unit time. General cost structures and failure time distributions are allowed. An algorithm that does not require unimodality properties is provided for computing optimal policies for general failure time distribution and cost structures.
Observation of atomic-pair absorption with an incoherent source.

We report the observation of atomic-pair absorption in barium and in barium–thallium vapors using a white-light source. At atomic densities on the order of 1017 atoms/cm3 we measure absorptions of 2.9% cm−1 for Ba–Ba and 2.3% cm−1 for Ba–Tl. In both cases, the absorption maxima occur at the predicted (R = ∞) wavelength and have a full width at half maximum of approximately 15 cm−1.
Effects of Ring Groove and Duty Cycle on Plasma Actuator Performance in High Speed Jets

Localized arc filament plasma actuators (LAFPAs) have been used at The Gas Dynamics and Turbulence Laboratory (GDTL) for the purpose of controlling the downstream development of and noise radiation from a 1-inch (2.54-cm) nozzle exit diameter jet. The capability of LAFPAs for use in both subsonic and supersonic jets has been explored, and experiments to date have shown that these actuators have significant potential for mixing enhancement and noise control applications. While it has been established that the actuators manipulate instabilities of the jet, the mechanism by which the actuators interact with the instabilities is unclear. All of the results previously reported by GDTL have been based on a LAFPA housing (nozzle extension) which has an azimuthal groove of 1-mm width and 0.5mm depth along the inner surface. The ring groove was initially added to shield the plasma arcs from the high-speed jet flow. However, the effect of the ring groove on the actuation mechanism is not known. To explore this effect a new nozzle extension is designed, which relocates the electrodes to the nozzle extension face and eliminates the ring groove. Schlieren images, acoustic and particle image velocimetry (PIV) results of a Mach 0.9 jet of Reynolds number ~6.6×10 5 show that the same trends and magnitudes are achieved with and without a ring groove. Thus, it is concluded that the ring groove is not essential to the LAFPA control mechanism. Furthermore, the effect of the duty cycle of the actuator pulse on the LAFPA’s control is investigated. PIV results along with voltage and current traces of the plasma arcs show that the minimum duty cycle that provides complete plasma formation has the greatest control over the jet.
Global tectonics of a despun planet

Abstract Mercury, the Moon, and many large satellites of the major planets have been tidally despun from an initially faster rotation. These bodies probably possessed equatorial bulges which relaxed as they lost their spin. An analysis of the stresses induced in an elastic shell by the relaxation of an equatorial bulge indicates that differential stresses may reach a few kilobars and that the tectonic pattern developed depends mainly upon the shell thickness. In every model studied the azimuthal stress σϕϕ is larger (more compressive) than the meridional stress σθθ. For a thin elastic shell (thickness less than one-twentieth of the planet's radius) the zone from the equator to 48° latitude is characterized by strike-slip faulting. Poleward of this, normal faults and graben trending east-west are expected. Thicker elastic shells acquire an equatorial belt of thrust faults with east-west throw and rough north-south trends. These tectonic styles may be modified by a small (0.05-0.1%) radial expansion or contraction. Expansion shifts the polar normal faulting province toward the equator, while contraction shifts the equatorial provinces poleward. These patterns are not substantially altered by plastic yielding of the shell, although the equatorial thrust fault province is suppressed by strike-slip faulting until strike-slip faults occur poleward of 64.8° latitude. We conclude that there are many tectonic patterns consistent with despinning and radial contraction or expansion, but they must all be consistent with σϕϕ > σθθ. These results also indicate that the polar regions of a despun planet are of particular interest in deciding whether a given lineament system is due to stresses induced by the relaxation of the planet's equatorial bulge.
Anabolic effect of plant brassinosteroid

Brassinosteroids are plant-derived polyhydroxylated derivatives of 5a-cholestane, structurally similar to cholesterol-derived animal steroid hormones and insect ecdysteroids, with no known function in mammals. 28-Homobrassinolide (HB), a steroidal lactone with potent plant growth-promoting property, stimulated protein synthesis and inhibited protein degradation in L6 rat skeletal muscle cells (EC(50) 4 μM) mediated in part by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Oral administration of HB (20 or 60 mg/kg/d for 24 d) to healthy rats fed normal diet (protein content 23.9%) increased food intake, body weight gain, lean body mass, and gastrocnemius muscle mass as compared with vehicle-treated controls. The effect of HB administration increased slightly in animals fed a high-protein diet (protein content 39.4%). Both oral (up to 60 mg/kg) and subcutaneous (up to 4 mg/kg) administration of HB showed low androgenic activity when tested in the Hershberger assay. Moreover, HB showed no direct binding to the androgen receptor in vitro. HB treatment was also associated with an improved physical fitness of untrained healthy rats, as evident from a 6.7% increase in lower extremity strength, measured by grip test. In the gastrocnemius muscle of castrated animals, HB treatment significantly increased the number of type IIa and IIb fibers and the cross-sectional area of type I and type IIa fibers. These findings suggest that oral application of HB triggers selective anabolic response with minimal or no androgenic side-effects and begin to elucidate the putative cellular targets for plant brassinosteroids in mammals.
Unsteady nature of shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction

This study addresses the unsteady aspect of shock-wave/turbulent boundary-layer interaction. The interaction was generated using a two-dimensional compression ramp at a freestream Mach number of 2.9. Three models were tested, with flow conditions ranging from fully separated to incipient separation. An array of flushmounted, miniature, high-frequency pressure transducers was used to make multichannel measurements of the fluctuating wall pressure within the interaction. The present results show that, upstream of the mean separation line, the flow is dominated by the large-scale "flapping" motions of a single sharp shock wave. Instantaneously, this shock front is considerably spanwise nonuniform, giving it a "rippling" appearance. In the separated region, however, convective turbulence phenomena play a much larger role. The energy containing turbulent eddies above the recirculation zone and traveling in the downstream direction appear to be the major contributors to the wall pressure fluctuations. Here, the time scale of the pressure signals is found to decrease significantly as the shock strength is increased.
New HLA-B alleles identified and sequences extended in potential bone marrow donors: B*5804, B*4418, B*1558, and B*4805

Nucleic acid-based methods for allele identification have revealed more than 470 polymorphic variants at the HLA-B locus. Screening of potential bone marrow donors with sequence specific primer polymerase chain reactions and sequence specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization assays revealed apparent variants within the B*58, *44, *15, and *48 allele groups. DNA sequencing of cloned DNA identified the new alleles B*5804, B*4418, and B*1558 within these groups and observed new sequence information for the previously reported allele B*4805. These findings further extend our knowledge of the substantial genetic variation present at the HLA-B locus within human populations.
Concurrent chemotherapy and reduced-dose cranial spinal irradiation followed by conformal posterior fossa tumor bed boost for average-risk medulloblastoma: efficacy and patterns of failure.

Abstract Purpose To review the efficacy and patterns of failure in average-risk medulloblastoma patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy and reduced-dose cranial spinal irradiation and a conformal tumor bed boost. Methods and materials Thirty-three patients with average risk (defined as ≤1.5 cm 2 of residual tumor after resection, age >3 years, and no involvement of the cerebrospinal fluid or spine [M0]) medulloblastoma were diagnosed at our institution between January 1994 and December 2001. They were enrolled in an institutional pilot protocol consisting of concurrent chemotherapy (vincristine), reduced-dose cranial spinal irradiation (2340 cGy), a conformal primary tumor bed boost (3240 cGy), followed by eight cycles of chemotherapy (vincristine, cisplatin, and lomustine or cyclophosphamide). The median age at diagnosis of the 33 patients was 7 years (range, 3–21 years). The male/female patient ratio was 2.4:1. The median follow-up of the entire group was 37 months (range, 6–96 months), and the median follow-up of the survivors was 44 months (range, 10–96 months). Results The 5-year estimated disease-free survival rate, as determined by Kaplan-Meier plots, was 86% (±12.6%, 95% confidence interval). The 5-year estimated disease-free posterior fossa control and primary tumor bed control rates were both 94% (±8.2%, 95% confidence interval). The patterns of failure included 2 patients with distant central nervous system failure only, 1 patient who developed local primary tumor bed failure, posterior fossa failure, and diffuse leptomeningeal spread simultaneously, and 1 patient with failure in the high-dose, primary tumor bed field. No patient experienced isolated posterior fossa failure outside the high-dose boost region. Conclusion The treatment of average-risk medulloblastoma with chemotherapy, reduced-dose cranial spinal irradiation, and a conformal tumor bed boost results in survival rates and local control rates comparable to those in contemporary studies. A reduction in the amount of posterior fossa treated to the high dose is possible. These results need to be corroborated in a large, cooperative group study.
Cultural Competency in the Medical Genetics Classroom: A Case Study for a Diverse Learning Community

Medical educators have embraced the commitment to teach and support their diverse learning community as an integral facet of their educational philosophy. This study explores application of this principle to a first-year medical genetics small group exercise. The author developed and implemented a case study exploring sickle cell disease and ancestry-based genetic predispositions in the Boston University School of Medicine Medical Genetics course. Because the small group composition itself deliberately maximized student diversity, it was an ideal setting to tap into the wide range of student experience. The author measured knowledge gain, using a pre- and post-test model, and student engagement through course evaluations. Pairing case-based discussion and diverse student groups created an engaging curricular exercise designed to explore clinical issues related to diversity. Implementation of the case demonstrated significant knowledge gains on genetic concepts specifically related to genetic predispositions and testing strategies that are influenced by a patient’s ancestry. Students reported especially strong motivation to understand issues of clinical importance in the case. Because many medical school courses utilize small group teaching, tailoring these strategies, as described in this study, would help to strengthen an institution’s commitment to diversity by blending learning in cultural competency and medical science.
Intellectual Property in the Connected Age

Concerns about intellectual property for nursing are becoming increasingly acute as information becomes highly accessible in the digital age. Nurse faculty members need to check policies of the agencies that they work for to evaluate explicit written policies for their protection and full understanding of the agency’s rights.
An Enrichment Program for Gifted Learning Disabled Students.

Professionals interested in gifted/learning disabled students have found that these students have educational needs different from those of their learning disabled peers with average ability. This article describes and evaluates a pilot enrichment program designed to meet their needs. Seven bright learning disabled youngsters in grades 4 and 5 met for 2½ hours a week over a nine-month period to develop their strengths and interests through challenging enrichment activities. Six of the seven students showed gains in self-esteem, learning behavior, and creative productivity.
Mini-rank: Adaptive DRAM architecture for improving memory power efficiency

The widespread use of multicore processors has dramatically increased the demand on high memory bandwidth and large memory capacity. As DRAM subsystem designs stretch to meet the demand, memory power consumption is now approaching that of processors. However, the conventional DRAM architecture prevents any meaningful power and performance trade-offs for memory-intensive workloads. We propose a novel idea called mini-rank for DDRx (DDR/DDR2/DDR3) DRAMs, which uses a small bridge chip on each DRAM DIMM to break a conventional DRAM rank into multiple smaller mini-ranks so as to reduce the number of devices involved in a single memory access. The design dramatically reduces the memory power consumption with only a slight increase on the memory idle latency. It does not change the DDRx bus protocol and its configuration can be adapted for the best performance-power trade-offs. Our experimental results using four-core multiprogramming workloads show that using x32 mini-ranks reduces memory power by 27.0% with 2.8% performance penalty and using x16 mini-ranks reduces memory power by 44.1% with 7.4% performance penalty on average for memory-intensive workloads, respectively.