cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tissue Doppler imaging in the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function.

Purpose of reviewDescribe the rationale behind, and clinical use of, tissue Doppler (TD) imaging in the assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, with a focus on recent developments.Recent findingsTissue Doppler imaging is a novel echocardiographic technique that directly measures myoc
Clinical implementation of wedge filter optimization in three-dimensional radiotherapy treatment planning.

Abstract Background and purpose: To describe a wedge filter optimization technique which automatically chooses the beam weights and wedge filters and to demonstrate the implementation of the algorithm in clinical three-dimensional (3D) radiotherapy treatment planning. Material and methods: Given the incident directions and beam energies of J beams, the dose distribution is a function of the beam weights, wedge angles, and wedge orientations. Instead of decomposing an incident field into a superposition of an open and two nominal wedged fields and then optimizing their weights, the algorithm optimizes the objective function with respect to the beam weights, wedge angles and wedge orientations directly. A salient feature of the algorithm is that no planner intervention was required in the selection of wedge filters during the optimization process. A dose-based objective function which incorporated the relative importance of structures was adopted in this work. The objective function was minimized by the method of simulated annealing. The technique was demonstrated by using a phantom study and two clinical cases. Results: For the phantom case, the classical wedge pair result was obtained, providing a useful test of the algorithm. Dose distributions and dose–volume histograms for the target and surrounding organs were presented for the two clinical cases. It was also shown that dose homogeneity to the target could be compromised by increasing the relative importance factors to the surrounding organs. Conclusions: A 3D wedge filter optimization algorithm has been developed. The technique has the potential to fully automate the 3D radiotherapy treatment planning process. In addition, treatment planning time and efforts were significantly reduced.
A new simulation model for mobile-to-mobile Rayleigh fading channels

A new statistical sum-of-sinusoids simulation model is proposed for mobile-to-mobile Rayleigh fading channels and compared with existing simulation models. The new proposed model has a lower variance of the auto-correlation functions, i.e., it converges faster and has a lower correlation between the in-phase and quadrature components of the complex faded envelope than existing simulation models. This model yields adequate statistics with only 30 simulation runs
Relevance ratings and salience categorizations for objects in a set of 80 pictures.

In this study, we provide normative data for objects in a set of 80 digital color pictures (e.g., nature scenes, human activities, cartoon characters, magazine covers). In Experiment 1, four objects in each picture were rated by 48 observers on a 6-point Likert scale for their relevance to the overall meaning of the scene. In Experiment 2, Salience Toolbox software (Walther & Koch, 2006) provided additional information about whether the four relevance-rated objects were located in areas that were high or low in visual salience. Brief descriptions of the four objects, their locations in the picture, their categorizations as high or low in salience, the means and standard deviations of their relevance ratings, and statistical analyses specifying which pairs of objects in a picture differed significantly on their relevance to the meaning of the scene are given in the Appendix. An example is provided of how the pictures could be used to create stimuli for a change blindness task in which detection of item onset versus offset is contrasted for low-relevance and high-relevance features. The 80 pictures are accessible as jpg files from the first author’s Web site at http://marcellm.people.cofc.edu/research.htm.
A simple method of rapid freezing adequately preserves brain tissue for immunocytochemistry, light and electron microscopic examination

A simple and reproducible method for cryo-preservation of brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease is described. Fresh brain slices (1 cm thick) obtained less than 6 h postmortem are placed in sealed plastic bags, sandwiched between 0.3-cm-thick aluminium sheets, and frozen by placing the entire “sandwich” between layers of dry ice pellets. The frozen brain slices are stored at −85 °C. Specific anatomic areas can be retrieved at any time for light and electron microscopic, immunocytochemical, autoradiographic and neurochemical studies.
Trypsin inhibition of photosynthetic pyridine nucleotide reduction

Abstract 1. 1. Photosynthetic pyridine nucleotide reduction is rapidly inhibited by trypsin, the extent of which depends on (i) the order of addition of components to reaction mixtures and (ii) the amount of trypsin added. The inhibited rate appears to be a steady-state rate and is a function of the concentration of trypsin. 2. 2. A partial restoration of the rapidly inhibited rate of NADP+ reduction can be achieved by subsequent addition of trypsin inhibitor. 3. 3. Rapid inhibition by trypsin is not manifested in either methylviologen-catalyzed oxygen consumption or ferredoxin-dependent cytochrome c photoreduction. Nor is there any effect of trypsin on ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase-catalyzed diaphorase reactions. 4. 4. It is suggested that trypsin binds rapidly to the chloroplast membrane and inhibits electron flow from the primary acceptor of Photosystem I to ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase.
A modeling study of O2 and OH airglow perturbations induced by atmospheric gravity waves

[1] A one-dimensional model is used to investigate the relations between gravity waves and O2 and OH airglows perturbations. The amplitude and phase of the airglow perturbations induced by gravity waves (with period > 20 min) are calculated for different vertical wavelength (10–50 km) and damping rate. The model shows that for vertically propagating gravity waves, the amplitude of airglow perturbations observed from ground is larger for longer vertical wavelength, because of the smaller cancellation effect within each layer. The ratio of the amplitudes between O2 and OH is smaller for larger wave damping. For upward propagating (downward phase progression) waves, the intensity perturbation in O2 leads OH, and their phase difference (O2 minus OH) is larger for smaller vertical length and/or stronger damping. The rotational temperature perturbation leads intensity perturbation in both layers. Their phase difference is also larger for smaller vertical length but is smaller for stronger damping. Based on these relations, the vertical wavelength and damping rate of gravity waves can be derived from simultaneous measurements of airglow perturbations in O2 and OH layers.
Studies on the mechanism of protection by aurintricarboxylic acid in beryllium poisoning. III. Correlation of molecular structure with reversal of biologic effects of beryllium.

Abstract More than seventy different substances have been tested to ascertain the relations between the number, kind, and position of functional groups, and the ability of an organic molecule to reverse two biologic effects of Be—the inhibition of plasma alkaline phosphatase and death in acutely poisoned mice. All compounds that failed to reverse the Be-induced inhibition of the enzyme also lacked antidotal activity. On the other hand, a compound that reversed the enzymatic inhibition did not necessarily protect mice from Be poisoning. The effectiveness of a molecule in reversing the biologic effects of Be is dependent upon a number of chemical and biologic factors, including the ability to form a stable five- or six-membered chelate ring with Be, molecular size, presence of hydrophilic groups, proton affinity of chelating groups, metabolism, and toxicity.
Relativistic hartree—fock compton profiles for the rare gases and lead

Abstract Calculations of relativistic Hartree-Fock Compton profile J ( q ) for the rare gases and Pb, performed for values of q between 0 and 100, are compared with the nonrelativistic calculations. Comparison with experimental profile data is made for Ar and Kr. For q between 0.0 and 0.4 in Kr, much closer agreement with experiment is obtained when the relativistic Hartree-Fock wavefunction is used to perform the profile calculation than when the non-relativistic Hartree-Fock wavefunction is used. Percentage decreases in J (0) due to using a relativistic wavefunction are found to be 0.187% in Ar, 0.712% in Kr, 1.47% in Xe, and 5.24% in Pb. Our studies show that relativistic profile flattening in the outer s and p orbitals is significant. This tends to a larger flattening of the total profile than might be expected a priori.
Absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra of allene

Abstract Absorption and MCD spectra of allene have been studied in the gas phase and in solution in the region 230-155 nm. Valence and Rydberg states have been differentiated by comparison of the spectra of the two phases. The MCD spectra are valuable in that they provide good evidence in support of the assumption that the lowest member of the Rydberg series π2e → ns ( 1 E) is split by a Jahn—Teller effect, as has been assumed previously by Robin.
Eadiea Neurotrichus, N. Sp. (Prostigmata: Myobiidae) from Neurotrichus Gibbsii (Insectivora: Talpidae)

Eadiea neurotriehus , n. sp. is described and compared with the related species E. brevihamata from Talpa europaea . It differs (among females) from all other species of Eadiea except E. brevihamata in having the combination of characters: the setae sc i short and subequal to v i and also the trochanter setae peglike and striated. It is smaller than E. brevihamata and has claws II equal with bifid ends; in E. brevihamata claws II are unequal with rounded ends.
Globalization and maxillofacial surgery: a strategy for the future.

The world is globalizing and this trend poses challenges and opportunities for our specialty. As a result of globalization, diseases, patients, providers, trainees, and research are all moving across borders. The current problem is that there is only limited accreditation of healthcare facilities, and no standardized accreditation of medical and dental schools, graduate medical education, clinical research facilities, assessment of clinicians, or licensing of providers. Therefore, there are wide variations in healthcare quality, safety, education, training, and competency among healthcare providers. It is therefore critical that our specialty take a leadership role in limiting these variations and assuring professional competency and high quality clinical care.
Thickness of domain walls in ferroelectric and ferroelastic crystals

Abstract A theory is given that accounts qualitatively for the observations of thin and thick domain walls in ferroelectric and ferroelastic crystals, with special reference to the 90° walls in BaTiO 3 and to the 180° walls in GMO.
Cardiomyopathy Causing Mutations Stabilize an Intermediate State of Thin Filaments

Congenital cardiomyopathies are initiated by changes in ATP hydrolysis and result in hypertrophy, fibrosis, and myofibrillar disarray. We studied the mechanism by which mutations in troponin and tropomyosin change ATPase rates and have linked several mutants to inappropriate switching between the inactive and active states of the actin thin filament. We have shown that troponin I mutants mimicking protein kinase C phosphorylation stabilize the inactive state of actin filaments whereas the Δ14 TnT mutant stabilizes the active state. We have now shown that two mutations on troponin I, R146G and R146W, which cause cardiomyopathy produce complex effects on ATPase activity. These TnI mutations produced increased ATPase rates in the absence of calcium and decreased rates in the presence of calcium compared to wild type. These differences were maintained at high actin concentrations. Saturating concentrations of the activator NEM-S1 equalized the rates of both the mutants and wild type. The NEM-S1 data rule out alterations in rate constants of transitions (i.e. product release) along the active pathway. The results from the R146G and R146W mutants have implications for the function of the 3 structural states of regulated actin that have been observed. That is, the results can be explained most readily if the mutants stabilize an intermediate state in both calcium and EGTA with an activity between that of the inactive and active states. In the past we have assumed that the intermediate state had properties identical to the inactive state. Our current data show that while the intermediate more closely resembles the inactive state it has unique properties. Our present results, as well as previous results, indicate that inappropriate stabilization of any state of regulated actin can result in cardiac dysfunction.
Free energy of conformational changes in vapors from low resolution microwave spectroscopic intensities

Abstract An analysis of the factors controlling the relative intensities of low resolution microwave spectroscopic bands of conformers leads to a formula for Δ G , the free energy difference between two conformers, in terms of the relative intensities of two bands of the same rotational quantum number J . Estimates of the a dipole moment component, and the rotational constants A , B , C , for the two conformers also occur in the formula. A partial experimental test is discussed, which compares two isotopic forms rather than two conformers.
Examination of the similarity between a new Sigmoid function-based consensus ranking method and four commonly-used algorithms

The problem of aggregating individual rankings to create an overall consensus ranking representative of the group is of longstanding interest in group decision making. The problem arises in situations where a group of k Decision Makers (DMs) are asked to rank order n alternatives. The question is how to combine the DMs' rankings into one consensus ranking. Several different approaches have been suggested to aggregate DM responses into a compromise or consensus ranking, however, none is generally recognised as being the best and the similarity of consensus rankings generated by these algorithms is largely unknown. In this paper, we propose a new Weighted-sum ordinal Consensus ranking Method (WCM) with the weights derived from a Sigmoid function. We run Monte Carlo simulation across a range of k and n to compare the similarity of the consensus rankings generated by our method with the best-known method of Borda-Kendall (BAK; Kendall, M. (1962) Rank correlation methods. New York, NY: Hafner) and two other commonly used techniques proposed by Beck, M.P. and Lin, B.W. (1983) 'Some heuristics for the consensus ranking problem', Computers and Operations Research, Vol. 10,
Diagnosis and Management of Hyponatremia

Appropriate treatment of hyponatremic disorders is de pendent on an understanding of the mechanisms that cause these abnormalities. This article offers a patho physiological approach to hypoosmolar...
Carboxyl Groups in Wood Fibers. 2. The Fate of Carboxyl Groups during Alkaline Delignification and Its Application for Fiber Yield Prediction in Alkaline Pulping

Detailed characterizations of the content of carboxyl groups in wood fibers derived from alkaline delignification of loblolly pine using various processes were conducted in this study (part 2) using the method presented in the preceding paper, part 1. It was demonstrated that the content of hexenuronic acid (HexA) groups can be used to account for the carboxyl groups associated with hemicelluloses in wood fibers. The difference between the measured contents of carboxyl and HexA groups can be used to account for the carboxyl groups associated with wood lignin. As a result, the calculated content of carboxyl groups associated with lignin correlated very well to the pulp number. An empirical correlation for predicting fiber yield with the measured contents of carboxyl and HexA groups was developed on the basis of mass conservation. Good agreement between measured and predicted fiber yield for the two wood species studied was obtained.
The domestication of vocal music in enlightenment hamburg

Abstract “Domesticity” is a familiar concept in eighteenth‐century cultural studies, whether understood positively as the privileging of homely virtues, family, and the private sphere, or negatively as the physical confinement and downward revaluation of middle‐class women. This article argues that eighteenth‐century domestic values and behaviors emerged from a broader, less well‐examined, “domesticating process,” defined as the appropriating transformation of something alien into a thing both familiar and useful within the paternally‐dominated domus. And it suggests that the baroque era's vigorous international commerce in musical genres—above all, extravagantly foreign opera—meant that they too were subject to domestication. In Hamburg, home to the longest‐lived commercial opera enterprise of the German baroque, secular vocal music's form, function, and meaning were remade in three distinct phases as opera composers and their audiences negotiated the limits of the “naturalizable.” Begun by Reinhard Keis...
Minuscule Elements of Weyl Groups, the Numbers Game, andd-Complete Posets

Abstract Certain posets associated to a restricted version of the numbers game of Mozes are shown to be distributive lattices. The posets of join irreducibles of these distributive lattices are characterized by a collection of local structural properties, which form the definition of d -complete poset. In representation theoretic language, the top “minuscule portions” of weight diagrams for integrable representations of simply laced Kac–Moody algebras are shown to be distributive lattices. These lattices form a certain family of intervals of weak Bruhat orders. These Bruhat lattices are useful in studying reduced decompositions of λ-minuscule elements of Weyl groups and their associated Schubert varieties. The d -complete posets have recently been proven to possess both the hook length and the jeu de taquin properties.
Negative ion chemical ionization in a quadrupole ion trap using reagent anions injected from an external ion source

Abstract Negative ion chemical ionization is demonstrated in an ion trap mass spectrometer using reagent anions formed in an external ion source and injected into the ion trap. In cases where the major anions formed in the ion source are the reagent anions of choice, the ion trap can be filled to capacity in a few milliseconds. Times several orders of magnitude longer are typically required using the conventional ionization method in the ion trap to accumulate reagent anions. Selected reagent anion chemical ionization is demonstrated using methods available with the ion trap to isolate ions of particular mass/charge values. Reagent anion selection gives greater control over the ionization mechanism(s) than is afforded by conventional high pressure chemical ionization methods. Experiments with a low vapor pressure compound admitted via a solids probe indicate that the analytical performance achievable using reagent anion injection into the ion trap in an optimized system should be comparable to those obtained with positive chemical ionization in an ion trap.
High-fidelity optical reporting of neuronal electrical activity with an ultrafast fluorescent voltage sensor.

In this technical report, St-Pierre and colleagues introduce a new genetically encoded voltage sensor called Accelerated Sensor of Action Potentials 1 (ASAP1), which consists of a circularly permuted GFP inserted in the extracellular voltage-sensing domain of a phosphatase. ASAP1 surpasses existing sensors in reliably detecting single action potentials and tracking subthreshold potentials and high-frequency spike trains.
Regulation of human microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 by IL-1β requires a distal enhancer element with a unique role for C/EBPβ

The studies of PGE 2 (prostaglandin E 2 ) biosynthesis have focused primarily on the role of cyclo-oxygenases. Efforts have shifted towards the specific PGE 2 terminal synthases, particularly mPGES-1 (microsomal PGE synthase 1), which has emerged as the crucial inducible synthase with roles in pain, cancer and inflammation. mPGES-1 is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines with studies focusing on the proximal promoter, mediated specifically through Egr-1 (early growth-response factor 1). Numerous studies demonstrate that the mPGES-1 promoter ( PTGES ) alone cannot account for the level of IL-1β (interleukin 1β) induction. We identified two DNase I-hypersensitive sites within the proximal promoter near the Egr-1 element and a novel distal site near −8.6 kb. Functional analysis of the distal site revealed two elements that co-operate with basal promoter expression and a stimulus-dependent enhancer. A specific binding site for C/EBPβ (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β) in the enhancer was directly responsible for inducible enhancer activity. ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) analysis demonstrated constitutive Egr-1 binding to the promoter and induced RNA polymerase II and C/EBPβ binding to the promoter and enhancer respectively. Knockout/knockdown studies established a functional role for C/EBPβ in mPGES-1 gene regulation and the documented interaction between Egr-1 and C/EBPβ highlights the proximal promoter co-operation with a novel distal enhancer element in regulating inducible mPGES-1 expression.
The regulation of granulosa cell proopiomelanocortin messenger ribonucleic acid by androgens and gonadotropins.

We have previously demonstrated the presence of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) messenger RNA (mRNA) in rat granulosa cells. This study examines the unique, tissuespecific regulation of granulosa cell POMC mRNA levels by hormones with established regulatory effects on these cells. Northern blot analysis of immature rat ovarian RNA revealed the presence of a single mRNA of approximately 900 base pairs in length. The levels of ovarian POMC mRNA increased approximately 6-fold 48 h after priming with PMSG when expressed per microgram of total RNA. Granulosa cells were isolated from immature PMSG-primed rats and cultured under serum-free conditions in the presence and absence of various hormones to determine their effect on POMC mRNA levels. Treatment of the cells for 48 h with LH (100 ng/ml), androstenedione (10−7 m), or LH plus androstenedione elevated POMC mRNA levels. LH alone elicited a 5-fold increase in POMC mRNA, and androstenedione elicited a 10-fold increase; the combination treatment led to a 47-fold inc...
THE COST‐EFFECTIVENESS OF WORKSITE WELLNESS PROGRAMS FOR HYPERTENSION CONTROL, WEIGHT LOSS, SMOKING CESSATION, AND EXERCISE

The cost-effectiveness of three types of worksite wellness programs for reducing the cardiovascular disease risk factors of employees was examined at three manufacturing plants in terms of their incremental costs and effectiveness over a comparison site that used a simpler and cheaper program design. The risks targeted were hypertension, obesity, cigarette smoking, and lack of regular physical exercise. The annual direct cost per employee for post-screening interventions was $17.68 for Site A (the comparison site that offered health education classes), $39.28 for Site B (physical fitness facility), $30.96 for Site C (health education plus follow-up counseling), and $38.57 for Site D (health education, follow-up counseling, plus plant organization for health promotion). The addition of a physical fitness facility (Site B) did not produce any incremental benefit in reducing risks, as compared with health education classes (Site A), and Site B showed the lowest percentage of employees exercising regularly at the end of the 3-year study period. In contrast, the sites that used systematic outreach and follow-up counseling (Sites C and D) were more effective than both
Formation of an Amorphous Alloy by Solid-State Reaction of the Pure Polycrystalline Metals

Single-phase Au1-xLax alloys, with 0.3≲x≲0.5, have been formed through solid-state interdiffusion of pure polycrystalline Au and La thin films (100-600 A) at temperatures of 50-80°C. The reaction is driven by the large negative heat of mixing in the amorphous alloy and occurs at low temperatures by the anomalously fast diffusion of Au in La. The composition regime giving a single-phase amorphous product is explained with use of a free-energy diagram.
Perceptions of economic needs and of anticipated future income

Abstract This article examines some of the sources of individuals' perceptions of what income they will require in order to lead a comfortable life and their expectations of what income they will actually attain. Income of childhood household predicted expectations of future income but was only marginally related to anticipated needs. Measures of materialism and of two dimensions of nonclinical depressive orientation showed an interesting and complex relation to each other and to a number of variables related to perceived needs, priorities, and expectations. Although expected income and anticipated need were highly correlated, closer analysis revealed that most subjects, regardless of the income level they aspired to, anticipated making less than they will need. It is suggested that in a growth-oriented economy the stimulation of needs may be such as to continuously outstrip people's capacity to fulfill them.
Prescribed fire in North American forests and woodlands: history, current practice, and challenges

Whether ignited by lightning or by Native Americans, fire once shaped many North American ecosystems. Euro-American settlement and 20th-century fire suppression practices drastically altered historic fire regimes, leading to excessive fuel accumulation and uncharacteristically severe wildfires in some areas and diminished flammability resulting from shifts to more fire-sensitive forest species in others. Prescribed fire is a valuable tool for fuel management and ecosystem restoration, but the practice is fraught with controversy and uncertainty. Here, we summarize fire use in the forests and woodlands of North America and the current state of the practice, and explore challenges associated with the use of prescribed fire. Although new scientific knowledge has reduced barriers to prescribed burning, societal aversion to risk often trumps known, long-term ecological benefits. Broader implementation of prescribed burning and strategic management of wildfires in fire-dependent ecosystems will require improved integration of science, policy, and management, and greater societal acceptance through education and public involvement in land-management issues.
Haitian Creole: A Pro-Drop Language?

Haitian Creole has been argued to be a pro-drop language whose null subjects are licensed by syntactic clitics (DeGraff 1993). This paper analyzes the properties of Haitian Creole pronominal subjects, expletive and argumentai, and argues on the basis of syntactic, phonological, and comparative considerations that Haitian Creole is better analyzed as a language whose argumentai subjects cannot be null and whose pronominal subjects occur in argumentai positions and cliticize in the phonological component.
Photosonosynthesis of 1,2,4-tris(methylthio)-3-H-hexafluoro-n-butane

Abstract The preparation of neat 1,2,4-tris(methylthio)-3-H-hexafluoro-n-butane is described. The mechanism, which involves the elimination of hydrogen fluoride with the subsequent isomerization in forming the cis - and trans- 1,2,4-tris(methylthio)hexafluoro-l-butene, is discussed. This study also supports the presence of methanethiol as an intermediate during the photosonoreaction of bis(methylthio)hexafluoro-2-butene with an excess of methyl disulfide.
Abstract IA3: In tumor screening for novel targets in papillary serous ovarian cancer

In search of new, potential therapeutic target proteins in primary ovarian cancer cells, we have performed in-tumor shRNA screens in an established, human ovarian cancer (ov ca) cell line growing either subcutaneously or intraperitoneally in immunologically incompetent mice. Validation tests were then performed on the confirmed hits in viability/proliferation assays performed, in parallel, in at least two, cultured primary papillary serous ov ca cell strains each of which was generated by direct intraperitoneal injection of primary, patient- derived ov ca cells. The lentiviral shRNA library used contained ~8,000 hairpins, collectively directed against all known human protein kinases and a number of established human oncoproteins. Approximately 40 hits were detected and confirmed in this study, in which the screen involved deep sequencing of DNA isolated from residual tumor material growing in multiple animals. Here the search was for any hairpins that were selectively and specifically depleted from these DNA samples. Currently, we are focusing on two, new hits in this effort with special attention to their effects on primary human ov ca cell tumor formation in nude mice. Citation Format: Maria Giuseppina Baratta, Maria Giuseppina Baratta, Joyce Liu, Joyce Liu, Yaara Zwang, Yaara Zwang, Yaara Zwang, Anna Schinzel, Anna Schinzel, Ronny Drapkin, Ronny Drapkin, William Hahn, William Hahn, William Hahn, David M. Livingston, David M. Livingston. In tumor screening for novel targets in papillary serous ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: From Concept to Clinic; Sep 18-21, 2013; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2013;19(19 Suppl):Abstract nr IA3.
Hispanic and Asian pubertal girls have higher android/gynoid fat ratio than whites.

Objective: To examine differences in body size, composition, and distribution of body fat among Hispanic, white, and Asian adolescents. Research Methods and Procedures: This included cross-sectional data from the baseline sample of the Adequate Calcium Today trial. Participants included 180 Asian, 234 Hispanic, and 325 white girls 11.8 ± 0.05 years of age from Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Ohio, and Nevada. Anthropometric and DXA measurements (Lunar Prodigy) were standardized across sites. Tanner pubertal stage was self-selected from line drawings. Physical activity was assessed by a validated questionnaire. Comparisons between ethnic groups were examined using contrasts in the context of a general linear model. Results: Controlling for pubertal stage and study site only, Asians weighed less than Hispanics and were shorter than Hispanics and whites. Controlling for pubertal stage, height, weight, and study site, Asians had shorter leg lengths, smaller waist circumference, longer trunk lengths, more lean mass, less total fat mass, and less gynoid fat mass than Hispanics and whites; Asians had larger bitrochanteric width than whites; Asians had smaller DXA-derived android fat mass than Hispanics; and whites had smaller mean android/gynoid fat ratio than Hispanics. However, whites had a smaller android/gynoid fat ratio than both Asians and Hispanics in a model that adjusted for ethnicity, pubertal stage, bitrochanteric width, waist circumference, trunk length, log of physical activity, and study site, which explained 77% of the variation. Discussion: Ethnic differences in fat distribution are partially explained by differences in skeletal dimensions.
Bayesian Model Selection in Social Research

It is argued that P-values and the tests based upon them give unsatisfactory results, especially in large samples. It is shown that, in regression, when there are many candidate independent variables, standard variable selection procedures can give very misleading results. Also, by selecting a single model, they ignore model uncertainty and so underestimate the uncertainty about quantities of interest. The Bayesian approach to hypothesis testing, model selection, and accounting for model uncertainty is presented. Implementing this is straightforward through the use of the simple and accurate BIC approximation, and it can be done using the output from standard software. Specific results are presented for most of the types of model commonly used in sociology. It is shown that this approach overcomes the difficulties with P-values and standard model selection procedures based on them. It also allows easy comparison of nonnested models, and permits the quantification of the evidence for a null hypothesis of interest, such as a convergence theory or a hypothesis about societal norms.
Species concepts, speciation, and taxonomic change in the Lake Malawi mbuna, with special reference to the genus Labeotropheus Ahl 1927 (Perciformes: Cichlidae)

While the debate over species concepts and criteria affects all organisms on Earth, no group of organisms demonstrates a need for a consilient, universal species concept better than the haplochromine cichlids of Lake Malawi. These fishes, which are the single greatest radiation of vertebrates on the planet, are a daunting taxonomic puzzle for ichthyologists and evolutionary biologists who try to piece together the history and diversity of these fishes. Accordingly, a number of attempts to apply species concepts to these fishes have been attempted, though rarely with a satisfactory outcome. Focusing on the rock-dwelling cichlids, or mbuna, of Lake Malawi, I evaluate the species concepts that have been applied to these fishes, and conclude that the consilient formulation of the Evolutionary Species Concept is the most appropriate species concept to apply to both our current understanding of the mbuna, and future investigations of mbuna speciation and taxonomy. To further demonstrate the applicability and utility of the Evolutionary Species Concept, I provide a closer examination of the genus Labeotropheus, which has been overlooked in recent taxonomic investigations of the mbuna. While most other mbuna genera have had additional, formally described species added to them, if not additional provisionally named species, Labeotropheus has been ignored, largely due to inappropriately applied species concepts and criteria. I provide a possible research program for the Labeotropheus, based on the consilient formulation of the Evolutionary Species Concept, culminating in the description of new species.
Preparation and Dielectric Properties of Cr Doped Multiferroic BiFeO3

A series of Cr doped multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) with the composition of BiFe1-xCrxO3 have been prepared using hydrothermal method, in which x varies as 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. The synthesis temperature is carried out as low as 230 °C under hydrothermal conditions. With the increase of the content of Cr, the second phase is gradually increased. When the value of Cr is 0.5, the main peak (110) and (104) of BFO tends to disappear, in which the structure of BFO is changed. The permittivity of as-prepared samples decreases with the increase of Cr content and excellent frequency stability is exhibited. Better grain structure can be obtained for samples sintered at 830 °C
Sui Generis? The Hybrid Israeli Constitutional Experience

Consider a country where American-style judicial review is applied to primary legislation, yet its constitutional documents are enacted haphazardly--and in the Britishstyle, using procedures applied to regular legislation. For nearly half a century, this country has acted as if it had a sovereign legislature, yet its highest court decided in 1995 that its most basic norm is that of a limited legislature constrained by a formal Constitution—the existence of which comes as a surprise to constitutional scholars and citizens alike. How then was the country’s Supreme Court able to revolutionize its constitutional system in one tangled decision? The fascinating answer is that the Court succeeded by relying both on legislative enactment and more heavily on comparative constitutional experience to suggest that principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for individual rights require a formal Constitution. This is the story of Israel’s version of the U.S. Marbury v. Madison decision. The story, detailed in this article, presents three conflicting yet complementary traditions: monism in the British-style; dualism in the American-style; and foundationalism in the Germanstyle. It is a story of how and whether self-legislative entrenchment may create a higher norm. It reflects a dualist approach, despite the lack of a distinct legislative track for the formation of constitutional law. It reveals aspirations for law higher than even the Constitution in the form of foundationalism. This article’s narrative of Israel’s constitutional story throws new light on recent American debates regarding the constitutionality of legislative entrenchment; the exploitation of comparative constitutional law to decide one’s own constitutional dilemmas; and the legitimacy of judicial constitution-making.
Large magnetic storms as viewed by TWINS: A study of the differences in the medium energy ENA composition

During large geomagnetic storms (Dst ≤−100 nT), oxygen can become a significant component of the energetic particles of the inner magnetosphere. Until recently, there were no available global observations of the medium energy ( 52 keV) O ENAs.
Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni generate antibodies to LacdiNAc (GalNAcβ1→4GlcNAc) determinants

Schistosoma mansoni is a parasitic trematode infecting humans and animals. We reported previously that adult S. mansoni synthesizes complex type biantennary N-glycans bearing the terminal sequence GalNAc beta 1-->4GlcNAc-R (lacdiNAc or LDN). We now report that mice infected with S. mansoni generate antibodies to LDN, as assessed by ELISA using a synthetic neoglycoconjugate containing LDN sequences. Sera of infected mice, but not uninfected mice, contained primarily IgM and low levels of IgG toward LDN. Interestingly, these antibodies also recognize bovine milk glycoproteins, which are known to express LDN sequences. The anti-LDN in sera of infected mice were affinity purified on immobilized bovine milk glycoproteins and shown to specifically bind LDN. An IgM monoclonal antibody (SMLDN1.1) was derived from the spleens of S. mansoni infected mice and shown to specifically bind LDN determinants. Immunoblots with affinity purified anti-LDN and SMLDN1.1 demonstrate that LDN sequences occur primarily on N-glycans of numerous glycoproteins of adult S. mansoni. LDN sequences are also expressed in many glycoproteins from S. japonicum and S. haematobium. The availability of antibody to LDN determinants should aid in defining the roles of these glycans in helminth and vertebrate biology.
A novel method of fabricating integrated FETs for MEMS applications

This paper demonstrates a simple technique for building n-channel MOSFETs and complex micromechanical systems simultaneously instead of serially, allowing a more straightforward integration of complete systems. The fabrication sequence uses few additional process steps and only one additional masking layer compared to a MEMS-only technology. The process flow forms the MOSFET gate electrode using the first level of mechanical polycrystalline silicon, while the MOSFET source and drain regions are formed by dopant diffusions into the substrate from subsequent levels of heavily doped poly that is used for mechanical elements. The process yields devices with good, repeatable electrical characteristics suitable for a wide range of digital and analog applications.
Academic Advising: Views of the Givers and Takers:

This study was designed to examine the satisfaction with academic advising among students enrolled in a university teacher certification program. An attempt was made to determine if the type of advisor, the status of the student (undergraduate or graduate), and the frequency of contacts with the advisor significantly predicted student satisfaction. Also, there was a focus on whether retention rates were related to these variables. Finally, the perceptions of students and advisors regarding the importance of specific advisory responsibilities were classified to determine if an order of importance existed among these tasks and if the groups differed in their perceptions. The participants were 200 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a school of education, college of arts and sciences, and a university adult college for returning students. The academic advisors were staff, whose primary responsibility was advising, and faculty. Data were gathered through the completion of a survey for each partici...
Infection of frog neurons with vaccinia virus permits in vivo expression of foreign proteins

Vaccinia virus can be used to infect cells in the CNS of frogs, Xenopus laevis, and Rana pipiens, both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo infections were accomplished by injection of viral solution into the tectal ventricle of stage 40-48 tadpoles or by local injections into distinct neural regions. Infections with high titer of virus injected into the ventricle resulted in the majority of cells in the brain expressing foreign protein, while cells in the retina and optic nerve showed no expression. Infection with lower viral titers resulted in fewer infected cells that were distributed throughout the otherwise normal tissue. Intense expression of foreign protein in the brain was observed 36 hr after injection and remained high for at least 4 days. Infected animals developed normally and had the same number of cells in the optic tectum as control animals. Infection with a recombinant virus carrying the gene for Green Fluorescent Protein labels neurons, so that infected cells can be observed in vivo. Vaccinia virus provides a versatile means to alter proteins in distinct populations of neurons in amphibia.
Effects of polarization on bidirectional reflectance of a one-dimensional randomly rough surface

A bidirectional reflectance model is developed to examine polarization effects for a one-dimensional rough surface composed of V-shaped roughness elements with randomly distributed slopes. The element walls are considered specular reflectors with directional specular reflectance for parallel and perpendicular polarized reflection components evaluated from the Fresnel relations. Multiple reflections and shadowing effects are accurately accounted for by the model. The model is expressed in terms of the root mean square slope as well as the material optical constants of refractive index and extinction coefficient. Results are presented to illustrate polarization effects of dielectric and conducting materials, wavelength of incident energy by variation of the optical constants with wavelength, and multiply reflected energy.
DMTCP: Transparent checkpointing for cluster computations and the desktop

DMTCP (Distributed MultiThreaded CheckPointing) is a transparent user-level checkpointing package for distributed applications. Checkpointing and restart is demonstrated for a wide range of over 20 well known applications, including MATLAB, Python, TightVNC, MPICH2, OpenMPI, and runCMS. RunCMS runs as a 680 MB image in memory that includes 540 dynamic libraries, and is used for the CMS experiment of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. DMTCP transparently checkpoints general cluster computations consisting of many nodes, processes, and threads; as well as typical desktop applications. On 128 distributed cores (32 nodes), checkpoint and restart times are typically 2 seconds, with negligible run-time overhead. Typical checkpoint times are reduced to 0.2 seconds when using forked checkpointing. Experimental results show that checkpoint time remains nearly constant as the number of nodes increases on a medium-size cluster. DMTCP automatically accounts for fork, exec, ssh, mutexes/ semaphores, TCP/IP sockets, UNIX domain sockets, pipes, ptys (pseudo-terminals), terminal modes, ownership of controlling terminals, signal handlers, open file descriptors, shared open file descriptors, I/O (including the readline library), shared memory (via mmap), parent-child process relationships, pid virtualization, and other operating system artifacts. By emphasizing an unprivileged, user-space approach, compatibility is maintained across Linux kernels from 2.6.9 through the current 2.6.28. Since DMTCP is unprivileged and does not require special kernel modules or kernel patches, DMTCP can be incorporated and distributed as a checkpoint-restart module within some larger package.
Memphis Center for Biomedical Engineering in pediatrics: graduate biomedical engineering education with a clinical orientation

The Memphis Center for Biomedical Engineering in Pediatrics is an educational and research program that applies biomedical engineering to children's health care. The program involves Biomedical Engineering and related engineering departments and academic and clinical medical programs in Memphis. Students and faculty from these institutions carry out clinically related research in applying instrumentation, imaging, radiation, computation and rehabilitation engineering to children's health care. The Center has laboratory facilities in the Children's Foundation Research Center at LeBonheur Children's Medical Center and currently has clinical studies involving pediatric neurology, neonatal intensive care, gait analysis, critical care instrumentation, and diagnostic measurements. The Center links the facilities of the science and engineering departments of the universities with the Memphis programs in clinical pediatrics.
Trace-element Analyses in Lunar Meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir 169

We acquired high precision measurements of Ti in zircon, Sr in plagioclase, and Y, REEs (rare earth elements), and Th in phosphates in Sayh al Uhaymir (SaU) 169, a lunar meteorite collected in Oman that is exceptionally rich in incompatible elements. SaU 169 is dilithologic, consisting of an impact-melt breccia (IMB) lithology and a regolith-breccia lithology [1]; all analyses were done on the former. Measurements were done at Washington University on a five-spectrometer JEOL 8200 Superprobe using Probe for Windows software.
QA ISSUES FOR COMPUTER-CONTROLLED TREATMENT DELIVERY : THIS IS NOT YOUR OLD R/V SYSTEM ANY MORE!

State-of-the-art radiotherapy treatment delivery has changed dramatically during the past decade, moving from manual individual field setup and treatment to automated computer-controlled delivery of complex treatments, including intensity-modulated radiotherapy and other similarly complex delivery strategies. However, the quality assurance methods typically used to ensure treatment is performed precisely and correctly have not evolved in a similarly dramatic way. This paper reviews the old manual treatment process and use of record-and-verify systems, and describes differences with modern computer-controlled treatment delivery. The process and technology used for computer-controlled treatment delivery are analyzed in terms of potential (and actual) problems, as well as relevant published guidance on quality assurance. The potential for improved quality assurance for computer-controlled delivery is discussed.
UV radiation influences covering behaviour in the urchin Lytechinus variegatus

Many species of sea urchins cover their bodies with a variety of materials. One hypothesis for this behaviour is that the urchins are reducing their exposure to UV radiation. The effect of UV radiation on the covering behaviour of twelve sea urchins, Lytechinus variegatus , was recorded and the shells used as covering materials were quantified. During UV exposure, urchins used significantly greater numbers, areas and masses of shells than did urchins during non-UV exposure. Results suggest that not only were L. variegatus covering in response to UV exposure, but they were also making distinct choices regarding preferred covering items. Unlike in previous studies, the urchins did not simply choose familiar objects or even the lightest objects; rather, when exposed to UV radiation they selected intermediate-sized objects, perhaps demonstrating a trade-off between the energetic costs of carrying objects and the physiological costs of exposure to UV radiation. While there appear to be many reasons for why urchins cover, these results indicate that urchin covering is non-random and has important functional significance.