cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Judgements of appropriate punishment: The effects of question type

The emergence of the justice model as a basis for sentencing policy has raised a number of important issues. For instance, although the model generally posits that the severity of sentences ought to be proportional to the seriousness of offenses, a legitimate metric for the establishment of such a sentencing scheme has yet to be developed. The use of public attitudes toward both crime seriousness and appropriate punishment may provide the basis for such a system. Given the potential impact of such attitudes on the lives of convicted offenders, it is critical that care be exercised in the measurement of public sentiments. This article describes the results of an effort to assess the effects of open-ended versus closed-ended question formats on judgments of the kind and amount of punishment appropriate for various kinds of offenses. The results suggest that question type may indeed have an effect on the character of the punishment identified as appropriate by respondents.
Localization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the developing and mature rat heart cell.

Background The cardiac muscle cell ceases to divide shortly after birth; this cessation is followed by a limited period when DNA synthesis and karyokinesis occur without cytokinesis. The regulation of this process is not known. The purpose of this study is to explore the possible events that could lead to the cessation of cardiac muscle cell division. One protein requisite for DNA synthesis is proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). This protein is the auxiliary protein of DNA polymerase δ. Methods Rats of fetal age day 18 or days 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 after birth were obtained. In addition, adult hearts were used for this study. Hearts from the fetal day-18 rats and the day-0 neonatal rats were digested. Cardiac myocytes were isolated and placed in culture for an analysis of DNA synthesis by using tridiated thymidine. Ventricular muscle tissue was isolated from hearts of all ages and frozen in liquid nitrogen for Northern and Western blot analyses. Results Tridiated thymidine analysis revealed that, although serum stimulation significantly increased the number of labeled fetal cardiac muscle cells, it did not have that effect on neonatal cardiac muscle cells in culture. Northern blot analysis revealed that the steady state levels of mRNA for PCNA remained constant from fetal day 18 through day 4 after birth. Steady state levels declined during the second postnatal week and then reached basal levels by day 16. PCNA message was still present in adult heart tissue. By using indirect immunofloursecence and Western blotting, PCNA protein could be located in the nucleus of cardiac muscle cells during the first 2 weeks after birth. At 16 days after birth, the protein was found in the cytoplasm in very low amounts but was not found in the nucleus. The protein was barely detectable by Western blotting in the cytoplasmic fraction from the adult myocardium. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the PCNA message and protein product declined after birth, but both were present at low levels in the adult myocardium. However, the PCNA protein was not translocated to the nucleus in adult myocardial cells. The events involving PCNA correlated closely with the time period when cell division and then DNA synthesis ceased in these cells. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Total Ischemic Time as an Independent Predictor of Response to Stem Cell Therapy in Patients with ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The selection criteria for bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) therapy are not well established for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. This investigation seeks to utilize total ischemic time (TIT), time of symptom onset to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as a criterion for giving BMSC to STEMI patients. A meta-analysis and metaregression were conducted to evaluate improvement of LVEF with BMSC and its association with TIT (<6 and ≥6 hours) and baseline LVEF ( 6 months) followup. At short term, BMSC allowed improvement of LVEF with prolonged TIT (6.62%, 95% CI, 2.26 to 10.98 for <path id="x1D443" d="M619 482q0 -69 -40.5 -119t-96 -72.5t-118.5 -26.5h-44l-70 20l-31 -151q-14 -67 0.5 -83t89.5 -22l-5 -28h-287l8 28q65 7 81.5 22t29.5 83l79 398q12 56 0.5 70.5t-78.5 20.5l7 28h255q108 0 164 -43t56 -125zM524 478q0 141 -146 141q-25 0 -47 -8q-16 -6 -20.5 -13.5 t-10.5 -39.5l-43 -241q37 -13 83 -13q67 0 125.5 45t58.5 129z" /> <path id="x30" d="M241 635q53 0 94 -28.5t63.5 -76t33.5 -102.5t11 -116q0 -58 -11 -112.5t-34 -103.5t-63.5 -78.5t-94.5 -29.5t-95 28t-64.5 75t-34.5 102.5t-11 118.5q0 58 11.5 112.5t34.5 103t64.5 78t95.5 29.5zM238 602q-32 0 -55.5 -25t-35.5 -68t-17.5 -91t-5.5 -105 q0 -76 10 -138.5t37 -107.5t69 -45q32 0 55.5 25t35.5 68.5t17.5 91.5t5.5 105t-5.5 105.5t-18 92t-36 68t-56.5 24.5z" /> ) and long term (6.24%, 95% CI, 0.46 to 12.02, <path id="x33" d="M285 378v-2q65 -13 102 -54.5t37 -97.5q0 -57 -30.5 -104.5t-74 -75t-85.5 -42t-72 -14.5q-31 0 -59.5 11t-40.5 23q-19 18 -16 36q1 16 23 33q13 10 24 0q58 -51 124 -51q55 0 88 40t33 112q0 64 -39 96.5t-88 32.5q-29 0 -64 -11l-6 29q77 25 118 57.5t41 84.5 q0 45 -26.5 69.5t-68.5 24.5q-67 0 -120 -79l-20 20l43 63q51 56 127 56h1q66 0 107 -37t41 -95q0 -42 -31 -71q-22 -23 -68 -54z" /> ) followup. Consequently, BMSC therapy allows LVEF improvement in prolonged TIT and future studies for BMSC should include TIT ≥ 6 hours as an inclusion criterion.
Assist-as-Needed Robot-Aided Gait Training Improves Walking Function in Individuals Following Stroke

A novel robot-aided assist-as-needed gait training paradigm has been developed recently. This paradigm encourages subjects' active participation during training. Previous pilot studies demonstrated that assist-as-needed robot-aided gait training (RAGT) improves treadmill walking performance post-stroke. However, it is not known if there is an over-ground transfer of the training effects from RAGT on treadmill or long-term retention of the effects. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of assist-as-needed RAGT on over-ground walking pattern post-stroke. Nine stroke subjects received RAGT with visual feedback of each subject's instantaneous ankle malleolus position relative to a target template for 15 40-minute sessions. Clinical evaluations and gait analyses were performed before, immediately after, and 6 months post-training. Stroke subjects demonstrated significant improvements and some long-term retention of the improvements in their self-selected over-ground walking speed, Dynamic Gait Index, Timed Up and Go, peak knee flexion angle during swing phase and total hip joint excursion over the whole gait cycle for their affected leg $(p . These preliminary results demonstrate that subjects improved their over-ground walking pattern and some clinical gait measures post-training suggesting that assist-as-needed RAGT including visual feedback may be an effective approach to improve over-ground walking pattern post-stroke.
Seguimiento a largo plazo de la colocación de filtro en vena cava superior

La eficacia y seguridad a corto plazo de la colocacion de filtro en vena cava superior (VCS) para el tratamiento de la trombosis venosa profunda de la extremidad superior, en pacientes con contraindicaciones para la anticoagulacion, estan bien documentadas. Sin embargo, al contrario que en las numerosas experiencias descritas con la colocacion de filtro de vena cava inferior y sus complicaciones, no existe documentacion sobre el seguimiento a largo plazo de los filtros de VCS. Por tanto, revisamos nuestra experiencia realizando una revision retrospectiva de 154 casos de pacientes que fueron sometidos a la colocacion de filtro de VCS entre enero de 1994 y agosto de 2005 en nuestro centro. En 7 pacientes mas se coloco un filtro de VCS sin exito debido a una trombosis venosa profunda diseminada. Se evaluaron los resultados de las complicaciones durante la colocacion (neumotorax, hemorragia, colocacion incorrecta del filtro) y de las complicaciones a largo plazo (embolia pulmonar, migracion, oclusion de vena cava). El seguimiento incluyo la revision de las radiografias seriadas de torax para evaluar la migracion del filtro (en pacientes que sobrevivieron hasta 60 dias tras su colocacion [n = 40]), asi como de las historias clinicas de los pacientes, las visitas clinicas y los contactos telefonicos, las bases de datos hospitalarias, el registro municipal de fallecimientos y las bases de datos nacionales. Los pacientes fueron 69 hombres y 85 mujeres con un promedio de edad de 73,6 anos (limites, 16-96 anos; ± 15,3 [DE] anos). El seguimiento oscilo entre 1 dia y 3.750 dias (256,3 ± 576 dias [media ± DE]) y en 5 pacientes no se pudo realizar el seguimiento. De los 154 pacientes, 58 sobrevivieron mas de 60 dias con un seguimiento promedio de 628,4 dias. Todos los filtros de VCS (TrapEase, n = 38; Greenfield, n = 116) se expandieron de forma satisfactoria en los 154 pacientes. Durante el seguimiento, 114 fallecieron (mortalidad del 74,0%) por enfermedades cronicas o complicaciones oncologicas. Se produjeron 3 casos de taponamiento pericardico (1,9%), y un caso de colocacion erronea del filtro en la vena innominada. No se produjeron casos de embolia pulmonar sintomatica, oclusion de vena cava, neumotorax o migracion del filtro. La colocacion del filtro de VCS esta asociada con una baja incidencia de complicaciones durante el seguimiento a largo plazo. Estos resultados permiten reafirmar la seguridad y eficacia de la colocacion del filtro de VCS. Sin embargo, la perforacion de la VCS en hombres jovenes sigue siendo un aspecto significativo.
Machine path generation for the SIS process

Abstract Because of the differences in the nature of rapid prototyping (RP) processes, there is no standard machine path code for them. Each RP process, based on its characteristics and requirements, uses the standard CAD file format to extract the required data for the process. Selective inhibition of sintering (SIS) is a new layered fabrication method based on powder sintering. Like other RP systems, SIS needs a specialized machine path generator to create an appropriate machine path file. Machine path (i.e., boundary path and hatch path) should produce the printing pattern that enables the SIS machine user to easily remove the fabricated part from the surrounding material. A new machine path algorithm, which generates appropriate boundary and hatch paths for the SIS process is proposed. The new machine path generator provides the ability to process CAD models of any size and complexity, the ability for machine path verification before sending the file to the SIS machine, and the ability to fix the possible STL files disconnection errors. In this system, very large STL files can be processed in a relatively small computer memory. The system has been successfully tested on STL files as large as 200 MB. The generated path files have been used in fabrication of several parts by the SIS process.
Computer model for on-farm irrigation system planning

Abstract A microcomputer model is developed for use as a planning tool to aid in the sequence of development, evaluation and selection of the best alternative on-farm irrigation system plan. The model is used to predict operation of an on-farm irrigation system under given site-specific conditions and select the best system plan from a set of alternatives. The best system plan is selected based on maximization of annualized net returns to land and management. Application of the model to a case study is presented. The consequences of limitations in water, energy and labor use and/or different economic scenarios are evaluated as it concerns system plan selection.
Pituitary-Adrenal Axis During Human Development

Investigation of early human fetal tissue has helped us elucidate the onset of the activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis during human development. Adrenal steroidogenesis and ACTH secretion from the pituitary starts at 7-8 weeks postconception, providing the rationale for prenatal treatment using dexamethasone offered to fetuses at risk of 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD). Fluctuation of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2) in human fetal adrenal has several significant meanings. Its activity during early gestation is essential for inhibiting androgen production in the adrenal and safeguarding normal female sexual development. The enzyme may be reduced during mid-gestation in order to maintain pregnancy and to prevent preterm labor. Its reappearance in late gestation is also crucial for fetal maturation and parturition at term. Late-onset circulation failure observed in extremely low birth weight newborns may be associated with the paucity of HSD3B2 in their adrenals. In fetuses with 21-OHD, a proportion of increased 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone may be converted to dihydrotestosterone through the backdoor pathway and contribute to the virilization of female fetuses.
Defining Health Information Technology–Related Errors: New Developments Since To Err Is Human

Despite the promise of health information technology (HIT), recent literature has revealed possible safety hazards associated with its use. The Office of the National Coordinator for HIT recently sponsored an Institute of Medicine committee to synthesize evidence and experience from the field on how HIT affects patient safety. To lay the groundwork for defining, measuring, and analyzing HIT-related safety hazards, we propose that HIT-related error occurs anytime HIT is unavailable for use, malfunctions during use, is used incorrectly by someone, or when HIT interacts with another system component incorrectly, resulting in data being lost or incorrectly entered, displayed, or transmitted. These errors, or the decisions that result from them, significantly increase the risk of adverse events and patient harm. We describe how a sociotechnical approach can be used to understand the complex origins of HIT errors, which may have roots in rapidly evolving technological, professional, organizational, and policy initiatives.
Use of the perfused rat heart to study cardiac metabolism: retrospective and prospective views

The isolated perfused rat heart has proved over many years to be a very useful preparation for studies of myocardial metabolism and function, and is likely to remain so for many years in the future. Models of hearts performing pressure-volume work have provided much valuable information, but the Langendorff perfused heart can still be the method of choice when a stable low working heart preparation is required. Major aspects concerning fuel utilization by the perfused heart and interactions between competing substrates are fairly well understood. Further advances of knowledge in relation to metabolic compartmentation andin situ flux measurements through metabolic pathways are likely to come from application of new techniques, such as13C NMR.
Alzheimer friendly assisted living regulation

Assisted living is increasingly recognized as an important option for people with Alzheimer's and related disorders. Although 30 to 40 percent of people in assisted living and residential care settings are suffering from dementia, regulations in many states have not kept pace with this reality. This article identifies areas where regulations may support or undermine assisted living providers serving those with dementia, and suggests ways in which regulators, advocates, and providers may work together to create Alzheimer friendly assisted living regulation.
Variation in resistance of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) families against Leptographium and Grosmannia root fungi

Summary Pine decline poses a serious threat to forest sustainability in the south-eastern United States. Complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors are involved in the decline and include root-feeding bark beetles and their associated fungal genera, Leptographium and Grosmannia. A study was conducted to determine the relative tolerance of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) families when challenged with either Leptographium or Grosmannia species. In the first study, bare root seedlings from 23 loblolly pine families were screened with L. procerum, L. terebrantis, G. huntii and G. alacris using an artificial inoculation method. In a second study, containerized seedlings from 27 loblolly pine families were screened with G. huntii and L. terebrantis. Measured seedling responses to the inoculations included lesion length, lesion width and occlusion of vascular tissues, measured 8 weeks after inoculations. The most common host response was dark brown lesions and resinous occluded stem tissue. Seedling families had a wide range of host responses to the different Leptographium and Grosmannia species and showed that it could be possible to select the families that may be tolerant to Leptographium and Grosmannia fungal species based on these results.
Structural conservation of an ancient tRNA sensor in eukaryotic glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase

In all organisms, aminoacyl tRNA synthetases covalently attach amino acids to their cognate tRNAs. Many eukaryotic tRNA synthetases have acquired appended domains, whose origin, structure and function are poorly understood. The N-terminal appended domain (NTD) of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) is intriguing since GlnRS is primarily a eukaryotic enzyme, whereas in other kingdoms Gln-tRNA(Gln) is primarily synthesized by first forming Glu-tRNA(Gln), followed by conversion to Gln-tRNA(Gln) by a tRNA-dependent amidotransferase. We report a functional and structural analysis of the NTD of Saccharomyces cerevisiae GlnRS, Gln4. Yeast mutants lacking the NTD exhibit growth defects, and Gln4 lacking the NTD has reduced complementarity for tRNA(Gln) and glutamine. The 187-amino acid Gln4 NTD, crystallized and solved at 2.3 A resolution, consists of two subdomains, each exhibiting an extraordinary structural resemblance to adjacent tRNA specificity-determining domains in the GatB subunit of the GatCAB amidotransferase, which forms Gln-tRNA(Gln). These subdomains are connected by an apparent hinge comprised of conserved residues. Mutation of these amino acids produces Gln4 variants with reduced affinity for tRNA(Gln), consistent with a hinge-closing mechanism proposed for GatB recognition of tRNA. Our results suggest a possible origin and function of the NTD that would link the phylogenetically diverse mechanisms of Gln-tRNA(Gln) synthesis.
Imbalanced Base Excision Repair in Response to Folate Deficiency Is Accelerated by Polymerase β Haploinsufficiency

The mechanism by which folate deficiency influences carcinogenesis is not well established, but a phenotype of DNA strand breaks, mutations, and chromosomal instability suggests an inability to repair DNA damage. To elucidate the mechanism by which folate deficiency influences carcinogenicity, we have analyzed the effect of folate deficiency on base excision repair (BER), the pathway responsible for repairing uracil in DNA. We observe an up-regulation in initiation of BER in liver of the folate-deficient mice, as evidenced by an increase in uracil DNA glycosylase protein (30%, p
Are stone protocol computed tomography scans mandatory for children with suspected urinary calculi

megalourethra and all cases had normal karyotype. Of seven liveborn babies, one died neonatally of pulmonary hypoplasia. All six infants alive at the time of writing had a dysfunctional urethra and three suffered from impaired or end-stage renal disease. Associated anomalies were found in half of the cases. Conclusion: Congenital megalourethra is caused by abnormal development or hypoplasia of the penile erectile tissue, secondary to distal urethral obstruction. When the amniotic fluid volume is normal, survival is possible. However, all liveborn infants have voiding and renal dysfunction and sexual dysfunction is expected. Megalourethra should be considered in all male fetuses presenting prenatally with megacystis and detailed fetal ultrasonography should look for an elongated and/or distended phallic structure as well as any associated anomalies.
Infinite dilution activity coefficients from ab initio solvation calculations

A Group Contribution Solvation (GCS) model was developed to calculate infinite dilution activity coefficients (γ∞) based on modern computational chemistry. The GCS model results in an average error of 7% in γ∞ for the limited number of data points among water, n-hexane, acetonitrile and n-octanol, whereas the errors are 47% and 52% with the UNIFAC model and the modified UNIFAC model, respectively. GCS was also used to calculate infinite dilution partition coefficients, which can be used to determine how a dilute solute partitions between two solvents. Solutes were examined in three different liquid-liquid systems: water/n-hexane, water/acetonitrile, and water/n-octanol. With GCS, the average errors are 22% (for 18 solutes), 18% (for 14 solutes) and 14% (for 15 solutes) for these solvent systems, while comparable errors are 237%, 286% and 226% with UNIFAC; and 342%, 414% and 306% with modified UNIFAC. The GCS model is a powerful new tool to predict the octanol-water partition coefficients.
Automated Development Environments

Future software development systems will build on the success of Unix and Interlisp, adding central data bases to store in-progress project information accessible through sophisticated user interfaces.
Sleep characteristics as predictor variables of stress systems markers in insomnia disorder

This study investigates the extent to which sleep characteristics serve as predictor variables for inflammatory, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and autonomic systems markers. Twenty-nine participants with a diagnosis of insomnia disorder based on the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (age 25.3 ± 1.6 years, insomnia duration 6.6 ± 0.8 years) and 19 healthy control sleepers (age 25.4 ± 1.4 years) underwent a 2-week at-home evaluation keeping a sleep diary and wearing an actigraph, followed by a visit to the Research Center to measure blood pressure, and collect blood and urine samples. The actigraphy- and diary-based variables of sleep duration, sleep-onset latency, wake after sleep onset and sleep fragmentation/number of night-time awakenings were averaged and entered as dependent variables in regression analyses. Composite scores were calculated for the autonomic (blood pressure, norepinephrine), inflammatory (monocyte counts, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal systems (cortisol), and used as predictor variables in regression models. Compared with controls, individuals with insomnia had a shorter sleep duration (P < 0.05), and a higher hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and inflammatory composite score (P < 0.05). The higher inflammatory score was mainly due to higher circulating monocytes (P < 0.05), rather than differences in interleukin-6 or C-reactive protein. In persistent insomnia disorder, cortisol is upregulated and associated with actigraphy- and diary-based wake after sleep onset, suggesting that wake after sleep onset may serve as a marker to identify individuals at increased risks for disorders associated with a hyperactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. The absence of autonomic and pro-inflammatory changes (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein), despite a substantial decrease in actigraphic sleep duration, may relate to a higher resilience to the adverse biological consequences of insomnia in this young age group.
The culpability of accounting in perpetuating the Holocaust

The Holocaust was an event unprecedented in the history of man. Never before had a people been systematically and deliberately hunted and gathered, from many different countries, by one country for...
Electrical Stimulation of Somatic Afferent Nerves in the Foot Increases Bladder Capacity in Healthy Human Subjects

Purpose: We determined whether electrical stimulation of somatic afferent nerves in the foot could delay bladder filling sensations and increase bladder capacity in healthy humans without overactive bladder.Materials and Methods: Eight subjects underwent 90-minute foot stimulation using skin surface electrodes connected to a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator. The electrodes were attached to the bottom of the foot. Subjects completed a 3-day voiding diary, during which foot stimulation was applied on day 2. Stimulation parameters were pulse frequency 5 Hz, rectangular waveform pulse width 0.2 milliseconds and intensity 2 to 6 times the minimal stimulation current necessary to induce toe twitch. Stimulation intensity was set by each subject to a maximal level without causing discomfort. Subjects were provided with 500 to 1,000 ml of water to drink during stimulation.Results: Average ± SE volume per void was 350 ± 22 ml during the 24 hours before foot stimulation. This voided volume increased to a m...
Heterogeneity in Rates of Recombination across the Mouse Genome

If loci are randomly distributed on a physical map, the density of markers on a genetic map will be inversely proportional to recombination rate. First proposed by MARY LYON, we have used this idea to estimate recombination rates from the Drosophila melanogaster linkage map. These results were compared with results of two other studies that estimated regional recombination rates in D. melanogaster using both physical and genetic maps. The three methods were largely concordant in identifying large-scale genomic patterns of recombination. The marker density method was then applied to the Mus musculus microsatellite linkage map. The distribution of microsatellites provided evidence for heterogeneity in recombination rates. Centromeric regions for several mouse chromosomes had significantly greater numbers of markers than expected, suggesting that recombination rates were lower in these regions. In contrast, most telomeric regions contained significantly fewer markers than expected. This indicates that recombination rates are elevated at the telomeres of many mouse chromosomes and is consistent with a comparison of the genetic and cytogenetic maps in these regions. The density of markers on a genetic map may provide a generally useful way to estimate regional recombination rates in species for which genetic, but not physical, maps are available.
The structure of FtsZ filaments in vivo suggests a force-generating role in cell division.

In prokaryotes, FtsZ (the f ilamentous t emperature s ensitive protein Z) is a nearly ubiquitous GTPase that localizes in a ring at the leading edge of constricting plasma membranes during cell division. Here we report electron cryotomographic reconstructions of dividing Caulobacter crescentus cells wherein individual arc‐like filaments were resolved just underneath the inner membrane at constriction sites. The filaments9 position, orientation, time of appearance, and resistance to A22 all suggested that they were FtsZ. Predictable changes in the number, length, and distribution of filaments in cells where the expression levels and stability of FtsZ were altered supported that conclusion. In contrast to the thick, closed‐ring‐like structure suggested by fluorescence light microscopy, throughout the constriction process the Z‐ring was seen here to consist of just a few short (∼100 nm) filaments spaced erratically near the division site. Additional densities connecting filaments to the cell wall, occasional straight segments, and abrupt kinks were also seen. An ‘iterative pinching’ model is proposed wherein FtsZ itself generates the force that constricts the membrane in a GTP‐hydrolysis‐driven cycle of polymerization, membrane attachment, conformational change, depolymerization, and nucleotide exchange.
Geochemistry of a modern marine evaporite; Bocana de Virrila, Peru

ABSTRACT The Bocana de Virrila, a relict estuary on the coast of northwestern Peru, exhibits unique lateral zonation of evaporite minerals (calcite, gypsum, halite) along its 20-km length. The salinity gradient in the estuary ranges from normal marine at the mouth to approximately 330,000 ppm TDS in the innermost waters. We use the Harvie-Weare chemical equilibrium model to characterize the saturation horizons of gypsum and halite in the estuary brines. The model predicts water compositions and gypsum and halite precipitation closely. Gypsum and halite precipitate in 2.5-km zones characterized by water salinities greater than 160,000 ppm and 320,000 ppm TDS, respectively. Calcite precipitation is not as extensive as expected, and very high values of alkalinity (6.0 mM 1-1 as CaCO3) are attained. Water composition and sedimentological data support a model of the Bocana as a barred lagoon operating in a flow evaporative mode. Limited diurnal data show significant variation in brine composition as well as thermal and density stratification. In this study, we did not determine the patterns of brine circulation. However, the lack of bittern salts in the saline brine zones suggests removal of K- and Mg-rich brines.
Associations between Body Composition, Hormonal and Lifestyle Factors, Bone Turnover, and BMD.

Background: The relative importance of body composition, lifestyle factors, bone turnover and hormonal factors in determining bone mineral density (BMD) is unknown. We studied younger postmenopausal women to determine whether modifiable or nonmodifiable risk factors for osteoporosis have stronger associations with BMD. Methods: In multivariable linear regression models, we tested associations between non-bone body composition measures, self-reported measures of physical activity and dietary intake, urinary N-telopeptide (NTx), sex hormone concentrations, and BMD in 109 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 64 years, adjusting for current hormone therapy use and clinical risk factors for low BMD. Lean mass, fat mass and areal BMD (aBMD) at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip and distal radius were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Higher body weight and self-reported nonwhite race were independently associated with higher aBMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip and distal radius. Lean and fat mass were not independently associated with aBMD. Older age and higher urinary NTx were independently associated with lower aBMD at the distal radius but not at weight-bearing sites. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated lack of an independent association between total daily protein or calorie intake and BMD. Conclusions: BMD, weight and race were the most important determinants of aBMD at all sites. Older age and higher bone turnover were independently associated with lower aBMD at the distal radius. In a limited analysis, self-reported physical activity, dietary protein and calorie intake were not associated with aBMD after adjustment for the other variables.
A Historical Overview of the Development of the Acid-Etch Bonding System in Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment was revolutionized with the development of the acid-etch technique. This article will provide some historical perspectives of the evolution of orthodontic bonding as well as refer to some significant research contributions to the process. In addition current perspectives will be addressed.
The Things Negotiators Do With Money

Deal-making negotiations, in the minds of most people, center on theamount of money that is involved in a transaction. However, the timing ofa money transfer, the different methods of payment, and the addition ofother parties to a negotiation are all factors that sometimes are just asimportant as the amount of the transaction. The author uses case examplesfrom a variety of recent negotiations to illustrate some of the ways thatthe “who, when, and how” of a deal can have significant impact on a negotiationprocess.
Copper-Based Ohmic Contacts For The SiGe/Si Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) Structure

A Cu-based metallization scheme has been studied for establishing low resistance contacts for a Si/SiGe/Si heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) structure. As-grown doped layers were further implanted with BF2 and As ions for the p-type base and n-type emitter layers, respectively, in order to produce a low sheet resistance surface layer. Contacts were metallized using an e-beam deposited multilayer structure of Ti/Cu/Ti/Al. Specific contact resistances of the order of 10−7 Ω cm2 or lower were obtained.
In vivo molecular contrast OCT imaging of methylene blue

An 830-nm spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) system with an integrated 663-nm diode pump laser has been developed to enable molecular contrast OCT imaging of methylene blue (MB), a common vital dye used clinically. The introduction of the 663-nm diode laser, which acts as the pump in this implementation of pump-probe OCT (PPOCT), represents a minor modification to an otherwise typical OCT system. A newly developed background subtraction technique completely removes all background from intensity noise at the pump modulation frequency, simplifying the interpretation of PPOCT images. These developments have enabled the first in vivo imaging of MB with PPOCT. Volumetric images of a zebrafish, stained by submersion in a 0.01% (w/v) solution of MB for 6 h, show accumulation of MB in the mesonephros, the primordial filtration organ.
Behavioral modeling of nonlinear RF power amplifiers considering memory effects

This paper proposes a new behavioral model to treat memory effects in nonlinear power amplifiers (PAs). Phenomena such as asymmetries in lower and upper intermodulation terms, and variation of AM/AM and AM/PM, depending on signal history, are often observed in high-power PAs. To treat these phenomena, this paper presents a model based on the previously developed memory polynomial model. The contribution made in this paper is to augment the memory polynomial model to include a sparse delay tap structure that reduces the parameter space required for accurate model identification. A figure-of-merit, called the memory effect ratio, is defined to quantify the relative level of distortion due to memory effects, as compared to the memoryless portion. Another figure-of-merit is defined as the memory effect modeling ratio, which quantifies the degree to which the PA memory effects have been accounted for in the model. This new technique is validated using a variety of RF PAs, including an 880-MHz and a 2.1-GHz high-power laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor PA and various signals such as two-tone, eight-tone, and IS-95B signals.
A defense of indeterminate distinctness

On the one hand, philosophers have presented numerous apparent examples of indeterminate individuation, i.e., examples in which two things are neither determinately identical nor determinately distinct. On the other hand, some have argued against even the coherence of the very idea of indeterminate individuation. This paper defends the possibility of indeterminate individuation against Evans’s argument and some other arguments. The Determinacy of Identity—the thesis that identical things are determinately identical—is distinguished from the Determinacy of Distinctness—the thesis that distinct things are determinately distinct. It is argued that while the first thesis holds universally and there is no case of indeterminate identity, there are reasons to think that the second thesis does not hold universally, and that there are cases of indeterminate distinctness.
Mother and Child Perceptions of Child Functioning: Relationship to Maternal Distress

The relationship between maternal distress and mother's reports of psychosocial problems in their children has been well-documented. However, relatively little research has investigated the relationship between maternal and family distress and young children's perception of their own functioning. Using a brief questionnaire designed for use with children, data were collected from 166 mothers and their children aged 5-12 years. Children provided information about their own daily functioning, and mothers provided information about their own, their child's, and their family's psychosocial functioning. Findings indicated that while children generally agreed with the reports of their mothers, children of distressed mothers self-reported better daily functioning than their mothers did. Distressed mothers tended globally to report negatively about themselves, their child, and their family. The present findings suggest that when assessing mothers or children, the reports of children should be considered as well as the reports of mothers.
Patriarchal Religion, Sexuality, and Gender: An Introductory Essay

This essay introduces the inaugural symposium of the Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy, on the topic of Patriarchal Religion, Sexuality, and Gender, held at the Wake Forest University School of Law on September 17, 2010.
Chemical Amplification (or Dampening) of the Twomey Effect: Conditions Derived from Droplet Activation Theory

Cloud droplet number concentrations are controlled by both meteorological and microphysical factors. Microphysical factors include aerosol number concentration and composition. This paper examines the importance of microphysical phenomena compared to the sensitivity with respect to parcel updraft velocity in the activation of aerosols to become cloud droplets. Of the compositional (chemical) factors that can influence droplet number concentration, the effect of organics is examined through their ability to alter droplet surface tension and to contribute solute. A recent parameterization of aerosol activation (by Abdul-Razzak et al.) is extended to obtain analytical expressions for the sensitivity of activation to microphysical factors relative to updraft velocity. It is demonstrated that, under some conditions, the droplet number concentration can be as much as 1.5 times more sensitive to changes in aerosol composition than to updraft velocity. Chemical effects seem to be most influential for size distributions typical of marine conditions and decrease in importance for strongly anthropogenically perturbed conditions. The analysis indicates that the presence of surface-active species can lead to as much uncertainty as results from variations in updraft velocity. The presence of surfactant species also drastically changes the response of the cloud condensation nuclei to changes in the updraft velocity spectrum. Conditions are found under which an increase in dissolved organic compounds can actually lead to a decrease in cloud droplet number, a “contra-Twomey effect.” Results presented have more general implications than just for organic compounds and can apply, in principle, for any chemically induced activation effect.
Mutuality, severity, and chronicity of violence by Father-Only, Mother-Only, and mutually violent parents as reported by university students in 15 nations☆

This article aims to provide a more complete description of the violence between parents experienced by children than is usual in research and to suggest the practicality and importance of doing so. It presents results on the percent of parents in each of three Dyadic Types: Father-Only (the father assaulted the mother and the mother did not assault), Mother-Only (mother assaulted and the father did not assault), and Both-Assault; and on differences between these three types in the chronicity and severity of assaults. Questionnaires were completed by convenience samples of university students in 15 nations (N=11,408). Violence between parents was measured by the short form of the Conflict Tactics Scales. Fourteen percent of the students reported one or more instances of physical violence between their parents, including 6% who reported a severe assault. Cross classification of assaults by the father and the mother to identify Dyadic Types found 25% Father-Only, 22% Mother-Only, and 52% Both-Assaulted. The percentage in each Dyadic Type based on reports by male or female students were similar. They were also consistent with percentages found by previous studies identifying the Dyadic Types of violent couples. In respect to chronicity, when violence between parents occurred, in 82% of the cases, it occurred more than once. Research on children experiencing violence between parents, and prevention and treatment of inter-parental violence, are likely to be enhanced if it takes into account that Both-Violent is the most frequent pattern to which children are exposed and that Mother-Only is about as frequent as Father-Only. Consideration of the severity, and chronicity, of the inter-parental violence needs to replace simply classifying parents as violent. Achieving this is possible using instruments which take only three to five minutes and which can be completed by only one of the parents or by the child.
A New Algorithm to Solve Synchronous Consensus for Dependent Failures

Fault tolerant algorithms are often designed under the t-out-of-n assumption, which is based on the assumption that all processes or components fail independently with equal probability. However, real systems may exhibit dependent failures. Cores and survivor sets are used to build an abstraction model for dependent process failures. Using this abstraction, we design an algorithm to solve consensus problem crash failures. Our algorithm uses the processes in all cores to broadcast messages. Each core reaches agreement separately and even simultaneously in some round with no failure in the core. In the worst-case, the decision can be made in the round that is equal to the size of the minimal core. Our algorithm guarantees that all processes eventually decide on the same value regardless the initial values. We prove the correctness of our algorithm and give the lower bound of the number of rounds to solve consensus problem.
Airway pressure release ventilation: an alternative mode of mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) results in collapse of alveoli and therefore poor oxygenation. In this article, we review airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), a mode of mechanical ventilation that may be useful when, owing to ARDS, areas of the lungs are collapsed and need to be reinflated (“recruited”), avoiding cyclic alveolar collapse and reopening.
A corepressor and chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcriptional factor proteins modulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2/retinoid X receptor alpha-activated transcription from the murine lipoprotein lipase promoter.

Complex physiological stimuli differentially regulate the tissue-specific transcription of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene. A conserved DNA recognition element (−171 to −149 bp) within the promoter functions as a transcriptional enhancer when bound by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ2)/retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) heterodimer, but serves as a transcriptional silencer in the presence of unidentified double and single stranded DNA-binding proteins. To address this apparent paradox, the current study examined the effect of two classes of candidate comodulatory proteins, COUP-TF (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcriptional factor) and the corepressor SMRT (silencing mediator of retinoic acid receptor and thyroid receptor). The expression of COUP-TF was detected by Western and Northern blots in a preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cell model during periods corresponding to increased LPL transcription. Cotransfection of COUP-TF expression constructs in the renal epithelial 293T cell line sign...
Comparison of High-Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation With Differing Waveforms for Airway Clearance in Cystic Fibrosis

Background High-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) is commonly used by cystic fibrosis (CF) patients for airway clearance. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the use of a newer HFCWO device that generates oscillations with a triangular waveform results in greater sputum production than a commonly used device that generates oscillations with a sine waveform. Methods This was a controlled, randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Fifteen clinically stable, adult CF patients participated. Patients performed airway clearance with each device once and at matched oscillation frequencies and pressures. All sputum produced during each session was collected. Patients completed pulmonary function tests before and after each session, and rated the comfort of the two devices. Results Mean sputum wet and dry weight produced during sine waveform and triangular waveform HFCWO sessions did not differ (p = 0.11 and p=0.2, respectively). Mean changes in FEV 1 and FVC following HFCWO therapy were also comparable (p = 0.21 and p=0.56, respectively). However, there was a significant reduction in air trapping by residual volume/total lung capacity ratio following triangular waveform HFCWO (p = 0.01). In addition, in vitro cough transportability was 10.6% greater following therapy with the triangular waveform device (p = 0.05). Patients perceived the two devices as equally comfortable (p = 0.8). Conclusions Single-session sputum production is comparable with sine and triangular waveform HFCWO devices. Longer term comparisons are needed to determine whether sustained use of the devices results in clinically important differences in outcomes.
Occurrence of Extreme Precipitation Events in California and Relationships with the Madden–Julian Oscillation

California receives most of the annual precipitation during the boreal winter season. Additionally, large spatial and temporal variations in the total rainfall amounts are observed. This study investigates the occurrence of extreme precipitation events in California and the modulation by the Madden‐Julian oscillation (MJO). Three questions are investigated. 1) Are extreme precipitation events in California more likely to occur during active MJO than inactive periods? 2) In what phase of the MJO life cycle are extreme events more likely? 3) Are interannual variations in the frequency of extreme events in California related to interannual variations of the MJO? Daily totals derived from gridded hourly station data are used to define extreme precipitation events from January 1958 to December 1996. Outgoing longwave radiation from polar orbiting satellites (1979‐96) and zonal component of the wind at 200 hPa and 850 hPa from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐ National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis (1958‐96) are used to describe the life cycle of the oscillation and its interannual variability. The results indicate that the frequency of extreme events are more common when tropical activity associated with the MJO is high, as opposed to periods of quiescent phases of the oscillation. Second, a slight preference for a higher number of events is observed when convective anomalies are located in the Indian Ocean. In this situation, low-level westerly and easterly wind anomalies are observed over the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, respectively. The analysis of the interannual variability in the amplitude of the MJO and the occurrence of extreme events over California indicates no direct and systematic relationships with the number of extreme events.
An improved whitening transformation for snapshot-deficient scenarios

Many adaptive signal processing algorithms, such as the MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) spectral estimator, require knowledge of the number of sources. Source enumeration algorithms typically use the eigenvalues of the sample covariance matrix to infer the rank of the signal subspace. These algorithms often assume a white noise background. In colored noise environments, the standard solution is to whiten the data prior to processing. Using results from random matrix theory, Nadakuditi and Silverstein predict the fundamental signal detection limit as a function of the number of snapshots used to define the whitening filter and the number of snapshots used for the detector. They also describe a whitening-based detection algorithm whose performance approaches their asymptotic predictions. Motivated by prior work on the Dominant Mode Rejection beamformer (DMR), this paper proposes a modified whitening transform that uses a structured estimate of the noise-only covariance matrix. Simulations demonstrate that the new whitening transform performs substantially better than Nadakuditi and Silverstein's algorithm when the number of snapshots available to estimate the whitening filter is small.