cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Random rough surface effects in interconnects studied by small perturbation theory in waveguide model

We study the effects of random roughness on wave propagation in a parallel plate metallic waveguide with finite conductivity. The rough surface is three dimensional (3D) with roughness heights varying in both horizontal directions. Integral equations are obtained from the extinction theorem formulated with layered medium Green's function. The second order small perturbation method is then applied to solve the integral equations. A closed form expression for the coherent wave is derived, which is expressed in terms of a three-fold Sommerfeld type integral due to the waveguide structure. Approximate methods are applied to calculate the Sommerfeld integral. The coherent wave enhancement factors of absorption are computed. The results for waveguides are also compared with the results obtained for a plane wave incident on a metal surface with 3D roughness. Results are illustrated for 3D roughness with a variety of power spectra. It is shown that enhancement factors for a waveguide are larger than that of the plane wave case.
Discrimination Between Metachromatic Leukodystrophy and Pseudo-Deficiency of Arylsulfatase A by Restriction Digest of Amplified Gene Fragments

ABSTRACT Mutations causing metachromatic leukodystrophy and pseudo-deficiency were detected in the arylsulfatase A gene by methods based on different wild-type and mutant restriction sites. After polymerase chain reaction amplification of fragments of the arylsulfatase A gene and digestion by the appropriate endonuclease, the mixtures were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by ethidium bromide staining. The common splice mutation in intron 2 (459 + 1G→A) causing, in homozygosity, late-infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy and the common missense mutation in exon 8 (P426L) causing, in homozygosity, adult or juvenile metachromatic leukodystrophy were found to abolish Bst NI and Aci I sites, respectively. The polyadenylation pseudo-deficiency mutation (1619A→G) was found to create a Mae III restriction site. The N-glycosylation pseudo-deficiency mutation (N350S) does not produce or destroy any known restriction site, and in this case, introduction of a single nucleotide mismatch in one of the primers enabled the authors to create a Bfa I site in the mutant allele.
Microcalorimetric Determination of Thermodynamic Parameters for Ionophore−Siderophore Host−Guest Complex Formation

Thermodynamic parameters (delta H, delta S, and delta G) were determined by microcalorimetry in wet chloroform for host-guest assembly formation involving second-sphere complexation of the siderophore ferrioxamine B by crown ether (18-crown-6, cis-dicyclohexano-18-crown-6, benzo-18-crown-6) and cryptand (2.2.2 cryptand) hosts. Similar data were also collected for the same hosts with the pentylammonium ion guest, which corresponds to the pendant pentylamine side chain of ferroxamine B. Host-guest assembly formation constants (Ka) obtained from microcalorimetry agree with values obtained indirectly from chloroform/water extraction studies in those cases where comparable data are available. On the basis of a trend established by the pentylammonium guest, an enhanced stability relative to the crown ethers is observed for the assembly composed of ferrioxamine B and 2.2.2 cryptand that is due to entropic effects. Trends in delta H and delta S with changes in host and guest structure are discussed and attributed directly to host-guest complex formation, as solvation effects were determined to be insignificant (delta Cp = 0).
Electrostatic BEM for MEMS with thin beams

Micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) and nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) systems sometimes use beam- or plate-shaped conductors that can be very thin—with h/L≈(10−2–10−3) (in terms of the thickness h and length L of a beam or the side of a square pate). Conventional boundary element method (BEM) analysis of the electric field in a region exterior to such thin conductors can become difficult to carry out accurately and efficiently—especially since MEMS analysis requires computation of charge densities (and then surface tractions) separately on the top and bottom surfaces of such objects. A new boundary integral equation (BIE) is derived in this work that, when used together with the standard BIE with logarithmically singular kernels, results in a powerful technique for the BEM analysis of such problems with thin beams. This new approach, in fact, works best for very thin beams. This thin beam BEM is derived and discussed in this work. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
William Sealy Gosset and William A. Silverman: Two “Students” of Science

In 1908, William Sealy Gosset, a chemist in an Irish brewery, published his second article on statistics in Biometrika under the pseudonym "Student." He chose this pseudonym because his company did not allow its scientists to publish confidential data. In the article, Gosset described a procedure to assess population means by using small samples. This was the origin of the "Student's t test." Dr William Silverman (1917-2004), a pioneer neonatologist, also used the pseudonym "Student." He sent thousands of notes, clippings, anecdotes, and quotations to Pediatrics with the signature line "Submitted by Student" that appeared as blurbs at the ends of articles since 1977. Both Gosset and Silverman were rigorous students of science. Silverman chose pseudonyms to seek readers' responses to the message rather than the messenger. He also wished that one would remain a perpetual student, ready to say "I don't know," and strive to understand the human side of medicine. This brief article provides a perspective on these 2 "students" of science.
Mortality of Juvenile American Shad and Blueback Herring Passed through a Low-Head Kaplan Hydroelectric Turbine

Abstract Immediate mortality of juvenile alosids, American shad Alosa sapidissima and blueback herring A. aestivalis, passed through the 17-MW Kaplan turbine at Holyoke Dam on the Connecticut River was estimated with mark-capture methods. Turbine-induced mortality was 62% at 16.5-MW generation, 82% at 12 MW, and 82% at 5.5 MW. The significantly lower mortality of fish at full power output is thought to be related to greater turbine efficiency. Received February 29, 1984 Accepted February 28, 1985
‘Bayesian source detection and parameter estimation of a plume model based on sensor network measurements’ by C. Huang et al.: Discussion 1

We consider a network of sensors that measure the intensities of a complex plume composed of multiple absorption–diffusion source components. We address the problem of estimating the plume parameters, including the spatial and temporal source origins and the parameters of the diffusion model for each source, based on a sequence of sensor measurements. The approach not only leads to multiple-source detection, but also the characterization and prediction of the combined plume in space and time. The parameter estimation is formulated as a Bayesian inference problem, and the solution is obtained using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. The approach is applied to a simulation study, which shows that an accurate parameter estimation is achievable. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. A preliminary version of this work was presented at 9th ONR-GTRI Workshop on Target Tracking in Sensor Fusion, 2006.
Energy-restricted diet benefits body composition but degrades bone integrity in middle-aged obese female rats

This study investigates the effects of a restricted diet (RD) on body composition and musculoskeletal health along with endocrines and molecular mechanism in established mature obese rats. Twenty female rats were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) ad libitum for 4 months and then assigned to either HFD or RD group for another 4 months. Another 10 rats were on a low-fat diet for 8 months. Outcome measures included body composition, bone mineral density, microarchitecrure, and strength; serum leptin, adiponectin, insulin-like growth factor I, and liver glutathione peroxidase activity; and protein expression and spleen tumor necrosis factor α messenger RNA expression. We hypothesized that mature obese rats on a 35% energy restriction diet for 4 months would improve body composition but degrade microstructural and mechanical properties of long bones, and such changes in musculoskeletal integrity are related to the modulation of obesity-related endocrines and proinflammation. Relative to HFD, RD benefited body composition (decreased body weight and %fat mass and increased %fat-free mass); decreased insulin-like growth factor I and leptin; elevated adiponectin, glutathione peroxidase activity and protein expression and tumor necrosis factor α messenger RNA expression; and suppressed bone formation and increased bone resorption, resulting in decreased trabecular and cortical bone volume, bone mineral density, and bone strength. Relative to low-fat diet, RD had a similar effect on body composition and serum markers but increased bone turnover rate and decreased bone mineral density and strength. Our data suggest that long-term RD has a negative impact on bone remodeling in obese female rats, probably through modification of endocrines and elevation of proinflammation.
Synthesis of a pyrenophorin precursor, 7-hydroxy-4-oxo-2-octenoic acid by the direct palladium catalyzed coupling of an acrylic tin reagent with an acid chloride

Abstract A palladium catalyzed coupling reaction of an organotin reagent bearing acrylate functionality with an acid chloride serves as a method to introduce both a ketone and an acrylate functionality into a carbon framework; thus the coupling reaction of 4-t-butyldiphenylsiloxypentanoyl chloride with benzyl 3-tributylstannylacrylate gave a 71% yield of benzyl 7-t-butyldiphenylsiloxy-4-oxo-2-octenoate, which was converted to the ketal of 7-hydroxy-4-oxo-2-octenoic acid, a precursor to the macrolide antibiotic, pyrenophorin.
Concentrations of selected chlorinated pesticides in shrimp collected from the calcasieu river/lake complex, Louisiana

For several decades inland and coastal aquatic ecosystems have been affected by a multitude of synthetic chemical substances. This is a consequence of population growth and increased industrial and agricultural activity. Many of these chemicals, the by-products of their production, and degradation products ultimately find their way into the aquatic environment as pollutants. The extent to which these pollutants affect the environment and its inhabitants depends largely upon the quantity and nature of the particular compounds involved. Halogenated hydrocarbons, particularly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the pesticide DDT and its degradation products have received much attention as environmental pollutants. Because of the economic importance of the shrimping industry to southwest Louisiana, the objective of this study was to analyze shrimp collected from the Calcasieu River/Lake Complex for the presence of selected chlorinated pesticides. The presence of these compounds within shrimp tissues would serve as an indicator for the extent of pollution throughout this important estuarine system.
Occupational physical activities and long-term functional and radiographic outcomes in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective We sought to identify specific occupational activities associated with functional limitations and radiographic damage in patients with longstanding ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods We asked patients diagnosed with AS for ≥20 years to report all past occupations, which we mapped to specific physical activities using the Occupational Information Network, which is the US Department of Labor job classification database. For each occupation reported, we obtained ratings for 13 physical abilities of the worker and 13 aspects of the work environment or work tasks (work context) thought to be most relevant to patients with AS. Averages for each measure, weighted by the number of years in each job, were related to the degree of functional limitation as assessed by the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) and to the extent of spinal radiographic damage as assessed by the Bath AS Radiology Index for the spine (BASRI-s). Results Among 397 patients, those with a history of jobs requiring dynamic flexibility (the ability to repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach) had more functional limitations than those whose past jobs required little or no dynamic flexibility (adjusted mean BASFI score 48.3 in the top quartile versus 38.1 in all others). Those whose past jobs required more dynamic flexibility, extent flexibility, and exposure to whole body vibration also had significantly higher BASRI-s scores. Conclusion Bending, twisting, and stretching are the occupational activities associated with greater functional limitations and radiographic damage in patients with longstanding AS. Exposure to whole body vibration was also associated with more radiographic damage.
Discontinuity Revisited: An Improved Conversion to Context-Free Representations

This paper introduces a new, reversible method for converting syntactic structures with discontinuous constituents into traditional syntax trees. The method is applied to the Tiger Corpus of German and results for PCFG parsing requiring such context-free trees are provided. A labeled dependency evaluation shows that the new conversion method leads to better results by preserving local relationships and introducing fewer inconsistencies into the training data.
Inhibitory effect of JTV-803, a new cyclic guanidine derivative, on factor Xa in vitro and in vivo

Abstract JTV-803, 4-[(2-amidino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-7-yloxy)methyl]-1-(4-pyridinyl)piperidine-4-carboxylic acid monomethanesulfonate trihydrate showed a competitive inhibitory effect on human factor Xa, with a K i value of 0.019 μM. This compound was 100 times more selective in inhibiting human factor Xa as compared to its inhibitory activity against thrombin, plasmin, and trypsin. JTV-803 was also examined for its inhibitory effect on activated factor Xa obtained from plasma of various animal species. JTV-803 exerted a potent inhibitory effect on human factor Xa (IC 50 : 0.081 μM). JTV-803 prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time in a dose-dependent manner. Oral anticoagulant efficacy of JTV-803 was examined ex vivo for its inhibition of human factor Xa in cynomolgus monkeys. JTV-803 produced more than 20% inhibition of human factor Xa for 8 h. Taken together, the results indicate JTV-803 is a long-acting oral anticoagulant which exerts its effect via specific inhibition of human factor Xa.
Localized Areas of High Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in Endothelium of Arteries

THE earliest reports of histochemical reactions for phosphatases in the alkaline pH-range described activity in the endothelium of capillaries, “sometimes” in the endothelium of “blood vessels” and in the adventitia of medium-sized arterioles1–3. Differences in the activity of this enzyme in capillaries of various organs were noted. Since then, no specific localization of alkaline phosphatase activity has been described in the vascular tree4–6. The purpose of the present communication is to report the presence of intense alkaline phosphatase activity localized in the endothelium of small arteries and arterioles at their origin from larger vessels.
Fiber systems of medial and anterior thalamus of Macaque.

Lesions were produced in the anterior limb of the internal capsule of three Macaca mulatta. The resulting median, paramedian, and lateral vertical bands of thalamic degeneration appeared to disregard nuclear boundaries and extend from the anterior tubercle to the habenula. A mediolateral gradient in the dorsomedial nucleus was related to a basal, middle and lateral disposition of lesions in the capsular fan. The possible significance of these observations as underscoring a more general theme of thalamocortical relationship was explored.
Ca2+-Dependent and Ca2+-independent effects of pancreatic secretagogues on phosphatidylinositol metabolism

Abstract To gain further insight into the nature and importance of the phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis response, we tested the effects of a variety of secretagogues on [32P]phosphate incorporation into, and net changes in the concentrations of, phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol during incubation of pancreatic tissue fragments in vitro. All tested secretagogues, including carbachol, cholecystokinin, secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, insulin, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, ionophore A23187, prostaglandins E1 and E, caused a 30–40% decrease in the concentration of phosphatidylinositol and a 50–100% increase in the concentration of phoshatidic acid. The effects of prostaglindins E1 and E2 appeared to be due to enhanced insulin secretion, since blockade of the latter by epinephrine selectively abolished the effects of prostaglandins on phospholipid metabolism. Secretagogue-induced amylase secretion and changes in the concentrations of phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol were abolished by Ca2+ deficiency. The increases in phosphatidic acid concentration were inhibited by cycloheximide. Decreases in phosphatidylinositol concentration correlated reasonably well with increases in amylase secretion in all tested experimental conditions. In contrast to the above changes in phospholipid concentrations, the increases in [32P]phosphate incorporation into phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol provoked by carbachol and cholecystokinin (but not dibutyryl cyclic AMP) were not influenced by either Ca2+ deficiency or cycloheximide treatment. This Ca2+-independent effect on [32 P]phosphate incorporation may reflect the enhanced rapid turnover of a relatively small pool of phosphatidylinositol occurring prior to increases in cytosolic Ca2+in the action of carbachol, cholecystokinin and, presumably, other related peptides. The large-scale, Ca2+ -dependent decrease in phosphatidylinositol, however, appears to be a ‘post-second messenger’ event. The latter, since it occurs with all tested secretagogues, may contribute to exocytosis.
Dosimeter for hydrogen sulfide by paper luminescence

Abstract Whatman No. 1 chromatography paper is wetted with 0.5 M CdCl 2 solution and then dried. When this paper is exposed to a gas containing hydrogen sulfide, a surface reaction on paper causes accumulation of the analyte, depending on the time of exposure and the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in gas. No visible change is observed after this reaction. However, when this paper surface is subjected to ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 300 nm, it shows luminescence. The intensity of luminescence can be correlated with hydrogen sulfide concentration if the exposure time is kept constant. The system has a linear response up to 3.0 ppm H 2 S; the detection limit (3s) is 15 ppb.
Recoil-ion kinetic energies for 96 MeV Ar collisions

Abstract The kinetic energies of He, Ne, and Ar recoil-ions produced in single collisions with 96 MeV Ar4+ and Ar15+ projectiles have been determined from high resolution time-of-flight measurements. They were found to vary from the ambient thermal energy for charge 1 recoil-ions to 5 eV for Ar11+ recoil-ions. Average impact parameters were deduced from these results.
Cellular Programming of Plant Gene Imprinting

Gene imprinting, the differential expression of maternal and paternal alleles, independently evolved in mammals and in flowering plants. A unique feature of flowering plants is a double-fertilization event in which the sperm fertilize not only the egg, which forms the embryo, but also the central cell, which develops into the endosperm (an embryo-supporting tissue). The distinctive mechanisms of gene imprinting in the endosperm, which involve DNA demethylation and histone methylation, begin in the central cell and sperm prior to fertilization. Flowering plants might have coevolved double fertilization and imprinting to prevent parthenogenetic development of the endosperm.
Hybrid ARQ receiver for packet communications over free-space optical channels

In this paper, we present receiver architectures for post-detection combining of multiple transmitted packets in direct-detection (DD) photon channels. It is assumed that the optical signal is intensity modulated (IM) and that the receiver operates under a shot-noise limit condition. Furthermore, it is assumed that the channel is free of atmospheric turbulence or turbulence is negligible enough so that it can be assumed away. An automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) mechanism is utilized with a time-out feature of M retransmissions. Maximum a posteriori (MAP) rule is considered here to arrive at optimal combining mechanism for the above scenarios. Performance is established in terms of average delay and probability of packet loss. Furthermore, the probability of successful transmission of a packet in q (<M) attempts is obtained. It is shown that the proposed technique offers a significant reduction in the number of attempts for successful transmission of a packet as compared with the conventional method.
International Voluntary Services in Vietnam: War and the Birth of Activism, 1958–1967

This paper explores the evolution of the largest non-governmental organization to serve in Vietnam, International Voluntary Services (IVS), from the perspective of three of its volunteers. All had served for substantial periods and were in positions of responsibility by September 1967, when they resigned in an open letter protesting American policy sent to President Lyndon B. Johnson. The letter was the product of their experiences and discussions, and expressed sentiments shared by an overwhelming number of their fellow volunteers, many of whom signed the letter in sympathy. Upon publication in the New York Times, the letter became a subject of controversy in Saigon and Washington, as the resignations were the first protest from within the American community in Vietnam. Perhaps as important, the resignations were the culmination of a process of reflection and growth that led the signers to a new understanding of social responsibility and activism.
Binding of MCF-7 cell mitochondrial proteins and recombinant human estrogen receptors α and β to human mitochondrial DNA estrogen response elements

Our previous studies have shown that 17beta estradiol (E2) enhances the transcript levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded genes and mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) activity via estrogen receptors (ER). Others have reported the presence of putative estrogen responsive elements (ERE) in human mtDNA (mtEREs) and detection of ERs in mitochondria of rat uterine and ovary cells. Recently, we demonstrated the E2-enhanced mitochondrial localization of ERalpha and ERbeta, and E2-induced mtDNA transcript levels in MCF-7 cells. In this study, we applied electrophoresis mobility shift assays (EMSAs) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to determine if mitochondrial extracts, recombinant human ERalpha (rhERalpha), and rhERbeta interact with mtEREs. Using EMSAs, we observed that ER-containing mitochondrial extracts bound to mtEREs and the binding was enhanced by E2, whereas the binding of mitochondrial proteins from ERbeta-deficient cells was almost undetectable. Both rhERalpha and rhERbeta bound to the mtEREs and their binding was altered by their respective antibodies. However, the ERalpha antibodies did not alter the binding of MCF-7 cell mitochondrial extracts to mtEREs whereas the binding MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell mitochondrial extracts to mtEREs was reduced by ERbeta antibody. These results suggest that the mtERE-bound mitochondrial protein is ERbeta. Using SPR, we observed the binding of both ERs to mtEREs and that the binding was increased by E2. These results indicate that the mitochondrial ERs can interact with mtEREs and suggest that they may be directly involved in E2 induction of mtDNA transcription.
Acellular Dermal Matrix in Palatoplasty

The primary goal of palatoplasty is to allow normal speech through the correction of velopharyngeal incompetence. Failure to accomplish a tension-free, watertight closure predisposes the palatoplasty patient to postoperative fistula formation. Fistulas may in turn contribute to velopharyngeal incompetence. Reported fistula rates vary widely, ranging from 0% to greater than 70%; recurrence rates after attempted repair approach 65% in some series. These lesions therefore represent a significant clinical burden. Acellular dermal matrix materials have been introduced into various phases of palatoplasty as a strategy to augment repairs and minimize postoperative fistula formation, as well as repair fistulas when they do occur. In this article, the authors review the existing literature regarding acellular dermal matrix in palatoplasty and describe their own algorithm and results for primary and secondary palatoplasty in which acellular dermal matrix plays a central role.
Free-throw shooting during dual-task performance: Implications for attentional demand and performance

In this study, the dual-task paradigm was used to determine peak attentional demand during the free-throw process. Thirty participants completed 40 free-throw trials. The free throw was the primary task, but participants also verbally responded to a tone administered at one of four probe positions (PP). Repeated measures analysis of variance showed no significant difference in free-throw performance across PPs, indicating participants were able to keep the free throw as the primary task. Repeated measures analysis of response time (RT) showed significant differences, with RT at PP1 (preshot routine) and PP2 (first upward motion of the ball) significantly higher than baseline RT. These results suggest that PP1 requires the greatest attentional demand, followed by PP2.
American nurse-midwifery: a task analysis approach to assessment of professional practice.

Abstract A task analysis was conducted by the American College of Nurse-Midwives' Division of Competency Assessment. Task analysis is a technique derived from the psychometric (test construction) field which is used to determine the knowledge, skills and abilities which comprise the domain and scope of practice of a profession, usually within the context of competency assessment. Data derived from this investigation can be used to support the theoretical construct of nurse-midwifery as a professional practice discipline. Data can also be used for purposes of self-assessment, peer review, direction for continuing education, and within the structure of the regulatory process for professional practice, including considerations of reciprocal licensure. Selected data from this research are presented. Several skills and abilities are identified which represent tasks either newly assumed within the scope of American nurse-midwifery practice, or now infrequently practised. Skills which are critical to competency are also identified.
Evidence-Based Practice, Descriptive Research and the Resilience–Schema–Gender–Brain Functioning (RSGB) Assessment

Jane F. Gilgun is a professor at the School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA. She does research on children, adolescents and adults who have confronted serious adversi ties. Her focus is on the development of violent behaviours, the meanings of violence to perpetrators and how persons cope with, adapt to and overcome adversities. She has presented locally, nationally and internationally on resilience, her violence research and on qualitative research methods, includ ing the use of qualitative approaches for the development of assessment tools for human services.
Development of ferret as a human lung cancer model by injecting 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)

Abstract Objective Development of new animal lung cancer models that are relevant to human lung carcinogenesis is important for lung cancer research. Previously we have shown the induction of lung tumor in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) exposed to both tobacco smoke and a tobacco carcinogen (4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, NNK). In the present study, we investigated whether NNK treatment alone induces both preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in the lungs of ferrets. Methods We exposed ferrets to NNK by i.p. injection of NNK (50 mg/kg BW) once a month for four consecutive months and then followed up for 24, 26 and 32 weeks. The incidences of pulmonary preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions were assessed by histopathological examination. The expressions of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR, which has been shown to promote lung carcinogenesis) and its related molecular biomarkers in lungs were examined by immunohistochemistry and/or Western blotting analysis. Results Ferrets exposed to NNK alone developed both preneoplastic lesions (squamous metaplasia, dysplasia and atypical adenomatous hyperplasia) and tumors (squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma), which are commonly seen in humans. The incidence of tumor induced by NNK was time-dependent in the ferrets (16.7%, 40.0% and 66.7% for 24, 26 and 32 weeks, respectively). α7 nAChR is highly expressed in the ferret bronchial/bronchiolar epithelial cells, and alveolar macrophages in ferrets exposed to NNK, and in both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the ferrets. In addition, we observed the tendency for an increase in phospho-ERK and cyclin D1 protein levels (p = 0.081 and 0.080, respectively) in the lungs of ferrets exposed to NNK. Conclusion The development of both preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in ferret lungs by injecting NNK alone provides a simple and highly relevant non-rodent model for studying biomarkers/molecular targets for the prevention, detection and treatment of lung carcinogenesis in humans.
Introduction to experimental and clinical studies using low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT).

I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve as guest editor for this special issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine that concentrates on low level laser therapy (LLLT) also known as photobiomodulation. I would like to thank Drs. Stuart Nelson and Henry Chan for the invitation to be guest editor and to pay a special tribute to the talented and tireless Ms. Beth Mallen, without whom this would have been an impossible task. LLLT has been known since a few years after the discovery of lasers (incidentally celebrating their 50th anniversary this year). However, it is only in relatively recent times that LLLT has become scientifically and clinically accepted by even a fraction of the medical community. We hope this issue will make a contribution towards increasing the awareness among both physicians and the general scientific public that hard evidence is now available that “sheds light” on the basic mechanisms, pre-clinical applications and clinical benefits of LLLT. It contains a review, basic science and clinical research submissions providing new information concerning cell biology studies after LLLT and highlighting many possible clinical applications of LLLT.
Reconfigurable cube architecture for parallel computation

The construction of a dynamic cube network architecture that extends the capabilities of hypercube architectures with only a small increase in hardware complexity is described. The network is self-routing in the sense that there is a simple distributed routing algorithm which guarantees optimal paths between any pair of the vertices. This, together with other improvements in embedding properties, makes the dynamic cube an attractive alternative to the ordinary hypercube for massively parallel architectures. >
Private Road to Sustainable Mobility

MIT-Portugal Program (Portugal. Foundation for International Cooperation in Science, Technology and Higher Education)
Management of a malpositioned implant using custom abutment and screw-retained fixed dental prosthesis.

A 32-year-old woman with missing permanent mandibular right molars and left first molar presented for treat ment. One of the implants were misaligned during the placement due to sudden mouth closure of the patient. All implants success fully osseointegrated. However, the misaligned implant resulted in substantial mechanical and esthetic restorative challenges. The prosthodontic treatment included a custom abutment and a screw-retained fixed dental prosthesis on the right side. The patient did not report any problems with the implants and restorations during the first year of service. The treat ment presented in this clinical report may be an alternative option to restore malpositioned implants.
Traces of Folk Medicine in Jaunpur

In a village compound built along a hillside in northern Utter Pradesh, PuSkarji, a 90-year-old healer, told my research assistant, Jyoti, and I about a valuable book that he had once possessed. "My father had a book that was later lost. It was a published book with mantra cures for illnesses; every method of healing was in that book. My father got the book from a man who lived beyond Tehri, a man who knew mantras. My father learned from that book; later I also learned from it." Unfortunately, Puikarji continued, he had loaned the book to a nephew who had never returned it. He had made repeated efforts to get the book back but without success. He spoke wistfully and angrily of this excellent printed book of healing lore that he used to possess. "Nothing bad ever happens in the house where that book is kept," he said. Puikarji's lost book is a useful allegory for the subject of this article, which is the relationship between ethnography and the knowledge practices of certain elderly healers living in Jaunpur, a region of the Uttarakhand (the Himalayan foothills of northern India). In one register, the image of the lost book is reminiscent of the image of "lost culture" that often haunts ethnographic texts. Puikarji seems almost to share this nostalgic longing for vanishing knowledge. Yet the book also works as an image of contact between communities where knowledge is passed through oral tradition and cosmopolitan worlds where knowledge is transmitted primarily through writing. Finally, the book, by being both a collection of words signifying information about remedies and at the same time a powerful talisman that protects its owner from misfortune, also crosses the gap between two seemingly opposed modes of language: one that refers to events and one that enacts them. The first mode of language is the one practiced within academic discourse and through the modes of questioning
When a- and d-oftimality conflict

Let . be an m≠1 vector of unknown parameters. We consider a situation where, within a class of two unbiased estimators is D-optimal and is A-optimal. For example, such a situation arises in reliability studies (Srivastava, 1986). We present some results on comparing the variances of the unbiased estimators of certain interesting linear functions .
Deep sequencing of short RNAs reveals novel microRNAs in minor salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES Sjogren’s syndrome is a complex autoimmune disease of the salivary gland with an unknown etiology, so a thorough characterization of the transcriptome would facilitate our understanding of the disease. We use ultradeep sequencing of small RNAs from patients with Sjogren’s syndrome and healthy volunteers, primarily to identify and discover novel miRNA sequences that may play a role in the disease.
An indirect stochastic adaptive scheme with on-line choice of weighting polynomials

An indirect adaptive control algorithm combining a quadratic cost measure of the Clarke-Gawthrop type and the classical control strategy of pole placement is presented. It updates the weighting polynomials of the cost function online in such a way that the closed-loop poles are located at prespecified positions. The convergence and stability of the adaptive control algorithm is also given without the assumption that the system is minimum phase. >
Dual use of superscalar datapath for transient-fault detection and recovery

Diminutive devices and high clock frequency of future microprocessor generations are causing increased concerns for transient soft failures in hardware, necessitating fault detection and recovery mechanisms even in commodity processors. In this paper, we propose a fault-tolerant extension for modern superscalar out-of-order datapath that can be supported by only modest additional hardware. In the proposed extensions, error-detection is achieved by verifying the redundant results of dynamically replicated threads of executions, while the error-recovery scheme employs the instruction-rewind mechanism to restart at a failed instruction. We study the performance impact of augmenting superscalar microarchitectures with this fault tolerance mechanism. An analytical performance model is used in conjunction with a performance simulator. The simulation results of 11 SPEC95 and SPEC2000 benchmarks show that in the absence of faults, error detection causes a 2% to 45% reduction in throughput, which is in line with other proposed detection schemes. In the presence of transient faults, the fast error recovery scheme contributes very little additional slowdown.
Monte Carlo simulations of electromagnetic wave scattering from a random rough surface with three-dimensional penetrable buried object: mine detection application using the steepest-descent fast multipole method

We present a statistical study of the electric field scattered from a three-dimensional penetrable object buried under a two-dimensional random rough surface. Monte Carlo simulations using the steepest-descent fast multipole method (SDFMM) are conducted to calculate the average and the standard deviation of the near-zone scattered fields. The SDFMM, originally developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, has been modified to calculate the unknown surface currents both on the rough ground and on the buried object that are due to excitation by a tapered Gaussian beam. The rough ground medium used is an experimentally measured typical dry Bosnian soil with 3.8% moisture, while the buried object represents a plastic land mine modeled as an oblate spheroid with dimensions and burial depth smaller than the free-space wavelength. Both vertical and horizontal polarizations for the incident waves are studied. The numerical results show that the TNT mine signature is almost 5% of the total field scattered from the ground. Moreover, relatively recognizable object signatures are observed even when the object is buried under the tail of the incident beam. Interestingly, even for the small surface roughness parameters considered, the standard deviation of the object signature is almost 30% of the signal itself, indicating significant clutter distortion that is due to the roughness of the ground.
On detecting single and multiple bridging faults in CMOS circuits using the current supply monitoring method

Several examples are presented to illustrate the limitations of current supply monitoring (CSM). Constraints on a circuit on a circuit and its test environment which guide the use of CSM are described. Under these constraints it is formally shown that all single irredundant bridging faults can be detected by single vector tests and that a test vector which detects a single bridging fault f/sub 1/ also detects all multiple bridging faults that contain f/sub 1/. >
Adult Onset Krabbe Disease Presenting As Complex Form Of CMT, With Peculiar Features On Sural Nerve Biopsy

Peripheral neuropathy is a common feature of classic infantile Krabbe disease and is characterised, on pathological ground, by segmental demyelination, reduction of large myelinated fibers, presence of crystalloid and prismatic inclusions within Schwann cells and histocytes. We report a fifty-nine-year-old man who presented a progressive weakness in his distal limb muscles since the age of forty-seven. At first examination, at the age of 50, there was a slight weakness of small hand muscles and of tibio-peronei (F = 4, MRC scale) with bilateral pes cavus. Reflexes were moderately brisk with bilateral Babinski sign. There was a slight tongue atrophy. Electrophysiological examination showed generalised slowing of nerve conduction velocities. T2-weighted magnetic resonance images showed bilateral periventricular hyperintensity of the white matter. A diagnosis of “complex form” of Charcot Marie Tooth disease was made. Over ten years of follow-up a progressive worsening was observed, particularly in the proximal and distal muscles of his left upper limb. He was intellectually normal. Leukocyte galactocerebroside beta-galactosidase activity, performed at the age of 59, was absent. On sural nerve biopsy the most striking finding was the presence of uniformly thin myelin sheaths without evidence of de-remyelination. Myelinated fiber density was moderately reduced. Two brothers suffered from the same disease. Symptoms started at 41 and 47 years and were characterised by progressive weakness in the limbs with death occurring at 61 and 59 years, respectively, due to respiratory failure. Nerve conduction velocity was slowed in both patients. Sural nerve biopsy was performed in one of them, 4 years before death, and disclosed a complete absence of myelinated and unmyelinated fibers. Parents were not consanguineous and did not suffer from neurological diseases. In conclusion our findings show that peripheral neuropathy may be the presenting feature of late-onset Krabbe disease. We found that hypomyelination rather than demyelination was responsible for slowing of nerve conduction. Our data confirm the only report in the literature (Matsumoto et al., Acta Neuropathol 1996, 92:635) suggesting that hypomyelination may play a role in late-onset Krabbe disease.
How Cleanth Brooks Read his Seventeenth Century News Letter: James Marshall Osborn, Joseph Milton French, and the Organization of English as a Profession in Mid-Century America

The founding of the Seventeenth Century News Letter, publishedNew Brunswick, New Jersey, from 1942–1951 and described in the Yale University Library online catalog as a “Quarterly (irregular),” marks a particular moment in English literature as a profession in mid-twentieth century America. The original newsletter offers a glimpse into the organization of literary scholarship in the period, and the practices by which English literature as a professional community functioned. This period, with its battles over the centrality of literary criticism and literary history, and with the heated opposition to successive fashions in literary theory, has been usefully studied, and within the context of Yale in particular, by Gerald Graff. Yet there are spheres of literary scholarship which Graff’s study does not address, in part through its focus on the workings of academic departments, and their courses and curricula, in university English departments. Important professional spaces—the library, most notably—and practices, such as collecting and corresponding, are excluded from this study. These are precisely the spheres occupied by Osborn and his colleagues in this period. This paper turns to two examples of Osborn’s work as a literary scholar and collector in the 1940s, to illustrate the networks by which professional practice was governed, and complicated, in English literature in mid-century America. In the imagined community of seventeenth-century scholarship found in the Seventeenth Century News Letter, and the collaboration between Osborn and literary critic Cleanth Brooks on a scholarly edition, one finds a lived experience of English literature which was by no means as polarized, as exclusionary, as that portrayed by Graff and others.
Precision readout circuits for capacitive microaccelerometers

This paper presents a review of capacitive readout front-end circuits for high-precision accelerometers. The primary design parameters and the trade-offs affecting the resolution are presented. The discussions apply to all capacitive microsensor interfaces. Also, a high-sensitivity capacitive accelerometer interface circuit for hybrid-integration with a surface/bulk micromachined micro-g accelerometer is described. The first generation of the circuit resolves 75 aF of capacitance on /spl sim/120 pF parasitic capacitance with a 200 kHz sampling rate, and the second generation resolves 20 aF with 1 MHz sampling rate. The overall sensor-circuit module has a noise floor of 1.6 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz at ambient atmosphere.
Four Techniques for Online Handling of Out-of-Vocabulary Words in Arabic-English Statistical Machine Translation

We present four techniques for online handling of Out-of-Vocabulary words in Phrase-based Statistical Machine Translation. The techniques use spelling expansion, morphological expansion, dictionary term expansion and proper name transliteration to reuse or extend a phrase table. We compare the performance of these techniques and combine them. Our results show a consistent improvement over a state-of-the-art baseline in terms of BLEU and a manual error analysis.
Maximal throughput routing in wireless linear networks

To design an efficient wireless routing scheme, both the physical characteristics of wireless links and the related networking activities must be taken into account. Simply applying the routing algorithms used in wired networks has been shown to be a suboptimal approach because of the fundamental differences between wireless and wired links. In this paper, we focus on the end-to-end throughput of equidistant routes in wireless linear networks. Applying a practical wireless network model, in which we consider the physical-layer characteristics as well as the interactions with the upper layers, optimization problems are formulated to derive the best routing and scheduling scheme. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the performance gains of the proposed maximal throughput routing algorithm.
The power to terrify: eclampsia in 19th-century American practice.

Throughout the 19th century, eclampsia was among the most dreaded complications of pregnancy. Conflicts arose over proposed etiologies and therapeutic modalities. Bloodletting and other harsh therapies reflected the prevailing humoral, neurovascular, and toxicologic theories. The role of untrained and professional nurses in the lying-in room of an eclamptic wo-man emerges from the literature of the time. An appreciation of the history of eclampsia provides context for the modern obstetric nurse.
Agreement/Disagreement Classification: Exploiting Unlabeled Data using Contrast Classifiers

Several semi-supervised learning methods have been proposed to leverage unlabeled data, but imbalanced class distributions in the data set can hurt the performance of most algorithms. In this paper, we adapt the new approach of contrast classifiers for semi-supervised learning. This enables us to exploit large amounts of unlabeled data with a skewed distribution. In experiments on a speech act (agreement/disagreement) classification problem, we achieve better results than other semi-supervised methods. We also obtain performance comparable to the best results reported so far on this task and outperform systems with equivalent feature sets.
Addendum to "The Truth is Never Simple"

The present note outlines an answer to a question listed as open in our recent survey article [1], familiarity with which is assumed. Let Γ be the class of all X ⊆ ω such that X is reducible to for some some arithmetical and some positive with Y ⊆ p ( Y ) for all Y . A.1. Theorem. is a complete set of class Γ. A.2. Corollary, (a) is - in-a - - parameter . (b) (i) Every set - in-a - - parameter is reducible to . (ii) Every set - in-a - - parameter is reducible to . Remarks. A.1 answers 7.3 of [1]. A.2 says as much as can be said about in terms of the coarse classifications of the analytical hierarchy. A.2 follows from A.1 by general methods and results in the theory of inductive definitions (having nothing specifically to do with truth), and its proof will be omitted. Proof of A.1. We omit subscripts vF. Upper Bound . Define