cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
'Intentional' signaling in Animal communication.

Abstract The problem of ‘intentional' signaling is of interest to evolutionary biologists concerned with animal conflicts and to cognitive ethologists attempting to determine whether nonhuman animals exhibit evidence of complex mental states. Recent theoretical and empirical advances in this area have led to a number of important insights concerning the nature of competitive social interactions. Specifically, and in contrast to earlier claims, individuals involved in social conflicts often produce displays that predict their-subsequent behavior, and such predictive displays occur even when repeated social interactions are infrequent. Moreover, studies on a taxonomically diverse set of organisms show that deception, in the form of withholding information, is prevalent. Deception through concealment of information may be widespread because it is more difficult to detect than active falsification of information.
The convergence between self-reports and observer ratings of financial skills and direct assessment of financial capabilities in patients with schizophrenia: More detail is not always better

Despite multiple lines of evidence suggesting that people with schizophrenia tend to overestimate their ability to perform everyday tasks such as money management, self-report methods are still widely used to assess functioning. In today's technology driven financial world patients are faced with increasingly complex financial management tasks. To meet these challenges adequate financial skills are required. Thus, accurate assessments of these abilities are critical to decisions regarding a patient's need for support such as a financial trustee. As part of the larger VALERO study, 195 patients with schizophrenia were asked to self-report their everyday financial skills (five common financial tasks) with the Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS). They were also assessed with performance-based measures of neuro-cognition and functional capacity with a focus on financial skills. In addition, a friend, relative, or clinician informant was interviewed with the ILSS and a best estimate rating of functioning was generated. Scores on the performance-based measures of financial skills and neuropsychological tests were uncorrelated with self-reported financial activities. Interviewer and all informant judgments of financial abilities were also minimally correlated with performance on functional skill tests. Discrete financial skills appear to be challenging for clinicians to rate with accuracy without the use of direct assessments. Direct assessment of financial skills seems prudent when making determinations about the need for guardianship or other financial supervision.
Expression of complement restriction factors (CD46, CD55 & CD59) in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Background: Tumor cells can escape complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) by expressing complement restriction factors (CRFs), CD46, CD55 and CD59. CRF-expression in non-neoplastic mucosa of the head and neck was compared with biopsies of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and cell lines derived from oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). Methods: Normal mucosa and HNSCC tumor tissue (poor, moderate, or well differentiated) specimens were immunostained with anti-CRF monoclonal antibodies. Immunostaining of the OSCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC71) was examined under laser scan fluorescence microscopy. Results: CD46, CD55 and CD59 were highly expressed in HNSCC cells including T1/T2N0M0 stages. The CRF expression was much lower or absent in non-neoplastic squamous epithelia or in the submucosa of both normal and tumor tissues. Conclusions: Enhanced staining of tumor tissues at stages T1/T2 indicates that the CRFs are overexpressed by primary tumors before metastasis to either lymph nodes or organs (N0M0 stage) suggesting that CRFs are formed early during tumorigenesis.
A mutation in segment IVS6 disrupts fast inactivation of sodium channels

Na(+)-channel inactivation is proposed to occur by binding of an intracellular inactivation gate to a hydrophobic inactivation gate receptor in the intracellular mouth of the pore. Amino acid residues in transmembrane segment S6 of domain IV (IVS6) that are critical for fast inactivation were identified by alanine-scanning mutagenesis. Mutant VIL1774-6AAA, in which three adjacent residues (Val-Ile-Leu) at the intracellular end of segment IVS6 were converted to alanine, had substantial (> 85%) sustained Na+ currents remaining 15 ms after depolarization, while a nearby mutation of three residues to alanine had no effect. Single-channel analysis revealed continued reopenings late in 40-ms depolarizing pulses indicating that inactivation was substantially impaired compared to wild type. The mean open time for VIL1774-6AAA was longer than wild type, suggesting that this mutation also decreases the rate of entry into the fast inactivated state. These results suggest that residues near the intracellular end of segment IVS6 are critical for fast Na(+)-channel inactivation and may form part of the hydrophobic receptor site for the fast inactivation gate.
Turnstiles and bifurcators: The disequilibrium converting engines that put metabolism on the road

Abstract The Submarine Hydrothermal Alkaline Spring Theory for the emergence of life holds that it is the ordered delivery of hydrogen and methane in alkaline hydrothermal solutions at a spontaneously precipitated inorganic osmotic and catalytic membrane to the carbon dioxide and other electron acceptors in the earliest acidulous cool ocean that, through these gradients, drove life into being. That such interactions between hydrothermal fuels and potential oxidants have so far not been accomplished in the lab is because some steps along the necessary metabolic pathways are endergonic and must therefore be driven by being coupled to thermodynamically larger exergonic processes. But coupling of this kind is far from automatic and it is not enough to merely sum the ΔGs of two supposedly coupled reactions and show their combined thermodynamic viability. An exergonic reaction will not drive an endergonic one unless ‘forced’ to do so by being tied to it mechanistically via an organized “engine” of “Free Energy Conversion” (FEC). Here we discuss the thermodynamics of FEC and advance proposals regarding the nature and roles of the FEC devices that could, in principle, have arisen spontaneously in the alkaline hydrothermal context and have forced the onset of a protometabolism. The key challenge is to divine what these initial engines of life were in physicochemical terms and as part of that, what structures provided the first “turnstile-like” mechanisms needed to couple the partner processes in free energy conversion; in particular to couple the dissipation of geochemically given gradients to, say, the reduction of CO2 to formate and the generation of a pyrophosphate disequilibrium. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The evolutionary aspects of bioenergetic systems.
Preserved enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase immobilized on unmodified electrodes for glucose detection.

Glucose sensing electrodes have been realized by immobilizing glucose oxidase (GOx) on unmodified edge plane of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (epHOPG) and the native oxide of heavily doped silicon (SiO 2 /Si). Both kinds of electrode show direct interfacial electron transfer due to the redox process of the immobilized GOx. The measured formal potential of the redox process agrees with that of the native enzyme, suggesting that the immobilized GOx has retained its enzymatic activity. The electron transfer rates of the GOx immobilized electrode are 2 s -1 for GOx/epHOPG electrode and 7.9 s -1 for GOx/SiO 2 /Si electrode, which are greater than those for which GOx is immobilized on modified electrodes, probably due to the fact that the enzyme makes direct contact to electrode surface. The preservation of the enzymatic activity of the immobilized GOx has been confirmed by observing the response of the GOx/epHOPG and GOx/SiO 2 /Si electrodes to glucose with a detection limit of 0.050 mM. The response signals the catalyzed oxidation of glucose and, therefore, confirms that the immobilized GOx retained its enzymatic activity. The properties of the electrode as a glucose sensor are presented.
Platelet activation and secretion in patients with major depression, thoracic aortic atherosclerosis, or renal dialysis treatment

Relatively little is known concerning the magnitude of alterations of platelet activation and secretion markers of patients with major depression when compared to patients at increased risk for, or with current, clinically significant atherosclerosis. Markers of in vivo platelet stimulation and secretion were measured under basal conditions in normal comparison subjects (n = 12) and three patient groups: patients diagnosed with DSM-IV major depression (n = 15), dialysis-dependent patients (n = 12), and patients with severe thoracic aortic atherosclerosis (n = 10). In comparison to normal comparison subjects, depressed patients and patients with thoracic aortic atherosclerosis exhibited the greatest platelet stimulation as detected by increased anti-LIBS platelet binding. Dialysis-dependent patients exhibited the highest plasma concentrations of the renally-excreted platelet-specific secretion protein, beta-thromboglobulin. This study extends previous observations of increased platelet activation in patients with major depression and documents similar alterations in patients with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)-documented thoracic aortic atherosclerosis. Future studies will determine whether the magnitude of platelet stimulation and secretion in patients with comorbid depression and atherosclerotic aortic disease is greater than that observed in nondepressed patients with atherosclerotic aortic disease or major depression alone. These findings provide further evidence for either increased platelet activation and/or intrinsic heightened platelet reactivity as one of the biological substrates underlying the increased risk of depressed patients for cardiovascular disease.
Biomimetic fusion that enhances sensor performance in a bimodal surveillance system

Algorithms for synergistically fusing acoustic and optical sensory inputs, thereby mimicking biological attentional processes are described. Manual existing perimeter defense surveillance systems using more than one sensory modality combine different sensors' information to corroborate findings by other sensors and to add data from a second modality. In contrast to how conventional systems work, animals use information from multiple sensory inputs in a way that improves each sensory system's performance. We demonstrated that performance is enhanced when information in one modality is used to focus processing in the other modality (a form of attention). This synergistic bi-modal operation improves surveillance efficacy by focusing auditory and visual "attention" on a particular target or location. Algorithms for focusing auditory and visual sensors using detection information were developed. These combination algorithms perform "zoom-with-enhanced-acuity" in both the visual and auditory domains, triggered by detection in either domain. Sensory-input processing algorithms focus on specific locations, indicated by at least one of the modalities. This spatially focused processing emulates biological attention-driven focusing. We showed that given information about the target, the acoustic algorithms were able to achieve over 80% correct target detection at signal-tonoise ratios (SNRs) of -20 dB and above, as compared with similar performance at SNRs of -10 db and above without target information from another modality. Similarly, the visual algorithm achieved performance of over 80% detection with added noise variance of 0.001 without target indication, but maintained 100% detection at added noise variance of 0.05 when acoustic target information was taken into account.
A Distributed Motion Algorithm for Mobile Sensor in Hybrid Wireless Sensor Networks

Constructing a hybrid wireless sensor networks comprising a mix of static sensors and mobile sensors can achieve a balance between improving coverage and reducing the cost of the network. In order to achieve high network coverage, mobile sensor move from a small to a big size of coverage hole in the hybrid wireless sensor networks. Due to the energy of the mobile sensor is limited, how to reduce the moving distance of the mobile sensor and reduce the energy consumption in the process of moving is a very important issue. This paper proposes a distributed minimum cost matching algorithm (DMMA) to redeploy mobile sensor, which can make the level of network coverage to meet the requirement of the environment, while effectively reducing the number of sensors. In our method, static sensors detect coverage hole by Voronoi diagrams, coverage holing sensors and mobile sensors by using DMMA to excellently heal the large coverage holes. Simulation results show that our method can effectively improve the coverage rate of the WSNs, while save the energy of mobile sensors.
Gaining trust as well as respect in communicating to motivated audiences about science topics

Expertise is a prerequisite for communicator credibility, entailing the knowledge and ability to be accurate. Trust also is essential to communicator credibility. Audiences view trustworthiness as the motivation to be truthful. Identifying whom to trust follows systematic principles. People decide quickly another’s apparent intent: Who is friend or foe, on their side or not, or a cooperator or competitor. Those seemingly on their side are deemed warm (friendly, trustworthy). People then decide whether the other is competent to enact those intents. Perception of scientists, like other social perceptions, involves inferring both their apparent intent (warmth) and capability (competence). To illustrate, we polled adults online about typical American jobs, rated as American society views them, on warmth and competence dimensions, as well as relevant emotions. Ambivalently perceived high-competence but low-warmth, “envied” professions included lawyers, chief executive officers, engineers, accountants, scientists, and researchers. Being seen as competent but cold might not seem problematic until one recalls that communicator credibility requires not just status and expertise but also trustworthiness (warmth). Other research indicates the risk from being enviable. Turning to a case study of scientific communication, another online sample of adults described public attitudes toward climate scientists specifically. Although distrust is low, the apparent motive to gain research money is distrusted. The literature on climate science communicators agrees that the public trusts impartiality, not persuasive agendas. Overall, communicator credibility needs to address both expertise and trustworthiness. Scientists have earned audiences’ respect, but not necessarily their trust. Discussing, teaching, and sharing information can earn trust to show scientists’ trustworthy intentions.
Shear Viscosity of the Hard-Sphere Fluid via Nonequilibrium Molecular Dynamics

The shear viscosity $\ensuremath{\eta}$ of the hard-sphere fluid, at volumes of 1.6 and 2 times the close-packed volume, is computed with use of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. At high shear rate $\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}$ we observe a phase transition in which the system undergoes two-dimensional ordering in the plane perpendicular to the flow, accompanied by a sharp decrease in $\ensuremath{\eta}$. For small $\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}$, no evidence is found for the square-root dependence on $\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}$ reported by previous investigators.
Peculiar Ice Forms

UNDER the above caption, several correspondents of NATURE have recently described and discussed the agglutinated filamentoid ice-crystals commonly extruded from unfrozen earth under suitable conditions of moisture and temperature. B Woodd Smith records their occurrence in the Savoyan Alps (his language implying variety of the phenomena there), and attributes them to the linear expansion incident to congelation of capillary columns of water in a thin sheet of soil resting upon rock (vol. xxxi. pp. 5-6). W. alludes to such crystals in general terms, refers to a previous notice of similar phenomena, and (erroneously) allies them genetically to hoar-frost (ib., p. 29). Dr. John Rae discusses distinct (but erroneously supposed similar) phenomena at length, and argues that the several strata of crystals are remnants of successive sheets of ice or snow (ib., pp. 81-2), Mr. Smith then controverts Mr. Rae's explanation, maintains his own, and refers to several earlier communications in NATURE relating to filamentoid ice-crystals (ib., pp. 193-4); and sebsequently he transmits a letter from John D. Paul, who has essentially repeated his own observations in the Alps (ib., p. 264).
STOCK MARKET SIGNALS OF CHANGES IN EXPECTED INFLATION

This paper examines the relationship between stock returns and several measures of expected inflation. The proxies include the inflation forecasts extracted from U.S. Treasury bill yields, the mean forecast of surveys conducted by the Institute for Social Research, and the predictions from a rolling time-series model. Unlike recent studies, there does not appear to be a significant negative relationship between stock returns and expected inflation at the beginning of the period. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that stock returns signal changes in expected inflation.
A randomized long-term trial of tacrolimus/sirolimus versus tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil versus cyclosporine (NEORAL)/sirolimus in renal transplantation. II. Survival, function, and protocol compliance at 1 year.

Background. In an attempt to reduce chronic calcineurin inhibitor induced allograft nephropathy in first cadaver and human leukocyte antigen non-identical living-donor renal transplantation, sirolimus (Siro) or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) was tested as adjunctive therapy, with planned dose reductions of tacrolimus (Tacro) over the first year postoperatively. Adjunctive Siro therapy with a similar dose reduction algorithm for Neoral (Neo) was included for comparison. Methods. The detailed dose reduction plan (Tacro and Siro, group A; Tacro and MMF, group B; Neo and Siro, group C) is described in our companion report in this issue of Transplantation. The present report documents function, patient and graft survival, protocol compliance, and adverse events. Results. As mentioned (in companion report), group demographics were similar. The present study shows no significant differences in 1-year patient and graft survival but does show a trend that points to more difficulties in group C by way of a rising slope of serum creatinine concentration (P=0.02) and decreasing creatinine clearance (P=0.04). There were more patients who discontinued the protocol plan in group C. Thus far, no posttransplant lymphomas have appeared, and infectious complications have not differed among the groups. However, a greater percentage of patients in group C were placed on antihyperlipidemia therapy, with an (unexpected) trend toward a higher incidence of posttransplant diabetes mellitus in this group. Group A required fewer, and group B the fewest, antihyperlipidemia therapeutic interventions (P<0.00001). Conclusions. This 1-year interim analysis of a long-term, prospective, randomized renal-transplant study indicates that decreasing maintenance dosage of Tacro with adjunctive Siro or MMF appears to point to improved long-term function, with reasonably few adverse events.
Relative microhardness of glass ionomer restorative materials as an indicator of finishing time

Microhardness was evaluated as an indicator of appropriate finishing intervals for glass ionomer restorative materials. The hardness of several materials was determined after the first hour of mixing. A material clinically documented to be satisfactorily finished after a delay of 15 minutes attained 29% of its 24-hour hardness during that interval. Samples of the other materials finished on reaching this relative hardness, which differed from the manufacturers' suggested finishing delays, showed no differences in surface characteristics, appearance, or surface roughness compared with specimens finished at the recommended times.
Microtubule-interfering Agents Stimulate the Transcription of Cyclooxygenase-2: EVIDENCE FOR INVOLVEMENT OF ERK1/2 AND p38 MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE PATHWAYS *

We investigated whether microtubule-interfering agents (MIAs: taxol, colchicine, nocodazole, vinblastine, vincristine, 17-beta-estradiol, 2-methoxyestradiol) altered cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in human mammary epithelial cells. MIAs enhanced prostaglandin E(2) synthesis and increased levels of COX-2 protein and mRNA. Nuclear run-off assays revealed increased rates of COX-2 transcription after treatment with MIAs. Calphostin C, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, blocked the induction of COX-2 by MIAs. The stimulation of COX-2 promoter activity by MIAs was inhibited by overexpressing dominant negative forms of Rho and Raf-1. MIAs stimulated ERK, JNK, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK); pharmacological inhibitors of MAPK kinase and p38 MAPK blocked the induction of COX-2 by MIAs. Overexpressing dominant negative forms of ERK1 or p38 MAPK inhibited MIA-mediated activation of the COX-2 promoter. MIAs stimulated the binding of the activator protein-1 transcription factor complex to the cyclic AMP response element in the COX-2 promoter. A dominant negative form of c-Jun inhibited the activation of the COX-2 promoter by MIAs. Additionally, cytochalasin D, an agent that inhibits actin polymerization, stimulated COX-2 transcription by the same signaling pathway as MIAs. Thus, microtubule- or actin-interfering agents stimulated MAPK signaling and activator protein-1 activity. This led, in turn, to induction of COX-2 gene expression via the cyclic AMP response element site in the COX-2 promoter.
Management of foreign bodies of the upper gastrointestinal tract : update

Management of 242 foreign bodies of the upper gastrointestinal tract are reported. Thirty-nine were in the pharynx, 181 in the esophagus, 19 in the stomach, and 3 in the small bowel. The flexible panendoscope was used 211 times (87.2%) to manage these foreign bodies, while the rigid esophagoscope was used 12 times (5.0%). Two hundred thirty-nine foreign bodies (98.8%) were successfully managed endoscopically. The surgery rate was 0.4%. There was no morbidity or mortality. Twenty-five percent of the cases were done under general endotracheal anesthesia. Coins in the esophagus are removed promptly if in the cervical or mid esophagus, and within 12 hours if in the distal esophagus. Once in the stomach, they will usually pass without difficulty. Meat impaction resulting in an obstructed esophagus is an urgent problem and the bolus should be removed within hours. Sharp and pointed foreign bodies can be very difficult to manage. Dry runs with a reproduction of the foreign body are essential to successful removal. Button batteries lodged in the esophagus represent an emergency and should be removed without delay. Once in the stomach, they will usually pass through the gastrointestinal tract without difficulty. The forward-viewing flexible panendoscope has become the instrument of choice in managing foreign bodies in most tertiary medical centers as well as in the community hospitals.
Equatorial paleopoles and behavior of the dipole field during polarity transitions

Abstract One of the reasons for performing paleomagnetic studies is to determine whether the geomagnetic field remains dipolar during a polarity transition. Data on 23 field reversals of Recent, Tertiary and Upper Mesozoic age are examined with regard to the longitudinal and latitudinal distribution of paleomagnetic poles during a polarity change. Both frequency distributions of the transitional pole positions are not random. The results suggest that some field reversals are characterized by the rotation of the dipole axis in the meridional plane and show that two preferential meridional bands of polarity transitions exist centered on planes through 40°E–140°W and 120°E–60°W respectively. The latitudinal distribution of transitional paleopoles shows that there is a decrease in the number of observed poles with decreasing latitude. This is interpreted as the result of an acceleration in the motion of the dipole axis when it approaches the equator. Comparison of transitional velocities and paleointensity magnitudes reveals that the dipole moment is very weak only for a short part of the transitional period when the paleopole position lies within the latitudes of 10°N and 10°S. The overall conclusion is that the geomagnetic field retains its dipolar character during polarity changes.
Chemoselective Tryptophan Labeling with Rhodium Carbenoids at Mild pH

Significant improvements have been made to a previously reported tryptophan modification method using rhodium carbenoids in aqueous solution, allowing the reaction to proceed at pH 6-7. This technique is based on the discovery that N-(tert-butyl)hydroxylamine promotes indole modification with rhodium carbenoids over a broad pH range (2-7). This methodology was demonstrated on peptide and protein substrates, generally yielding 40-60% conversion with excellent tryptophan chemoselectivity. The solvent accessibility of the indole side chains was found to be a key factor in successful carbenoid addition, as demonstrated by conducting the reaction at temperatures high enough to cause thermal denaturation of the protein substrate. Progress toward the expression of proteins bearing solvent accessible tryptophan residues as reactive handles for modification with rhodium carbenoids is also reported.
Magnetism: freedom for the poles.

Magnetic poles always come in twos, a north and a south. That received wisdom has not stopped physicists from searching for 'monopoles' in accelerators and cosmic rays. Theory now indicates a better place to look. We are familiar with elementary particles that carry either negative or positive electric charge, such as electrons and protons, but there is no evidence of elementary particles with a net magnetic charge. Magnets tend to come with inseparable north and south poles, and there are no known magnetic monopoles despite concerted efforts to find them. But an intriguing theoretical study now proposes that magnetic monopoles may exist, not as elementary particles, but as emergent particles in exotic condensed matter magnetic systems such as 'spin ice'. The theory, based on an analogy to fractional electric charges seen, for example, in quantum Hall systems in two dimensions, can explain a mysterious phase transition that has been observed experimentally in spin ice. The cover, by Alessandro Canossa, depicts a magnetic monopole (red sphere) emerging from break-up of the dipole moment (arrows) of the underlying electronic degrees of freedom in spin ice.
Translational-energy spectroscopy of NO+ and NO2+

Abstract High-resolution translational-energy spectroscopy (up to 0.1 eV) has been carried out on 8 V beams of NO − and NO 2− . Several features in the spectrum of NO 4 are assigned to the transitions within the triplet manifold of this ion. The observed transitions originate in several excited electronic states, indicating long lifetimes (> 10 μs) for the states involved. Two electronic transitions in NO 2 ' have been observed at low energies which are attributed to excitations to the first two excited states of this ion.
Differential phosphorylation of the transcription factor Oct1 during the cell cycle

Orderly progression through the somatic cell division cycle is accompanied by phase-specific transcription of a variety of different genes. During S phase, transcription of mammalian histone H2B genes requires a specific promoter element and its cognate transcription factor Oct1 (OTF1). A possible mechanism for regulating histone H2B transcription during the cell cycle is direct modulation of Oct1 activity by phase-specific posttranslational modifications. Analysis of Oct1 during progression through the cell cycle revealed a complex temporal program of phosphorylation. A p34cdc2-related protein kinase that is active during mitosis may be responsible for one mitotic phosphorylation of Oct1. However, the temporally controlled appearance of Oct1 phosphopeptides suggests the involvement of multiple kinases and phosphatases. These results support the idea that cell cycle-regulated transcription factors may be direct substrates for phase-specific regulatory enzymes.
Synthesis and processing of Bi-doped Hg1Ba2Ca2Cu3Oy superconductors

Abstract The sequence of reactions that occur during the synthesis of (Hg, Bi)Ba 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O y (HgBi1223) was studied using a series of quenching experiments. The formation and decomposition of the intermediate phases during the high temperature reaction were followed as a function of temperature. Heat treatment conditions were optimized for the synthesis of pure HgBi1223 phase using commercial BaCaCuO precursor powders. An additional lower temperature annealing stage after high temperature reaction is shown to improve the microstructural characteristics of HgBi1223 samples. Control of Hg-pressure is shown to be crucial for achieving grain growth and texture in the final products. A novel approach for the control of Hg-pressure during the synthesis of HgBi1223, which consists of using CaHgO 2 as an `external Hg-source', is demonstrated. Samples synthesized using the new synthesis protocol exhibit improved microstructural and magnetization properties.
Metastable phase formation in ion-implanted metals

Abstract The formation of metastable phases in metals by ion implantation and ion beam mixing is examined for a variety of conditions. The work reviewed shows that ion beams can produce transformations of the metal host to a different crystalline phase, to a compound, to an amorphous phase, or to combinations of such phases. The observed microstructures are discussed in terms of microscopic mechanisms as well as empirical rules currently being developed.
The assessment of trapezius muscle symptoms of patients with temporomandibular disorders by the use of liquid crystal thermography

Abstract Objectives To test the hypothesis that neuromuscular symptoms of patients with temporomandibular disorders that occur in the upper back and neck can be evaluated by recording the temperature patterns in the skin overlying the muscles. Study design Liquid crystal contact thermography was evaluated on patients with temporomandibular disorders to demonstrate temperature changes in the muscles of the neck and upper back. The study consisted of 22 patients with temporomandibular disorders and 22 normal controls. Results The mean right-versus-left-side temperature difference of the control group was 0.13°C whereas the patient group showed a difference of 0.78°C. Of the 22 patients with temporomandibular disorders, 21 (95.5%) showed an increased temperature over the trapezius muscle on the symptomatic side. Conclusions These findings indicate that thermography may be useful in the diagnosis of myofascial symptoms that may be associated with temporomandibular disorders.
ERK regulates calpain 2 induced androgen receptor proteolysis in CWR22 relapsed prostate tumor cell lines

Androgen ablation therapy is effective in treating androgen-dependent prostate tumors; however, tumors that can proliferate in castrate levels of androgen eventually arise. We previously reported that in CWR22Rv1 (Rv1) cells, the protease calpain 2 can cleave the androgen receptor (AR) into a constitutively active ∼80,000 low molecular weight (LMW) form. In this study, we further dissect the mechanisms that produce the AR LMW forms using Rv1 cells and the related CWR22-R1 (R1) cells. The 39-amino acid insertional mutation in the Rv1-AR (E3DM-AR) sensitizes this AR to calpain 2 proteolysis. R1 cells encode the same AR molecule as the parental CWR22 xenograft. Using calpain 2 small interfering RNA and calpeptin, we find that calpain 2 plays a role in the generation of the LMW-AR in R1 cells. Furthermore, LMW-AR expression is regulated by the activation of calpain 2 by ERK 1 and 2. Inhibition of ERK phosphorylation or small interfering RNA-mediated decrease of ERK expression reduces LMW-AR levels in R1 cells. Conversely, activation of the MAPK pathway results in increased ERK phosphorylation and increased levels of LMW-AR. Finally, analyses of human tumor samples found that LMW-AR levels are higher in tumors that have an increased calpain/calpastatin ratio and/or increased levels of phospho-ERK (pERK). This suggests that a higher calpain/calpastatin ratio collaborates with activated ERK to promote the generation of the LMW-AR.
The computation of eigenvalues and eigenvector of a completely continuous self-adjoint operator

If A is a completely continuous self-adjoint operator on a Hilbert space its eigenvalues are the values of the inner product at stationary points on the unit sphere. Gradient procedures can be used to determine eigenvectors and eigenvalues provided that certain regularity conditions hold at the eigenvectors. It is proven that these conditions are satisfied at any eigenvector belonging to an eigenvalue of multiplicity one.
Multicomponent diffusion studies in selected high-temperature alloy systems☆

Abstract The phenomenology of multicomponent diffusion is reviewed with special emphasis on the approaches employed for the determination of interdiffusion fluxes, zero-flux planes and flux reversals for the individual components without the need for the interdiffusion coefficients. The development of a zero-flux plane (ZFP), where the interdiffusion flux of a component can go to zero and exhibit a change in diffusion direction on the two sides of the plane is illustrated with selected diffusion couples in systems such as FeNiAl, FeNiCr and the significance of the ZFP phenomena will be discussed in the light of thermodynamic and diffusional interactions among the components. Interdiffusion studies carried out with NiCoCrMo quaternary alloys at 1300 °C for the determination of interdiffusion fluxes and diffusion paths are presented and the development of a ZFP for cobalt is discussed in the light of interdiffusion coefficients. Selected diffusion experiments carried out at 1100 °C with an NiCr alloy coated with MCrAlY coatings are also presented and discussed for the recession of the coating layer in the light of the aluminum content of the coatings. Diffusional interactions between aluminum and chromium are discussed in the light of uphill diffusion observed for these elements and a ZFP developed for chromium.
Children and Adolescents With Low Back Pain: A Descriptive Study of Physical Examination and Outcome Measurement

Study Design A retrospective, cohort study of children and adolescents with low back pain (LBP) referred to physical therapy. Objectives To describe the clinical presentation, examination findings, and classification of children and adolescent patients with LBP, and to explore the concurrent validity of the Oswestry questionnaire as a disability measure in this group. Background Little information is available regarding the clinical presentation, physical examination findings, and outcome assessment in children and adolescents with LBP. Methods and Measures Charts were reviewed for historical, diagnostic, physical examination, and outcome information. Diagnoses given by the referring physicians were recorded. A treatment-based classification was made for each subject. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. The validity of the Oswestry questionnaire was examined. Results The children and adolescents included in this study represented 5% (n = 25) of all cases of LBP referred to physical t...
Educational or Social Reform? Students Inform the Debate over Improving Urban Schools.

The educational community is divided over which is the best approach for improving urban schools: focus on teaching and learning or underlying social inequity? This article argues that the students who attend urban schools can inform the debate. The study draws on interviews with fourteen urban youth about their participation in a community-based program that supports school activism. In the program, the students selected a surprising, and seemingly trivial, set of school problems as their top reform priorities. Yet findings reveal that from the students’ vantage point, these concrete changes will enhance engagement and the perceived fairness of the educational environment. Urban students therefore bridge current policy debates by posing recommendations pertinent to both educational and social reform advocates. The study concludes with reflections on students’ contributions to the content and process of urban educational reform.
Representation of superordinate goal inferences in memory

Three experiments explored the encoding of causal inferences in the memory records for texts. The focus was on a particular class of causal inference: those that link the superordinate goals of characters and the outcomes whereby they are achieved. Two experiments produced evidence that superordinate goal inferences are encoded in the memory records for texts. A third experiment produced evidence about the way these inferences are encoded in text memory records. The results of this experiment suggest that a given superordinate goal inference is represented as a link between the idea units corresponding to the goal in question and the outcome whereby that goal is satisfied.
EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL RESULTS FOR MASS TRANSFER TO A ROTATING CONE IN A NON-NEWTONIAN SALINE SOLUTION

Abstract A theoretical expression has been obtained for the heat or mass transport to a rotating cone in a non-Newtonian fluid. The fluid used was an aqueous sodium chloride solution which was rendered non-Newtonian by adding Polyox WSR 301. Experimentally measured mass-transfer rates for a 60° cone have been compared to the theoretical prediction and good agreement has been obtained for four polymer solutions. For the highly viscous solution a secondary flow has been observed at moderate rotational speeds.
A learning approach to the database selection problem in the presence of dynamic user interests and database contents

Database Selection is the problem of choosing, from a finite number of databases, the one that contains the most relevant information pertaining to a query. Previous approaches to this problem consisted of deterministic search techniques in conjunction with efficient pruning of search spaces, based on vector space model and ranking. In this article, we propose a new probabilistic search method, based on a reinforcement learning algorithm, to solve the database selection problem, where an agent learns to map situations to action by means of receiving reward and penalties for the action taken and trying to maximize its rewards. We use reinforcement algorithm with user feedback to learn a policy, which maps a particular topic or particular interest to a set of databases. Reinforcement learning is an attractive approach to this problem due to its ability to generate optimal solutions for both stationary and non-stationary/dynamically changing environments(queries). Experiments with simple queries show that reinforcement learning has potential to be considered as an efficient approach for database selection.
Adjoint method for solid-oxide fuel cell simulations

Adjoint methods suitable for obtaining sensitivity derivatives for numerical simulations of solid-oxide fuel cells are presented. The adjoint method is derived, and the implementation is discussed, including a methodology for accurately obtaining all the linearizations necessary for correct implementation. Results are included for a one-dimensional anode model that includes diffusion, permeation, and relevant chemical reactions. Using this model, the accuracy of the sensitivity derivatives is demonstrated for design variables describing geometric and material properties of the anode. Finally, the adjoint method is demonstrated for a three-dimensional fuel cell geometry where sensitivity derivatives are obtained for approximately 180,000 design variables. The results are used to modify the upper and lower walls of the plenum to obtain significantly improved distribution of fluid amongst the channels.
Adapting to Aging and Metabolism

Obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes are major public health issues, particularly in populations that have adapted a lifestyle of overnutrition and underactivity. At the core of these health conditions is insulin resistance, which also accelerates the aging process. Previous work has
Endoscopic optical coherence tomography with new MEMS mirror

A micromachined mirror to enhance the transverse scanning performance of endoscopic optical coherence tomography (EOCT) is presented. The scanning angle of the mirror can be up to 37°. The EOCT can image an area to 4.2×2.8 mm2 at 5 frames/s. The results demonstrate its potential for in vivo imaging diagnosis.
Characterising the near-wake of a cross-flow turbine

The performance and detailed near-wake characteristics of a vertical axis, cross-flow turbine (CFT) of aspect ratio 1 were measured in a large cross-section towing tank. The near-wake at one turbine diameter downstream was examined using acoustic Doppler velocimetry, where essential features regarding momentum, energy, and vorticity are highlighted. Dominant scales and their relative importance were investigated and compared at various locations in the measurement plane. Estimates for the terms in the mean streamwise momentum and mean kinetic energy equation were computed, showing that the unique mean vertical velocity field of this wake, characterised by counter-rotating swirling motion, contributes significantly more to recovery than the turbulent transport. This result sheds light on previous CFT studies showing relatively fast downstream wake recovery compared to axial-flow turbines. Finally, predictions from a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulation with the commonly used actuator disk model were ...
Comparison of CRIB Scores to Charges and to Resource Allocation (CCT Score) for Benchmarking Level III NICUs: 672

In order to determine the extent to which severity of illness impacts on resource utilization and charges generated, 195 consecutive admissions to a level III NICU were studied. Three measures were collected: 1) CRIB Score - a measurement of physiological parameters by 12 hours of age considered as an index of severity of illness, 2) a Clinical Classification Tool (CCT) which allows for nursing and allied health personnel to assess the resource utilization requirements of individual patients, 3) total and respiratory charges.
A New Cyclocoelid (Digenea) Genus From the Grey-winged Trumpeter, Psophia Crepitans (Aves: Gruiformes: Psophiidae), From Guyana

Six specimens representing a new genus of cyclocoelid, Psophiatrema greineri n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae: Cyclocoelinae), were collected from the air sacs of a common or grey-winged trumpeter, Psophia crepitans (Gruiformes: Psophiidae), from Guyana on 19 January 2001. The bird was being maintained in an aviary at Emerald Forest Bird Gardens, Fallbrook, California. The new genus has an intertesticular ovary forming a triangle with the testes, placing it in Cyclocoelinae. There are currently 2 genera recognized in Cyclocoelinae: Cyclocoelum and Selfcoelum. The new genus is most similar to Selfcoelum by having a postpharyngeal genital pore, but differs from both Cyclocoelum and Selfcoelum by having the vitelline fields confluent posteriorly. A revised key to the Cyclocoelinae is provided to include the new genus, and the subfamily diagnosis is emended to reflect that the vitelline fields can be either confluent or not posteriorly.
Data collection strategies in genetic epidemiology: The epilepsy family study of Columbia University

Abstract A large-scale study of genetic influences on seizure disorders is described here as a primer of tested methods for collection of family history data. 1957 adult probands with epilepsy were ascertained from voluntary organizations. Personal and family history data were obtained from probands in semistructured telephone interviews. To increase sensitivity, an independent family history was obtained from a second family informant in a similar interview. To increase specificity and diagnostic detail, family members reported to be affected were interviewed, and medical records of probands and affected relatives were collected. Participation rates for probands were 84–90%. Interviews were completed with second informants in 67% of families, and with 51% of eligible affected relatives. The main reasons for non-interview were lack of permission from probands and difficulties in locating relatives. Although 90% of probands gave verbal permission for medical record review, only 75% of these signed and returned consent forms for this purpose. Physicians returned 87% of the records requested. The resulting proportion of probands with medical records was 59%. These findings illustrate the complexity involved in assembling useful databases in genetic epidemiology.
Structural Relationships in High Temperature Superconductors

The recent discovery of two types of metallic copper oxide compounds which are superconducting to above 90K has renewed interest in the search for new high temperature superconducting materials. It is significant that both classes of compounds, La2−xSrxCuO4−y and YBa2Cu3O7−δ are intimately related to the extensively studied perovskite family. Both compounds contain highly oxidized, covalently bonded Cu-O sublattices, however, they differ in geometry. In this paper we discuss the relationship of these features to the superconducting properties.
The effects of protein phosphatase inhibitors on nociceptive behavioral responses of rats following intradermal injection of capsaicin

The functions of crucial proteins in the nervous system are modulated by kinases and phosphatases which catalyze opposing reactions of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. During spinal cord central sensitization, serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) may play an important role in determining the excitability of nociceptive neurons in the spinal cord by modulating the phosphorylation state of some critical proteins. The effects of a general inhibitor of PP2A, okadaic acid (OA), and a specific inhibitor, fostriecin, on the behavioral responses of rats following capsaicin injection were investigated in this study. Hyperalgesia was initiated by injection of capsaicin into the plantar surface of the hindpaw of rats. An intrathecal catheter was previously implanted into the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord for the administration of a variety of drugs. Rats were tested for responses to mechanical stimuli using von Frey filaments of different bending forces applied at a site outside the area of injection. Responses to heat stimuli were detected from a site near the injection area. The responses were recorded before and after injection of capsaicin with the perfusion of ACSF, OA negative control, OA or fostriecin at different time points. The results demonstrated that secondary mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia can be induced by the intradermal injection of capsaicin. Compared to administration of ACSF or the OA negative control, infusion of the phosphatase inhibitor OA or of fostriecin into the subarachnoid space enhanced the secondary mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia by making the intradermal capsaicin-induced hyperalgesia and allodynia last longer.