cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Design and Fabrication of an Electrochemical Machining Test Apparatus

The removal of residual casting material from gating has traditionally been performed by abrasive grinding techniques. However, high amounts of belt wear can occur when working with high strength alloys, especially those typically seen in the aerospace industry. An alternative machining process called electrochemical machining (ECM) uses electrolysis to precisely remove material at high rates. ECM has many advantages over conventional grinding: no tool wear, no induced mechanical or thermal stresses, and high removal rates independent of material hardness or strength. The industrial application of ECM to residual casting material removal can potentially realize large cost savings and decreased component processing time by eliminating belt wear and increasing material removal rates. The approach taken in this work is the design and fabrication of a laboratory apparatus for the purpose of testing the ECM of casting material. Commercial ECM machines, while more powerful, can be excessively large and cost prohibitive when performing an initial feasibility study. Many times these commercial machines are calibrated to mass produce a specific part, and do not have the level of variability desired for laboratory experimentation. The test apparatus presented provides a robust and relatively low cost method of investigating the applicability of ECM to this purpose. The device is comprised of an electrolyte filtration and delivery system, a stable machining enclosure, and a single axis computer controlled tool. The ECM variables that can be adjusted include electrolyte temperature, mass flow rate, applied voltage, tool feed rate, and electrode gap. Process data from these variables is collected via multiple sensors in the machine and provides real-time feedback to users. A universal tool connection and workpiece fixture allows for different experimental setups to be easily tested. From experimentation with this test apparatus, it will be possible to identify optimum methods for the ECM of these residual casting artifacts.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Low temperature strain behavior of Pb thin films on a substrate

The microstructural changes occurring during cooling from 300 to 100 K in a 0.2 μm thick polycrystalline Pb film deposited on a Si3N4 substrate were studied by a combination of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction technique. The tensile strain induced in the film upon cooling due to the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the film and the substrate was observed to be relaxed by dislocation glide. Most of the dislocations were observed to glide across the grains on 111 planes that are inclined at an angle of ∼ 70 deg to the film surface, and on 111 planes that are nearly parallel to the film surface. All the dislocation motions are confined in each grain by the surface oxide, the substrate, and grain boundaries. Some observations suggested that these dislocations emanate from grain boundaries. At 100 K, the density of dislocations introduced in the grains with diameters larger than ∼0.6 μm was found to be roughly constant (about 1010/cm2), while no dislocations were observed in grains smaller than ∼0.6 μm. The observed dislocation density can account for the amount of strain relaxed which was measured by the X-ray diffraction technique. It was also found that almost all the dislocation glide events involved in the thermal cycling process are reversible. This explains a previous X-ray diffraction result that no work hardening effect was observed in Pb films during the thermal cycling at low temperature. The yield stresses of Pb films as determined by the strain measurements are about three times higher than those expected by a simple dislocation pinning model. Based on the dislocation motion observed in this work, the yield stresses of the films were re-evaluated as a function of film thickness and grain size using an energy criterion model. This model took into account the effects of the surface oxide and substrate on dislocation
Water wave propagation in unbounded domains. Part I: Nonreflecting boundaries

Abstract This paper concerns non-reflecting boundary conditions for linearized 2D incompressible, irrotational, inviscid free surface flows in deep water. The linearization at flat water of the water wave equation is factored as a product of one-way equations. The one-way factors involve a nonlocal half derivative in space. They serve to construct essentially non-reflective and absorbing layers. The one way nature of the equation prevents errors at the boundary from propagating back and polluting the solution in the interior of the domain. Two versions of the one-way equations are discussed, with and without additional wave damping. Numerical results are presented.
Exponentiation modulo a polynomial for data security

This paper describes some properties of exponentiation modulo a polynomial and suggests its use for encryption in a mode that can be cryptanalyzed in approximatelyO(pd3) time, whered is the size of the message frame andp is the prime modulo which the rankwise computations are carried out. While for sufficiently largepd (∼105) this appears to provide a one-way function which can be used in a public-key cryptosystem, we show that since encryption/ decryption effort is defined inO(d2 logpd log logp) time, a practical application of the proposed algorithm would be either in a secret key or in a tamper-proof, hardwired secret polynomial system.
Theory of the longitudinal and Hall conductivities of the cuprate superconductors

We establish the applicability to transport phenomena in the cuprate superconductors of a nearly antiferromagnetic Fermi liquid (NAFL) description of the magnetic interaction between planar quasiparticles by using it to obtain the doping- and temperature-dependent resistivity and Hall conductivity seen experimentally in the normal state. Following a perturbative calculation of the anisotropic (as one goes around the Fermi surface) quasiparticle lifetimes which are the hallmark of a NAFL, we obtain simple approximate expressions for the longitudinal, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathrm{xx}}$, and Hall, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathrm{xy}}$, conductivities which reflect the magnetic crossovers seen experimentally as one varies the doping level and temperature. We present a simple phenomenological model for the variation in the mean free path around the Fermi surface and use this to extract from experiments on ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathrm{xx}}$ and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathrm{xy}}$ quasiparticle lifetimes in the hot (strongly coupled quasiparticle) and cold (weakly coupled quasiparticle) regions of the Fermi surface which are consistent with the perturbation theory estimates. We improve upon the latter by carrying out direct numerical (nonvariational) solutions of the Boltzmann equation for representative members of the ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{6+\mathrm{x}}$ and ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$ systems, with results for transport properties in quantitative agreement with experiment. Using the same numerical approach we study the influence of CuO chains on the a-b plane anisotropy and find results in agreement with experimental findings in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{4}$${\mathrm{O}}_{8}$.
Relation of disability costs to function: spinal cord injury.

Abstract Objective: This study evaluated the validity of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM™ instrument) in predicting (1) the number of minutes of daily assistance provided, (2) the cost of durable goods currently used, and (3) the number of paid helper hours provided daily to persons with spinal cord injury living in the community. Design: A cross-sectional study. Subjects: One hundred nine persons with spinal cord injury who were a median 6 years postdischarge from initial medical rehabilitation. Results: A significant inverse linear relationship was observed between FIM scores and the square root values of the three cost-related measures. The FIM-18 and the FIM motor scores were the best single predictors of the square root of minutes of assistance (paid and/or unpaid) per day, explaining 85% of variance. The FIM motor measure was the best single predictor of square root of cost of durable goods, explaining 29% of variance. The Self-Care, FIM motor, and FIM-18 scores equally predicted square root of hours of paid help per day, explaining 58% of variance. Conclusion: The findings indicate FIM-related scores predict the amount of assistance needed and certain costs for persons with spinal cord injury disability.
Further evidence for the critical ionization velocity signature in interstellar neutral hydrogen emission profiles

Summary form only given. In previous studies it was found that interstellar neutral hydrogen (HI) emission spectra manifest several families of linewidths whose numerical values may be related to the critical ionization velocities (CIVs) of the most abundant interstellar atomic species. Three families of linewidths are prominent: 34 km/s, corresponding to the CIV for helium, 13 km/s, corresponding to the CIVs of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, and 6 km/s, corresponding to the CIVs of heavy HI "metals" such as Mg, Al, Fe, Na and Ca. Extended new analysis of HI emission profiles has produced data on over 15,000 Gaussian components. The results, which pertain to local HI, within a few 100 pc of the Sun, show that these families of linewidths are pervasive, but not uniform. The extent to which the HI gas exhibits large-scale, velocity disturbances alters the relative presence of the various components. The new study also found a linewidth signature that may be due to a 10,000 K plasma interacting with the neutral gas in some directions on the sky. The mechanism by which the CIV effect operates in interstellar space remains to be demonstrated. However, it is significant that the helium CIV signature producing the 34 km/s wide family of emission profiles may also be recognized in numerous studies published by others over the last 30 years, include HI studies of the Magellanic stream, very high-velocity clouds and the so-called compact high-velocity clouds, all of which are believed to be intergalactic
Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for ependymoma

The application of conformal radiation therapy in the treatment of pediatric ependymoma is a success story resulting from advances in radiation therapy planning and delivery. These advances occurred at a time when clinical trial results confirmed that radiotherapy avoidance strategies were unsuccessful. Investigators have been keen to confirm the promise of newer radiation therapy methods even for the youngest children. When preliminary results suggested that high-dose focal irradiation could be safely administered through systematic targeting and that cognitive function could be preserved, investigators moved to include conformal therapy in the frontline management of children regardless of age. The results with postoperative conformal radiation therapy were further enhanced when neurosurgeons increased the rate of gross-total resection and recognized that second surgery could be safely accomplished after incomplete initial resection. With more than a decade of experience, the role of conformal radiation therapy in the treatment of childhood ependymoma has been firmly established as investigators consider new trials to increase disease control and improve functional outcomes.
Characterizing Flow in the Vertebro-Basilar System Using MR in Conjunction With Subject-Specific Computational Models

Coronary artery bypass graft failure is often a consequence of intimal hyperplasia (IH), which correlates with hemodynamic factors (e.g., wall shear stress); this relationship has been used to evaluate arterial graft design [e.g., 1–4]. The vertebro-basilar system is a native arterial merge (i.e., two arteries, the vertebrals, converge into a single artery, the basilar artery); thus, characterizing the flow field of this system in healthy subjects could be useful for early detection of anomalies (e.g., aneurysms) or for vascular graft design improvements to ensure graft/vessel patency. This study uses high field MR and phase contrast MR (PCMR) to investigate the hemodynamics of the vertebro-basilar system in a healthy, adult subject for predicting pathophysiologically-relevant flow patterns (e.g., low wall shear stress) that are related to IH and subsequent graft failure.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
What is the Background Incidence of Malignancy in Children with Rheumatic Disease

Until recently, relatively little was known about the background risk of malignancy in pediatric rheumatic diseases. Worrying reports about the development of malignancies in children treated with new biologic agents have prompted rigorous studies of the incidence of malignancy associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). These studies reveal that JIA is likely to be associated with an increased risk of incident malignancy, irrespective of treatment with new biologic agents. A preliminary study indicates that the background risk of malignancy is also elevated in pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. On the basis of simple observation, the background risk of malignancy among children with Sjogren syndrome and dermatomyositis seems much lower than the markedly elevated risk found in adults with the same diagnoses. Clearly, the background risk of malignancy must be considered in any evaluation of the safety of new therapeutic agents.
Development of a Raman chemical image detection algorithm for authenticating dry milk

This research developed a Raman chemical imaging method for detecting multiple adulterants in skim milk powder. Ammonium sulfate, dicyandiamide, melamine, and urea were mixed into the milk powder as chemical adulterants in the concentration range of 0.1–5.0%. A Raman imaging system using a 785-nm laser acquired hyperspectral images in the wavenumber range of 102–2538 cm–1 for a 25×25 mm2 area of each mixture. A polynomial curve-fitting method was used to correct fluorescence background in the Raman images. An image classification method was developed based on single-band fluorescence-free images at unique Raman peaks of the adulterants. Raman chemical images were created to visualize identification and distribution of the multiple adulterant particles in the milk powder. Linear relationship was found between adulterant pixel number and adulterant concentration, demonstrating the potential of the Raman chemical imaging for quantitative analysis of the adulterants in the milk powder.
Is withholding osteoporosis medication after fracture sometimes rational? A comparison of the risk for second fracture versus death.

Introduction Undertreatment of osteoporosis is common, even for high-risk patients. Among the reasons for undertreatment may be a clinician's perception of a lack of treatment benefit, particularly in light of patients' expected future mortality. Among US Medicare beneficiaries, we evaluated the risk for second fracture versus death in the 5 years following a hip, clinical vertebral, and wrist/forearm fracture. Methods Using data from 1999 to 2006 for a random 5% sample of US Medicare beneficiaries, we identified individuals who experienced an incident hip, clinical vertebral, or wrist/forearm fracture in 2000 or 2001. We evaluated the risk for a second incident fracture versus death in the following 5 years. Results were stratified by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and medical comorbidities. In light of the competing mortality risk, and assuming 30% efficacy of an osteoporosis medication to prevent a second fracture, we calculated the number of individuals needed to treat (NNT) for 5 years after first fracture to prevent 1 additional subsequent fracture. Results We identified 18,853, 12,751, and 7635 persons with an incident hip, clinical vertebral, and wrist/forearm fracture, respectively. Although the 5-year risk of death usually exceeded the risk for second fracture across age, gender, racial groups, and primary fracture type (median ratio of death to second fracture=1.4, interquartile range 0.9, 2.0), the 5-year risk for second fracture was high, varying from a low of 13% to a high of 43%. Across demographic groups, the NNT to prevent a second fracture was low, ranging from 8 to 46. Conclusion Among older persons with hip, clinical vertebral, or wrist/forearm fracture, although the risk for death was usually greater than the risk for a second fracture, both were high. The relatively low NNT to prevent 1 additional subsequent fracture fell within a range generally considered acceptable for secondary prevention strategies.
Identifying the Magnitude and Location of a Load on a Slender Beam Using a Strain Gage Based Force Transducer

A unique strain gage based method is developed to identify the magnitude and location of a load on a slender beam with non-homogeneous material, variable cross sections, and pinned, firm rest, soft rest, pinned-fixed, and fixed boundary conditions. Four uniaxial strain gages are mounted to the bottom surface of the beam, and the bending moment diagram of the beam can be constructed using measured strains on the beam. By combining individually scaled strain gage outputs, the magnitude and location of the load can be accurately identified. The strain gage based force transducer methodology is experimentally validated on prismatic beams with firm rest, soft rest, firm rest-fixed, and fixed boundary conditions, and a continuously tapered beam with rest boundary conditions. The force transducer methodology is independent of the boundary conditions of the beam and the error from strain gage drift due to uniform thermal expansion on a prismatic beam can cancel out.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Distal airway function in symptomatic subjects with normal spirometry following World Trade Center dust exposure

Rationale Following collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC), individuals reported new-onset respiratory symptoms. Despite symptoms, spirometry often revealed normal airway function. However, bronchial wall thickening and air trapping were seen radiographically in some subjects. We hypothesized that symptomatic individuals following exposure to WTC dust may have functional abnormalities in distal airways not detectable with routine spirometry. Methods One hundred seventy-four subjects with respiratory symptoms and normal spirometry results were evaluated. Impedance oscillometry (IOS) was performed to determine resistance at 5 Hz, 5 to 20 Hz, and reactance area. Forty-three subjects were also tested for frequency dependence of compliance (FDC). Testing was repeated after bronchodilation. Results Predominant symptoms included cough (67%) and dyspnea (65%). Despite normal spirometry results, mean resistance at 5 Hz, 5 to 20 Hz, and reactance area were elevated (4.36 ± 0.12 cm H 2 O/L/s, 0.86 ± 0.05 cm H 2 O/L/s, and 6.12 ± 0.50 cm H 2 O/L, respectively) [mean ± SE]. Resistance and reactance normalized after bronchodilation. FDC was present in 37 of 43 individuals with improvement after bronchodilation. Conclusions Symptomatic individuals with presumed WTC dust/fume exposure and normal spirometry results displayed airway dysfunction based on the following: (1) elevated airway resistance and frequency dependence of resistance determined by IOS; (2) heterogeneity of distal airway function demonstrated by elevated reactance area on oscillometry and FDC; and (3) reversibility of these functional abnormalities to or toward normal following administration of a bronchodilator. Since spirometry results were normal in all subjects, these abnormalities likely reflect dysfunction in airways more distal to those evaluated by spirometry. Examination of distal airway function when spirometry results are normal may be important in the evaluation of subjects exposed to occupational and environmental hazards. Clinical trials registration number NCT00395330. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov .
Preparation of hot-pressed silicon-germanium ingots: Part II - Reduction of chill cast material

Abstract Nine different reduction techniques were evaluated for reducing Si-Ge chill cast alloys. Planetary ball milling with agate vessels and balls proved best for producing large quantities of high purity Si-Ge alloy powders. With the planetary ball mill Si-rich alloys were more difficult to reduce than Ge-rich alloys and the addition of dopant (boron or phosphorus) decreased the grinding time necessary for comparable particle size distributions.
Platelets as Central Mediators of Systemic Inflammatory Responses

Systemic inflammatory responses are associated with high morbidity and mortality and represent a diverse and clinically challenging group of diseases. Platelets are increasingly linked to inflammation, in addition to their well-known roles in hemostasis and thrombosis. There is agreement that traditional functions of platelets, including adherence, aggregation, and secretion of preformed mediators, contribute to systemic inflammatory responses. However, emerging evidence indicates that platelets function in non-traditional ways. In this review, we focus on new functions of platelets that may be involved in the host response to infection.
Open field behavior of the Mongolian gerbil

Mongolian gerbils and albino rats were observed individually in an open field. The rats exhibited their normal tendency to remain in the peripheral areas of the field. However, the gerbils did not show such thigmotactic tendencies. Gerbils demonstrated more frequent central area occupancy, greater duration of central area occupancy, and greater locomotion in the field. The greater alertness and activity of the gerbil, in combination with its apparent relative preference for an open field, may have important implications in maze running situations.
The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

Abstract Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is of importance to the primary care physician because of its association with a number of medical complications. More specifically, a variety of obstetric complications, including recurrent fetal loss, preeclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction, are more common in pregnancies of women with antiphospholipid syndrome. Accepted criteria for the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome include the occurrence of moderate-to-high levels of antiphospholipid antibodies in the presence of fetal loss, arterial or venous thrombosis, or autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Optimal management includes preconceptional counseling to discuss the potential maternal and fetal complications of antiphospholipid syndrome. Treatment with heparin and low-dose aspirin is indicated in women with prior fetal loss. Antiphospholipid syndrome patients with a history of thrombosis should receive heparin thrombo-prophylaxis even if they have no history of fetal loss.
Characterizing Pathological Narcissism in Terms of the HEXACO Model of Personality

This study investigated the grandiose and vulnerable subscales of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI; Pincus et al. (Psychological Assessment, 21, 365-379, 2009)) in the context of the HEXACO model of personality. Based upon previous research, we predicted that grandiose aspects of narcissism would be related to high extraversion, low emotionality, and low agreeableness, while vulnerable aspects of narcissism would be associated with low extraversion, high emotionality, and low agreeableness (Miller and Campbell (Journal of Personality, 76, 449-476, 2008)). We also examined whether the honesty-humility domain helped differentiate between the two aspects of narcissism. We predicted that grandiose aspects of narcissism would be related to low levels of honesty-humility because of a tendency to exploit others, while vulnerable aspects of narcissism would be unrelated to honesty-humility. Our predictions were supported for the vulnerable subscale of the PNI for both zero-order and partial effects. However, for the grandiose subscale, our predictions were only supported when controlling for covariance between the PNI subscales and the HEXACO domains.
Effect of tolbutamide on serum cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic patients.

ConclusionsTolbutamide administered to hypercholesterolemic patients in doses of 1 g daily did not result in lowering of serum cholesterol concentrations although temporary reductions occurred in 5 of 8 patients during the first week of drug administration.
Modeling the solid phase stress in a fluid-solid mixture

Abstract An alternative formulation of the solid phase stress is given for a flowing fluid-solid mixture. This formulation allows us to treat all three sources of the solid phase stress with the same concept. This concept utilizes a control surface and considers stress as the force per unit area on such a surface. The three solid phase stress sources include the force between the particles, the rate of momentum transfer due to random particle motion and the hydrodynamic interaction between the particles and the fluid. Emphasis is put on the third of the three, because the first two are well-understood from the given concept. The hydrodynamic contribution is called the “particle-presence stress”. The resulting formulation of this stress is identical to Batchelor's, in which a volume-averaging concept is used. The present result includes the particle inertia effect. It is also shown that the resulting solid phase pressure under special conditions reduces to a form proposed previously in the literature.
Deformation-Free Single-Crystal Nanohelixes of Polar Nanowires

Ultrasmall, deformation-free, single-crystal nanohelixes/nanosprings of piezoelectric ZnO are reported. The nanohelixes are made of 12 nm nanowires and have a uniform mean diameter of 30 nm. The growth follows a hexagonal screw-coiling model, in which the growth of the nanowire is led by the Zn-terminated (0001) front surface due to self-catalysis. A sequential and periodic 60° rotation in growth direction among the six equivalent directions of 〈01 h11〉 in an ordered and equally spaced distance results in the formation of the nanohelix. The sequential change in growth direction is to reduce the electrostatic interaction energy caused by the ±{011 h1} polar surfaces of the nanowire, analogous to the charge model of an RNA molecule.
Dissociation of acetic acid in 50 mass % ethylene carbonate-water from 20 to 55°C

The dissociation constant of acetic acid in 50 mass % ethylene carbonate-water solvents has been determined at eight temperatures from 20 to 55°C by emf measurements of cells without liquid-junction containing hydrogen electrodes and silver-silver chloride electrodes. Acetic acid is weaker in the mixed solvent than in pure water. At 25°C, pK is 5.645 as compared with 4.756 in water, in spite of the fact that the dielectric constants of the two media do not differ materially. Standard changes in Gibbs energy, enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity for the dissociation processes at 25°C were evaluated. The decrease in acidic strength when ethylene carbonate is added to the water medium appears to be largely the results of a destabilization of the two ionic species, especially a partial desolvation of the hydrogen ion.
A decentralized fault accommodation scheme for nonlinear interconnected systems

In this paper, a novel decentralized detection and accommodation (FDA) methodology is proposed for interconnected nonlinear continuous-time systems by using local subsystem states alone in contrast with traditional distributed FDA schemes where the entire measured or the estimated state vector is needed. First, the detection scheme is revisited where a network of local fault detectors (LFD) is proposed. A fault is detected by generating a residual from the measured and estimated state vectors locally and the fault dynamics are estimated by using an online approximator upon detection. Subsequently, a fault accommodation scheme is initiated in the subsystem by using a second online approximator to augment the control input of each subsystem in order to minimize the effects of the faults on the overall system. Decentralization avoids the transmission of the entire system state vector to each subsystem. Finally the proposed methods are verified in the simulation environment.
A 2-adic formula for Bernoulli numbers of the second kind and for the Nörlund numbers

Abstract We give a formula expressing Bernoulli numbers of the second kind as 2-adically convergent sums of traces of algebraic integers. We use this formula to prove and explain the formulas and conjectures of Adelberg concerning the initial 2-adic digits of these numbers. We also give analogous results for the Norlund numbers.
Statins reduce neuronal α‐synuclein aggregation in in vitro models of Parkinson’s disease

Aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) is believed to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of disorders such as dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease. The function of α-syn remains unclear, although several lines of evidence suggest that α-syn is involved in synaptic vesicle trafficking probably via lipid binding. Moreover, interactions with cholesterol and lipids have been shown to be involved in α-syn aggregation. In this context, the main objective of this study was to determine if statins – cholesterol synthesis inhibitors – might interfere with α-syn accumulation in cellular models. For this purpose, we studied the effects of lovastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin on the accumulation of α-syn in a stably transfected neuronal cell line and in primary human neurons. Statins reduced the levels of α-syn accumulation in the detergent insoluble fraction of the transfected cells. This was accompanied by a redistribution of α-syn in caveolar fractions, a reduction in oxidized α-syn, and enhanced neurite outgrowth. In contrast, supplementation of the media with cholesterol increased α-syn aggregation in detergent insoluble fractions of transfected cells and was accompanied by reduced neurite outgrowth. Taken together, these results suggest that regulation of cholesterol levels with cholesterol inhibitors might be a novel approach for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
A genome-wide association study of BMI in American Indians.

Numerous studies have been done to understand genetic contributors to BMI, but only a limited number of studies have been done in nonwhite groups such as American Indians. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for BMI was therefore performed in Pima Indians. BMI measurements from a longitudinal study of 1,120 Pima Indians and 454,194 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the 1 million Affymetrix SNP panel were used (35% of SNPs were excluded due to minor allele frequency <0.05). Data included BMI measured at multiple examinations collected from 1965 to 2004, as well as the maximum BMI at one of these visits. General and within-family tests were performed using a maximum-likelihood based mixed model procedure. No SNP reached a genome-wide significance level (estimated at P < 4.94 × 10−7). For repeated measures analyses, the strongest associations for general and within-family tests mapped to two different regions on chromosome 6 (rs9342220 (P = 1.39 × 10−6) and rs7758764 (P = 2.51 × 10−6), respectively). For maximum BMI, the strongest association for the general tests mapped to chromosome 4 (rs17612333; P = 1.98 × 10−6) and to chromosome 3 (rs11127958; P = 1.53 × 10−6) for the within-family tests. Further analysis is important because only a few of these regions have been previously implicated in a GWAS and genetic susceptibility may differ by ethnicity.
The Effects of Repeat Collaboration on Creative Abrasion

Building on research that suggests a negative relationship between repeat collaboration and team creativity, we propose that team mental models developed in earlier projects are likely to interfere with the processes that constitute creative abrasion: idea generation, disclosure/advocacy, and convergence. Suppression of these processes leads to less creative outcomes. We conclude by proposing that these negative effects can be mitigated by process and project charter interventions and by outsider entry into the project team.
A crystalline platinum blue: its molecular structure, chemical reactivity, and possible relevance to the mode of action of antitumor platinum drugs.

The simple inorganic complex cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) (DDP) inhibits the division of bacterial cells with little effect on their growth. It was subsequently shown that DDP has substantial antitumor activity on a wide variety of animal malignancies. These findings stimulated numerous investigations of diammineplatinum (II) complexes both to establish their mode of action and to design more effective antitumor platinum drugs.
Effects of Stress on the Adhesion of Metals to Polyimides

This paper describes the effects of ambient, thermal and mechanical stress on the adhesion of titanium (Ti) to polyimide (PI). Pull testing on the Ti/PI system shows that metal/polyimide bonding degrades when the composite is thermally cycled. A thermochemical mechanism is proposed that accounts for the interface degradation. We do not treat the adhesive interface as a discrete layer, but rather as a gradual “transition zone” between metal and polymer -- a zone that may grow, and/or change in composition and stress state, thus altering the adhesive properties. The mechanism predicts discontinuities that may develop in the transition zone. Through the use of finite element techniques, it is demonstrated that when loads and displacements are imposed on the composite containing interface discontinuities, large localized stresses develop. Such stresses could explain the experimentally observed low strength failures.
How to build a pancreas

Pancreatic Growth and Regeneration Edited by Nora Sarvetnick. Basel, Karger, 1997, CHF113.0/DEM135.00/$98.00 (xiv+250 pages) ISBN 3-8055-6618-2.
Carboxyl-terminal Domain III of the δ′ Subunit of the DNA Polymerase III Holoenzyme Binds δ

Abstract The δ and δ′ subunits are essential components of the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, required for assembly and function of the DnaX-complex clamp loader (τ2γδδ′χψ). The x-ray crystal structure of δ′ contains three structural domains (Guenther, B., Onrust, R., Sali, A., O'Donnell, M., and Kuriyan, J. (1997) Cell 91, 335–345). In this study, we localize the δ-binding domain of δ′ to a carboxyl-terminal domain III by quantifying the interaction of δ with a series of δ′ fusion proteins lacking specific domains. Purification and immobilization of the fusion proteins were facilitated by the inclusion of a tag containing hexahistidine and a short biotinylation sequence. Both NH2- and COOH-terminal-tagged full-length δ′ were soluble and had specific activities comparable with that of native δ′. δ and δ′ form a 1:1 heterodimer with a dissociation constant (K D) of 5 × 10−7 m determined by equilibrium sedimentation. The K D determined by surface plasmon resonance was comparable. Domain III alone bound δ at an affinity comparable to that of wild type δ′, whereas proteins lacking domain III did not bind δ. Using a panel of domain-specific anti-δ′ monoclonal antibodies, we found that two of the domain III-specific monoclonal antibodies interfered with δ-δ′ interaction and abolished the replication activity of DNA polymerase-III holoenzyme.
Inositol pyrophosphates: why so many phosphates?

The inositol pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs) are a specialized group of “energetic” signaling molecules found in yeasts, plants and animals. PP-InsPs boast the most crowded three dimensional phosphate arrays found in Nature; multiple phosphates and diphosphates are crammed around the six-carbon, inositol ring. Yet, phosphate esters are also a major energy currency in cells. So the synthesis of PP-InsPs, and the maintenance of their levels in the face of a high rate of ongoing turnover, all requires significant bioenergetic input. What are the particular properties of PP-InsPs that repay this investment of cellular energy? Potential answers to that question are discussed here, against the backdrop of a recent hypothesis that signaling by PP-InsPs is evolutionarily ancient. The latter idea is extended herein, with the proposal that the primordial origins of PP-InsPs is reflected in the apparent lack of isomeric specificity of certain of their actions. Nevertheless, there are other aspects of signaling by these polyphosphates that are more selective for a particular PP-InsP isomer. Consideration of the nature of both specific and non-specific effects of PP-InsPs can help rationalize why such molecules possess so many phosphates.
Horse Fly Harassment and the Social Behavior of Feral Ponies

Horse flies (Tabanidae) on and around feral ponies in harem groups were counted at Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland, U.S.A., between June and August 1985. Harem stallions attracted the most flies; adult mares showed intermediate fly numbers, while few flies landed on foals under any circumstances. The use of thermal and chemical cues by flies selecting a host may have helped create this disparity. When flies were abundant, ponies reduced spacing within the group. Ponies in larger groups suffered from fewer flies than ponies in smaller groups. There was, however, no evidence that ponies merged into larger groups in response to fly harassment, suggesting that biting flies play little role in structuring pony social organization.
2006 national clinical pharmacy services survey: clinical pharmacy services, collaborative drug management, medication errors, and pharmacy technology.

Study Objective. To determine the extent of 15 hospital-based clinical pharmacy services, 51 different drugs managed under protocol by pharmacists, medication errors, and pharmacy technology in United States hospitals. Design. A survey was mailed, as well as sent electronically, to pharmacists in 2893 hospitals. Results. A total of 1125 surveys were returned (38.9% response rate). The 1125 hospitals had 14,315,506 patients admitted, which represented 45.7% of the 31,324,496 admissions to all U.S. hospitals in 2006. The proportion of clinical pharmacy services provided by Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals was higher compared with non-VA hospitals. In all hospitals, the clinical pharmacy services with the greatest growth from 1989–2006 were pharmacist-provided admission drug histories (300% increase), pharmacist participation on medical rounds (292.3% increase), drug protocol management (208% increase), pharmacist-conducted clinical research (166.7% increase), pharmacist-provided drug information (150% increase), and pharmacist-provided pharmacokinetic consultation (117.5% increase). A total of 864 hospitals (76.8%) had pharmacists providing drug protocol management (collaborative drug management). Pharmacists managed a mean ± SD of 9.18 ± 10.23 different drugs/hospital (7932 protocols). Drugs commonly managed included aminoglycosides (64.4% of hospitals), vancomycin (63.8%), warfarin (37.8%), low-molecular-weight heparins (32.7%), unfractionated heparin (30.0%), fluoroquinolones (30.0%), antiparkinsonian drugs (22.8%), proton pump inhibitors (22.7%), human immunodeficiency virus drugs (21.9%), and cephalosporins (19.7%). The mean number of medication errors reported/hospital increased by 151.4% between 1995 and 2006. The percentage of patients who experienced a medication error increased from 4.7% to 6.5% between 1995 and 2006 (a 38.3% increase). A total of 220 hospitals (19.6%) had computerized prescriber order entry systems, 263 (23.4%) had bar coding for drug administration, and 439 (39.0%) used robotics for dispensing. Conclusion. This study provides continuing evidence of the growth and value of clinical pharmacy services and clinical pharmacists in our nation's hospitals. These data will guide hospital pharmacy directors and clinical coordinators in allocating resources to optimally meet their patients' needs.
Anterior vaginal prolapse: Review of anatomy and techniques of surgical repair

Objective To summarize the literature on anterior vaginal prolapse, focusing on vaginal anatomy, etiologic theories, and comparison of anterior colporrhaphy and paravaginal repair. Data Sources We identified articles related to anterior vaginal prolapse through a MEDLINE search of English-language literature published from January 1966 through December 1995 and in bibliographies in gynecologic text-books. Methods of Study Selection We reviewed 80 articles published in peer-reviewed journals or textbooks and related to anterior vaginal prolapse. In addition, ten articles on operative procedures for urinary incontinence were studied. Tabulation, Integration, and Results We abstracted and synthesized information from 31 papers that contained descriptions of and opinions on vaginal anatomy and etiology of vaginal prolapse. The vagina has three layers—mucosa, muscularis, and adventitia; there is no vaginal “fascia.” Vaginal support is provided by the underlying levator ani muscles and by lateral connective-tissue attachments at the arcus tendineus fasciae pelvis or “white line.” Anterior vaginal prolapse results from direct or indirect damage to the pelvic muscles or connective tissue or both. Forty-nine articles described surgical techniques for the correction of anterior vaginal prolapse, and 24 of them reported postoperative outcomes. Reported failure rates ranged from 0–20% for anterior colporrhaphy and 3–14% for paravaginal repair. No controlled studies compared different procedures performed primarily for correction of anterior vaginal prolapse. Conclusions Dissection during anterior colporrhaphy splits vaginal muscularis, and repair involves plication of the muscularis and adventitia (not vaginal “fascia”) in the midline, which may pull the lateral attachments further from the pelvic sidewall. Paravaginal repair restores the lateral attachments to the pelvic sidewall at the white line. Controlled studies that compare directly these two procedures for anterior vaginal prolapse repair are necessary to determine their relative effectiveness.
Reflection Optimization for Alternative Thin-Film Photovoltaics

The recent improvements in efficiencies for kesterite (copper zinc tin selenide, CZTS) devices warrant an investigation into how the kesterite device stack can best be capped to minimize losses due to reflection. Additionally, ongoing efforts to replace the cadmium sulfide (CdS) layer in copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS)-based devices, most notably with zinc sulfide (ZnS), need to be accompanied by a similar investigation into how to best finish a CIGS/ZnS stack to minimize reflection losses. An optical analysis of how CZTS/CdS and CIGS/ZnS devices reflect light has been performed for the purpose of optimizing the transparent conducting oxide and antireflection layers for each stack. This research addresses what is similar and what is different between the alternative stacks and the routine CIGS/CdS stack and how to best reduce the reflection losses for each situation.
The leaving group as a factor in the alkylation of the 2-nitropropane anion

Abstract The course of the reaction of the lithium salt of 2-nitropropane with p-O2N−C6H4 −CH2X is governed by the nature of X. Thus, with p-nitrobenzyl chloride a 95 % yield of the carbon alkylate (IV) is obtained whereas the use of p-nitrobenzyl iodide results in an 81 % yield of p-nitrobenzaldehyde.
Postthrombotic Syndrome in Children

The postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a clinical condition of limb pain along with physical findings that range from swelling to stasis ulcers following one or more episodes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). While venous thromboembolism has recently gained increased recognition in children, the sequelae of limb thrombi are being recognized in a substantial proportion of affected children, and with varying degrees of severity. PTS is caused by both obstructed as well as refluxed venous blood flow, with combined effects of obstruction and reflux resulting in earlier, and more extensive symptoms. PTS can be diagnosed using an evaluation tool adapted from an international adult scale. Certain risk factors predispose children to PTS including elevations in factor VIII activity and D-dimer, clot occlusiveness, clot persistence, number of venous segments involved and duration of observation following DVT. Optimal prevention and treatment have not yet been determined, although antithrombotic therapy to facilitate rapid clot resolution, elevation, compression, moderate exercise and achievement of optimal body weight are likely to improve outcome.
Accurate structure refinement and measurement of crystal charge distribution using convergent beam electron diffraction.

The method for accurate structure refinement from energy-filtered convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) patterns is described with emphasis on recent progress in using imaging filters and 2-D detectors. Details are given about the underlying theoretical model and the statistical analysis of experimental data. The relationship between crystal potential and charge density is also derived for crystals at thermal equilibrium. The method is applied to the refinement of Si (111) and (222) structure factors using various goodness-of-fit (GOF) criteria. Results show that the refinement method is robust and highly accurate. The importance of the experimentally measured structure factors is illustrated through the study of the charge density in MgO. With the measured structure factors, it is possible to obtain details about the charge redistribution due to crystal bonding.
DNA Secondary Structures and the Evolution of Hypervariable Tandem Arrays

Tandem repeats are ubiquitous in nature and constitute a major source of genetic variability in populations. This variability is associated with a number of genetic disorders in humans including triplet expansion diseases such as Fragile X syndrome and Huntington's disease. The mechanism responsible for the variability/instability of these tandem arrays remains contentious. We show here that formation of secondary structures, in particular intrastrand tetraplexes, is an intrinsic property of some of the more unstable arrays. Tetraplexes block DNA polymerase progression and may promote instability of tandem arrays by increasing the likelihood of reiterative strand slippage. In the course of doing this work we have shown that some of these tetraplexes involve unusual base interactions. These interactions not only generate tetraplexes with novel properties but also lead us to conclude that the number of sequences that can form stable tetraplexes might be much larger than previously thought.