cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodality evaluation of cervical tumors

Clinical signs of radiotherapy failure are often not present until well after treatment has been completed. Methods which could predict the response of tumors either before or early into the radiotherapy schedule would have important implications for patient management. Recent studies performed at our institution suggest that MR perfusion imaging maya be useful in distinguishing between individuals who are likely to benefit from radiation therapy and those who are not. Because MR perfusion imaging reflects tissue vascularity as well as perfusion, quantitative positron emission tomographic (PET) blood flow studies were performed to obtain an independent assessment of tumor perfusion. MR perfusion and PET quantitative blood flow studies were acquired on four women diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer. The MR perfusion studies were acquired on a 1 cm sagittal slice through the epicenter of the tumor mass. Quantitative PET blood flow studies were performed using an autoradiographic technique. The PET and MRI were registered using a manual interactive routine and the mean blood flow in the tumor was compared to the relative signal intensity in a corresponding region on the MR image. The mean blood flow in the cervical tumors ranged form 30-48 ml/min/100 grams. The observed blood flow values are consistent with the assumed relationship between MR contrast enhancement and the distribution of tissue perfusion. The information offered by these studies provides an additional window into the evaluation of the response of cervical tumors to radiation therapy.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Transthecal digital block at the proximal phalanx.

This study assessed the efficacy of a modified transthecal digital block. Three-hundred-and-sixty consecutive digits were anaesthetised with this technique for the treatment of fractures, infections and foreign bodies. Complete palmar and dorsal anaesthesia was achieved in 357 of the 360 digits (99%), including 52 of 53 thumbs (98%). The technique was extremely easy to perform and no complications occurred.
Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of the transition from primary to secondary stem development in Populus trichocarpa

With its genome sequence and other experimental attributes, Populus trichocarpa has become the model species for genomic studies of wood development. Wood is derived from secondary growth of tree stems, and begins with the development of a ring of vascular cambium in the young developing stem. The terminal region of the developing shoot provides a steep developmental gradient from primary to secondary growth that facilitates identification of genes that play specialized functions during each of these phases of growth. Using a genomic microarray representing the majority of the transcriptome, we profiled gene expression in stem segments that spanned primary to secondary growth. We found 3,016 genes that were differentially expressed during stem development (Q-value ≤ 0.05; >2-fold expression variation), and 15% of these genes encode proteins with no significant identities to known genes. We identified all gene family members putatively involved in secondary growth for carbohydrate active enzymes, tubulins, actins, actin depolymerizing factors, fasciclin-like AGPs, and vascular development-associated transcription factors. Almost 70% of expressed transcription factors were upregulated during the transition to secondary growth. The primary shoot elongation region of the stem contained specific carbohydrate active enzyme and expansin family members that are likely to function in primary cell wall synthesis and modification. Genes involved in plant defense and protective functions were also dominant in the primary growth region. Our results describe the global patterns of gene expression that occur during the transition from primary to secondary stem growth. We were able to identify three major patterns of gene expression and over-represented gene ontology categories during stem development. The new regulatory factors and cell wall biogenesis genes that we identified provide candidate genes for further functional characterization, as well as new tools for molecular breeding and biotechnology aimed at improvement of tree growth rate, crown form, and wood quality.
795–2 Dynamic Changes in Aortic Regurgitant Orifice Area: A Chronic Animal Model Study

Our aim was to determine dynamic changes in aortic regurgitant (AR) orifice size using calibrated electromagnetic flow meters (EM) and color Doppler (CD) flow convergence (FC) methods. In 6 sheep AR was surgically induced by right or “non coronary” leaflet edge resection, and after 20 weeks recovery, a total of 21 hemodynamic steady states were obtained pharmacologically. Instantaneous regurgitant flow rates were obtained with aortic and pulmonary EM flow meters balanced against each other and instantaneous AR orifice areas were determined by dividing flows by the corresponding CW velocities (over 25–40 points in a diastole) (Figure), Echo studies were performed to obtain maximal aliasing distances of FC, in ranges of aliasing velocities (AV) 0.20 – 0.32 m/sec and 0.56–0.72 m/sec; and the corresponding maximal FC AR flow rates were calculated using the hemispherical assumption and were divided by the maximal CW Doppler velocities. Maximal and time averaged AR orifice areas during diastole obtained by EM ranged from 0.06 to 0.33 cm and from 0.05 to 0.30 cm2, respectively. AR orifice sizes obtained using EM showed little change during diastole (Figure). Regression analysis between the regurgitant volume and mean regurgitant flow rates determined by EM and the time-averaged regurgitant orifice areas demonstrated excellent correlations (r = 0.84 and 0.88, respectively. Maximal CD AR orifice areas by FC using low AV overestimated reference orifice areas, but at high AV, FC predicted the reference areas more reliably (0.20 ± 0.12 cm2 vs 0.18 ± 0.12 cm2 by EM). Our study demonstrated little dynamic change in AR orifice size and suggests that when high AV are used, FC estimation of effective AR orifice size is possible. Download : Download high-res image (45KB) Download : Download full-size image
Sexual dimorphism of pleopod motor neurons in lobster

Abstract Sexual dimorphism of the efferent neurons that innervate the pleopods in the first abdominal segment of the lobster was examined with nickel/cobalt backfilling techniques. An average of 28.8 somata (maximum of 31) were stained in the female while the mean number of male efferent somata was 25.8 (maximum of 28). These differences are statistically significant. All except one of these somata are situated close to the base of the ipsilateral first root. They are organized into large anterior (13–21 somata) and small posterior (8–13) clusters. One soma is located on the contralateral side of the ganglion.
Two basic problems of plane crack extension: A unified treatment

Abstract Two basic problems in 2-dimensional elastodynamic fracture analysis, the plane crack expanding from a line flaw at a constant rate and the semi-infinite plane crack, are treated simultaneously by allowing the former problem to have crack edges which equal or exceed the Rayleigh wave speed. As expected the stress singularities and energy flux rate vanish when this occurs. Nevertheless the solutions can be applied to semi-infinite crack problems, including plane wave diffraction. For purposes of illustration, only uniform shear and normal tractions applied to the crack plane are treated. However, the analysis of piecewise constant tractions over uniformly expanding segments readily follows. Homogeneous function techniques are employed in all the solution procedures.
An algorithm for tracking vessels in three-dimensional angiograms

An adaptive algorithm for tracking vessels in three-dimensional angiogram is presented. This algorithm provides the vessel centerline and the vessel cross-section at each point of the centerline. Results obtained in Magnetic Resonance Angiography and 3D Computerized Angiography are discussed.
The role of the family in underachievement

Abstract Review of some of the major areas of research in the counseling of underachievers suggested that one of the most significant systems influencing the underachiever, the family, had not been adequately studied in attempting to grasp the social-psychological meaning of underachievement. Concurrent parent- and student-counselin in groups provided the setting in which the present study was conducted. A description of family interaction patterns as provided by 13 underachieving male high school sophomores and their parents was the basis for five propositions regarding the role of the family in the facilitation and maintenance of underachievement. On the basis of these propositions, new directions for systematic research on the role of the family in underachievement were suggested and recommendations for the counseling of high school underachievers were advanced.
Stability of the Endemic Coexistence Equilibrium for One Host and Two Parasites

For an SI type endemic model with one host and two parasite strains, we study the stability of the endemic coexistence equilibrium, where the host and both parasite strains are present. Our model, which is a system of three ordinary differential equations, assumes complete cross-protection between the parasite strains and reduced fertility and increased mortality of infected hosts. It also assumes that one parasite strain is exclusively vertically transmitted and cannot persists just by itself. We give several sufficient conditions for the equilibrium to be locally asymptotically stable. One of them is that the horizontal transmission is of density-dependent (mass-action) type. If the horizontal transmission is of frequency-dependent (standard) type, we show that, under certain conditions, the equilibrium can be unstable and undamped oscillations can occur. We support and extend our analytical results by numerical simulations and by two-dimensional plots of stability regions for various pairs of parameters.
Isolating Contributions from Intersegmental Transfer to DNA Searching by Alkyladenine DNA Glycosylase

Large genomes pose a challenge to DNA repair pathways because rare sites of damage must be efficiently located from among a vast excess of undamaged sites. Human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) employs nonspecific DNA binding interactions and facilitated diffusion to conduct a highly redundant search of adjacent sites. This ensures that every site is searched, but could be a detriment if the protein is trapped in a local segment of DNA. Intersegmental transfer between DNA segments that are transiently in close proximity provides an elegant solution that balances global and local searching processes. It has been difficult to detect intersegmental transfer experimentally; therefore, we developed biochemical assays that allowed us to observe and measure the rates of intersegmental transfer by AAG. AAG has a flexible amino terminus that tunes its affinity for nonspecific DNA, but we find that it is not required for intersegmental transfer. As AAG has only a single DNA binding site, this argues against the bridging model for intersegmental transfer. The rates of intersegmental transfer are strongly dependent on the salt concentration, supporting a jumping mechanism that involves microscopic dissociation and capture by a proximal DNA site. As many DNA-binding proteins have only a single binding site, jumping may be a common mechanism for intersegmental transfer.
On the Molecular Mechanism of Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone in the CNS: Neurotransmitters and Receptors

A neural mechanism for the clinical efficacy of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) independent of steroid effects in neurological disorders such as infantile spasms, myoclonic seizures in infants, and the opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome remains controversial. This article reviews evidence that ACTH is a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, and growth factor. It summarizes studies of anticonvulsant, antimyoclonic, and neurophysiologic effects of ACTH and ACTH fragments, the binding of ACTH in vitro to neurotransmitter receptors in brain, the chronic effects of ACTH on central neurotransmitter receptors and metabolism, effects of neurotransmitters on ACTH secretion, effects of ACTH on growth of cultured neurons, anatomic evidence for interactions of ACTH with neurotransmitters, behavioral effects and interactions of ACTH with neurotransmitter systems in vivo, and other neurochemical properties which may alter neurotransmission.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and platelets.

The most distinguishing serologic feature of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is the moderate to high blood titers of antiphospholipid-binding antibodies (aPL). The pathogenic mechanisms of APS are poorly understood, but may occur as a result of the interaction between anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), beta-2 glycoprotein-I (β2GP-I) (the aCL cofactor) and blood platelets. However, the relationship between aCL/β2GP-I complexes and platelet aggregation has yet to be clearly elucidated. This article will briefly review aPL, β2GP-I and platelet physiology with respect to recent hypotheses relating aCL/β2GP-I complexes and platelets.
Anticipation of peer evaluation in anxious adolescents: divergence in neural activation and maturation

Adolescence is the time of peak onset for many anxiety disorders, particularly Social Anxiety Disorder. Research using simulated social interactions consistently finds differential activation in several brain regions in anxious (vs non-anxious) youth, including amygdala, striatum and medial prefrontal cortex. However, few studies examined the anticipation of peer interactions, a key component in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Youth completed the Chatroom Task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Patterns of neural activation were assessed in anxious and non-anxious youth as they were cued to anticipate social feedback from peers. Anxious participants evidenced greater amygdala activation and rostral anterior cingulate (rACC)$amygdala coupling than non-anxious participants during anticipation of feedback from peers they had previously rejected; anxious participants also evidenced less nucleus accumbens activation during anticipation of feedback from selected peers. Finally, anxiety interacted with age in rACC: in anxious participants, age was positively associated with activation to anticipated feedback from rejected peers and negatively for selected peers, whereas the opposite pattern emerged for non-anxious youth. Overall, anxious youth showed greater reactivity in anticipation of feedback from rejected peers and thus may ascribe greater salience to these potential interactions and increase the likelihood of avoidance behavior.
Concentrations and Percentage Recovery of Furacin in Milk Following Intramammary Infusions

Summary Four experiments involving 106 quarters of the udder of dairy cows were carried out to determine the rate and cause of disappearance of furacin from milk following intramammary infusions. In Trial 1, milk from 43 quarters contained only traces (
Phosphorylation coupled to electron transport mediated by short chain derivatives of coenzyme Q

It has been shown by Hatefi (1959) and Hatefi, Lester, Crane, and Widmer (1959) that mitochondria can directly oxidize the reduced form of coenzyme Qlo. We have carried out a study on the efficiency of phosphorylation coupled to electron transport initiated by short chain derivatives of coenzyme Q in rat liver mitochondria. In the experiments of Hatefi, QloH2 was added to mitochondria and the extent of its oxidation determined spectrophotometrically. In the experiments described in this communication catalytic quantities of the Q derivatives were used to couple the oxidation of external DPNH to initiation of mitochondrial electron transport. In previous experiments of this kind (Jacobs and Sanadi (1960)) it was shown that while external DPNH alone could not initiate electron transport in undamaged rat liver mitochondria, this process could be mediated with catalytic amounts of such redox systems as cytochrome c, ferricyanide, silicomolybdate and Vitamin K3, which were maintained reduced in the presence of external DPNH by the "external DPNH-cytochrome c reductase'. The data of Table I show that Qo, Q2 and duroquinone, but not Qloc were also capable of acting as electron shuttles
Effects of Pneumonectomy on Pulmonary Circulation in Adult and Young Animals

Serial observations were made on the changes in pulmonary-artery pressure, radiological, and histological features of the pulmonary vasculature after pneiunonectomy or ligation of a single pulmonary artery in adult dogs and in puppies. Acute occlusion produced only insignificant changes in the pulmonary-arterial pressure. After one to two days, a rapid rise in pulmonary-arterial pres sure was observed. The pressure then gradually rose and in the subsequent months reached somewhat higher levels in the puppies as compared with the adult dogs. A decrease in pulmonary-arterial pressure which occurred after the initial rise in pressure was noted in one adult dog and two puppies. Comparison of the histology of the remaining lung with the control lung showed the development of medial hypertrophy of the smaller and medium-sized vessels, with an increase in the wall to lumen ratio. No significant difference was noted between the histological features of the adult and young animals. Pulmonary arteriograrns revealed progressive dilatation and tortuosity of the main pulmonary artery and its major branches, less striking in the puppies as compared with the adult dogs.
The Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART): Rationale, design, and methods of a randomized, controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy for the primary prevention of asthma and allergies in children

Abstract There is intense interest in the role of vitamin D in the development of asthma and allergies. However, studies differ on whether a higher vitamin D intake or status in pregnancy or at birth is protective against asthma and allergies. To address this uncertainty, the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART) was developed. VDAART is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women to determine whether prenatal supplementation can prevent the development of asthma and allergies in women's offspring. A secondary aim is to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can prevent the development of pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes. Women were randomized to the treatment arm of 4000 IU/day of vitamin D 3 plus a daily multivitamin that contained 400 IU of vitamin D 3 or the placebo arm of placebo plus a multivitamin that contained 400 IU daily of vitamin D 3 . Women who were between the gestational ages of 10 and 18 weeks were randomized from three clinical centers across the United States — Boston Medical Center, Washington University in St. Louis, and Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region (San Diego, CA). Supplementation took place throughout pregnancy. Monthly monitoring of urinary calcium to creatinine ratio was performed in addition to medical record review for adverse events. Offspring are being evaluated quarterly through questionnaires and yearly during in-person visits until the 3rd birthday of the child. Ancillary studies will investigate neonatal T-regulatory cell function, maternal vaginal flora, and maternal and child intestinal flora.
Adrenergic-Induced Enhancement of Brain Barrier System Permeability to Small Nonelectrolytes: Choroid Plexus versus Cerebral Capillaries

Acute hypertension induced by adrenergic agents opens up the blood-CSF barrier (choroid plexus) to nonelectrolyte and protein tracers. Sprague-Dawley adult rats anesthetized with ketamine were given an intravenous bolus of either epinephrine (10 micrograms/kg), phenylephrine (100 micrograms/kg), isoproterenol (10 micrograms/kg), or D,L-amphetamine (2 mg/kg). Tracers were injected simultaneously with test agents, and the animals killed 10 min later. Epinephrine raised MABP by 57 mm Hg, to a peak pressure of 160 mm Hg; and it increased the volume of distribution (Vd) of urea, mannitol, and 125I-bovine serum albumin in CSF by 1.5-, 2.7-, and 30-fold, respectively. There was enhanced uptake by lateral and fourth ventricle choroid plexuses, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, medulla, and thalamus. Phenylephrine also elevated MABP to 160 mm Hg, but it increased permeation of tracers into CSF (and several brain regions) to a lesser extent than epinephrine, attributable to protective vasoconstriction associated with alpha-agonist activity. Ratio analysis of Vd data provides evidence that augmented permeation of nonelectrolyte tracers in acute hypertension occurs predominantly by diffusion rather than vesicular transport. It is postulated that elevated MABP distends the central cores of choroid plexus villi and cerebral capillaries, with resultant stretching and opening of tight junctions in both barrier systems; with less hindrance to diffusion, urea and mannitol are cleared at rates closer to free diffusion. Neither isoproterenol (decreased MABP by 40 mm Hg) nor amphetamine (did not alter MABP) significantly opened the choroid plexus or blood-brain barrier to tracers.
Regelation of ice through debris at glacier beds: Implications for sediment transport

Results from laboratory experiments show that ice at its melting temperature regelated through dense, three-dimensional arrays off clasts abrading a rock bed. Regelation theory for an isolated, stationary array of clasts successfully approximates periods when ice separated from the bed, thermal gradients, and clast-bed contact forces, despite the relative motion of clasts and incoming heat from the bed. The process may entrain sediment at glacier beds and restrict deposition to zones where sediment in ice is concentrated, effective pressure is low, and basal melting is rapid.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress activates the expression of a sub-group of protein disulfide isomerase genes and AtbZIP60 modulates the response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Proteins entering the secretory pathway of eukaryotic cells are folded into their native structures in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Disruption of protein folding causes ER stress and activates signaling cascades, designated the unfolded protein response (UPR), that restore folding capacity. In mammals and yeast, the protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs) are key protein folding catalysts activated during UPR. However, little is known about the response of PDI genes to UPR in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, we identified 12 PDI genes that differed in polypeptide length, presence of signal peptide and ER retention signal, and the number and positions of thioredoxin and transmembrane domains. AtPDI gene expression was investigated in different tissues, in response to chemically induced UPR, and in null mutants of UPR signaling mediators (AtIRE1-2 and AtbZIP60). The expression of six AtPDI genes was significantly up-regulated by UPR and sharply attenuated by the transcription inhibitor, actinomycin D, indicating UPR induced AtPDI gene transcription. AtPDI and BIP2 (Binding protein) gene expression was not affected in the Atire1-2 mutant exposed to UPR, however, the expression of four AtPDI genes was decreased in the Atbzip60 mutant. We proposed that additional UPR signaling factors complement AtbZIP60 in the activation of AtPDI gene expression during ER stress in plants.
Unsteady mixed flows with in-passage shocks

The problem of blade flutter in an infinite cascade of thin, sinusoidal blades is explored in the framework of a linearized theory. The model admits normal shocks in the blade-passages. Closed form analytical solutions are formed in the regions of both the supersonic and subsonic flows.
All the Modern Conveniences: American Household Plumbing, 1840-1890

As any American who has traveled abroad knows, the American home contains more, and more elaborate, plumbing than any other in the world. Indeed, Americans are renowned for their obsession with cleanliness. Although plumbing has occupied a central position in American life since the mid-nineteenth century, little scholarly attention has been paid to its history. Now, in All the Modern Conveniences, Maureen Ogle presents a fascinating study that explores the development of household plumbing in nineteenth-century America. Until 1840, indoor plumbing could be found only in mansions and first-class hotels. Then, in the decade before midcentury, Americans representing a wider range of economic circumstances began to install household plumbing with increasing eagerness. Ogle draws on a wide assortment of contemporary sources -- sanitation reports, builders' manuals, fixture catalogues, patent applications, and popular scientific tracts -- to show how the demand for plumbing was prompted more by an emerging middle-class culture of convenience, reform, and domestic life than by fears about poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation. She also examines advancements in water-supply and waste-management technology, the architectural considerations these amenities entailed, and the scientific approach to sanitation that began to emerge by century's end.
Neurophysiological monitoring during surgical treatment of skull-base tumors and vascular lesions

Various electrophysiological monitoring techniques are available for localizing and protecting cranial nerves and the brain stem during skull-base procedures. Separate neural pathways are used with each method, allowing for the simultaneous monitoring of different cranial nerves and brain stem tracts. Although monitoring of the facial nerve during resection of an acoustic neuroma is considered to be a standard of care, other monitoring techniques, such as tracking motor evoked potentials and visual evoked potentials, have not yet gained wide acceptance with neurosurgeons. This situation is in part attributable to technical factors that create difficulties in interpreting intraoperative changes in these responses. The use of individual techniques is usually based on the surgeon's level of comfort in attacking a given lesion and in his or her perception of the sensitivity and specificity of each type of electrophysiological monitoring.
Information complexity criteria for detecting influential observations in dynamic multivariate linear models using the genetic algorithm

We develop a new information theoretic approach for detecting influential observations in dynamic linear models of multivariate time series known as vector autoregressions (VARs). Our approach consists of two stages. In the first, we use a Genetic Algorithm (GA) with Bozdogan's informational complexity (ICOMP) criterion as the fitness function to select a near optimal subset VAR model. In the second stage, we use ICOMP with case-deletion on the subset VAR chosen by the GA to detect influential observations. Our approach yields an intuitive, practical and rigorous two-dimensional graphical representation of influential observations in multivariate time series data that accounts for both lack-of-fit and model complexity in one criterion function. We demonstrate our approach on multivariate macroeconomic time series data.
Design of sub-100nm SOI CMOS for RF switch application

Device design considerations and trade-offs of sub-100nm SOI CMOS for RF switch application are discussed. A new device structure, which improves 1-dB compression point (P1dB) of the switch by more than 6dB, is proposed. Experimental data will be presented.
Children's perception of speech produced in a two-talker background.

Purpose This study evaluated the degree to which children benefit from the acoustic modifications made by talkers when they produce speech in noise. Method A repeated measures design compared the s...
Coexistence of the native benthic amphipod Diporeia spp. and exotic dreissenid mussels in the New York Finger Lakes

Abstract Populations of the benthic amphipod Diporeia spp. have sharply declined since the early 1990s in all North America's Great Lakes except Lake Superior. The onset and continued decline coincides with the invasion of these lakes by zebra ( Dreissena polymorpha ) and quagga ( Dreissena rostriformis bugensis ) mussels and the spread of quagga mussels to deep habitats. The six deepest Finger Lakes of central New York (Seneca, Cayuga, Skaneateles, Canandaigua, Keuka, and Owasco) have historically been Diporeia habitat and have had dreissenids for more than a decade. These lakes represent a wide range of trophic state, maximum depth, and dreissenid invasion history. We hypothesized that Diporeia abundance would be negatively impacted by dreissenid mussel expansion in the Finger Lakes. During 2006–2010, we sampled Diporeia and mussel populations in these six lakes. Diporeia was present in all six lakes, and was abundant (2000/m 2 ) in Owasco Lake that has only zebra mussels and in Cayuga and Seneca Lakes that have had zebra and quagga mussels since 1994. Diporeia abundance was lowest (1000/m 2 ) in Skaneateles, Canandaigua, and Keuka Lakes where quagga mussels have recently expanded. Productivity indicators explained much of the variability of Diporeia abundance. The persistence of Diporeia with quagga mussels in these lakes may be because of available alternative food resources. Fatty acid tracers indicate that Diporeia from Owasco Lake, the lake without quagga mussels, utilize diatoms, but Diporeia from Cayuga Lake that coexist with abundant quagga mussels also use food resources associated with terrestrial detritus that cannot be intercepted by dreissenids.
WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT? THE DANGERS OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE MODEL OF READING TEACHER EDUCATION

Reading teacher education, as is true with much of higher education, is plagued with pressures of providing “here and now” answers to very complex, entangled issues. The reading methods course becomes the site of many of these pressures, despite considerable insights provided by scholars such as Kumaravadivelu (2001) that methods may be more of the problem than the solution. In this article, we explore an emergent conceptualization of the reading teacher educator as “customer service provider” and discuss how this approach threatens reading teacher education. We voice our concerns that the pressure on reading teacher educators to deliver content in the “customer service” model denies preservice teachers access to critical pedagogies.
Rapidly polymerizing hydrogel prevents balloon dislodgement in a model of fetal tracheal occlusion.

Abstract Background/purpose This study examined whether an injectable hydrogel could buttress the balloon used in fetal tracheal occlusion, thus preventing its displacement. Methods Fetal lambs (n = 11) underwent tracheal occlusion through local delivery of a detachable silicone balloon and were divided in 2 groups: group I had no further manipulations, and group II received an intratracheal injection of a rapidly polymerizing hydrogel, cranially to the balloon. Near term, balloon placement was examined, the lung volume—to—body weight ratio (LV:BW) was determined, and tracheal histology was performed. Statistical analysis was by the Fisher's Exact test, with significance set at P Results Complete tracheal occlusion was achieved in all fetuses intraoperatively. The rate of balloon dislodgement was significantly higher in group I (4 of 7, or 57.1%) than in group II (0 of 4). In group II, balloons were recovered in situ with a column of residual hydrogel reinforcing their cephalad position. Animals in which balloon occlusion was maintained had significantly higher LV:BW, with no evidence of tracheal damage. Conclusions Intratracheal delivery of a rapidly polymerizing hydrogel cephalad to detachable silicone balloons results in improved fetal tracheal occlusion, with no harmful effects to the trachea. This adjuvant principle may enhance minimally invasive balloon tracheal occlusion for treatment of severe fetal pulmonary hypoplasia.
THE ROLE OF FLOW BIFURCATION IN CREATING AN OSCILLATORY FLOW IN CAPILLARY BLOOD VESSELS

Abstract The blood flow in some capillary blood vessels is not steady, but experiences an intermittent fluctuation. As a mechanism responsible for such a fluctuation, the action of the precapillary sphincter muscle was mentioned in addition to the pulsatile pressure in arteries and veins. The velocity of the blood in capillary blood vessels depends on the imposed pressure gradient and the resistance of the blood vessel to the blood flow. Since the pulsation of the blood pressure in arteries and veins can change the pressure gradient in capillary blood vessels, and the action of precapillary sphincter muscle changes the resistance of the capillary blood vessels, such mechanisms are undoubtedly responsible for some fluctuations in the capillary blood flow. It is well known that the velocity of the blood in the capillary blood vessels depends also on the apparent viscosity of the blood, which is a function of the number density of red blood cells in the capillary blood vessels. Hence, the change of the number of red blood cells in time in a certain length of a capillary blood vessel can result in an intermittent fluctuation in the blood velocity. If red blood cells are not uniformly distributed in the upstream blood vessel, the red blood cell flux entering the capillary blood vessel branching from such a blood vessel can vary in time. This variation of red blood cell flux can cause an intermittent fluctuation in the number of red blood cells in the branching capillary blood vessel. In this study, the red blood cell partition in a bifurcating blood flow is studied as a mechanism responsible for some fluctuations in the motion of the blood in capillary blood vessels. The results of this analysis show that a non-uniform distribution of red blood cells in the upstream blood vessel can create an intermittent fluctuation in the blood velocity in the branching capillary blood vessel, provided the traverse time for the blood to flow the entire length of the capillary blood vessel is properly matched to the period of oscillation in the local capillary hematocrit.
Zenith angle distribution of extensive air showers

Electron tracks obtained in a cloud chamber triggered by a large scintillator are analysed to obtain the zenith angle dependence of the cores of extensive air showers. A cosine power law gives a reasonable fit with an an exponent of 7.6. A better fit is obtained using the exponential absorption law exp [−(x 0/λ)(sec θ −1)]. Fitting the moments of the observed angles to this distribution leads to a value of the absorption length λ=144 g/cm2. These results apply at 1575 m s.l. and for showers of 105 to 106 particles.
The Great Tambora Eruption in 1815 and Its Aftermath

Quantitative analytical methods are used to reconstruct the course of events during and after the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Tambora, Indonesia, on 10 and 11 April 1815. This was the world's greatest ash eruption (so far as is definitely known) since the end of the last Ice Age. This synthesis is based on data and methods from the fields of volcanology, oceanography, glaciology, meteorology, climatology, astronomy, and history.
A high-speed circuit architecture for IR-UWB transmission of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in 0.35 εm CMOS

This paper reports on the design of a high-speed circuit for impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transmission of 16-channel neurochemical activity recorded using 300-V/s fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). Simulated in a low-cost 0.35-em standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, the circuit generates 3rd-derivative Gaussian pulses with sub-nanosecond duration, which are highpass filtered externally using a 4th-order Butterworth filter before feeding to an off-chip UWB antenna. The power spectral density (PSD) achieves a peak emission frequency of 4.6 GHz with a 2.3-GHz bandwidth (-10 dB), and is fully compliant with the UWB emission mask. The energy efficiency in pulse generation is 161.7 pJ/pulse that leads to a power consumption of 4.85 mW from 3.3 V for a data rate of 15 Mbps, when two pulses are used to transmit a single data bit.
An 8-year clinical study of combining optical breast imaging with x-ray mammography for tumor diagnosis

We summarize an 8-year clinical study and demonstrate the feasibility of differentiating malignant from benign breast lesions using co-registered diffuse optical imaging data and x-ray digital breast tomosynthesis with 132 lesion breast measurements.
Pathological Condition of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Neoplasms and Nodular Non-neoplastic Lesions

Eleven primary neoplasms of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) were studied histopathologically. These tumors presented a variety of histologic patterns, namely mosaic, tubular, papillary, or a patternless arrangement of vacuolated or anaplastic cells. The tumor with the mosaic pattern was regarded as best differentiated, the anaplastic tumor the least differentiated, and the tumors with vacuolated cells or tubular or papillary patterns in the middle of the spectrum. Such tumors invaded the retina and choroid, but metastasis was not observed. These neoplasms were contrasted with six nodular reactive proliferations of RPE, one of which approached neoplasia. Histologic criteria for differentiation of neoplasia from reactive proliferation are discussed. The available clinical data on tumors of the RPE and on reactive lesions are analyzed and compared.
8-Quinoline based ligands and their metallic derivatives: A structural and statistical investigation of quinoline π–π stacking interactions

The new ligand 8-sulfonyl-(1-pyrazolyl)-quinoline, (C9H6N–SO2-pz, L), which combines two different aromatic rings with donor properties in one molecule (a quinoline moiety functionalized with a pyrazolyl ring through a sulfonyl bridge) has been synthesized and characterized in both solution and solid state. L reacts with AgO3SCF3 (AgOTf) and AgBF4 to form discrete compounds (C9H6N–SO2-pz)2AgO3SCF3 (1) and (C9H6N–SO2-pz)2AgBF4 (2). Supramolecular associations were observed in all cases, based on a similar association algorithm, involving the π–π stacking of the quinoline tectons. The presence of the pyrazolyl ring in an appropriate position with respect to the quinoline moiety makes possible the occurrence of additional C–H⋯π interactions between the aromatic rings. These interactions generate dimers in all cases, and in two cases (L and compound 1) the dimers undergo further self-assembly into higher dimension architectures, based either on π–π stacking interactions alone (L) or on combined π–π stacking/C–H⋯π interactions of the quinoline and pyrazolyl groups (1). A geometrical and statistical analysis has also been performed on π–π stacking in metal complexes of quinoline based ligands, by carrying out a Cambridge Structural Database search. The search showed that this interaction is relatively common for metal complexes of functionalized quinoline based ligands and occurs in 69% of all cases. At its simplest level, such an interaction produces discrete dimeric species. Higher dimensionality networks are obtained either by the extension of the π–π stacking interactions in one or more dimensions, or by bringing into play other supramolecular synthons, such as hydrogen bonding or C–H⋯π interactions.
Differences in the OC/EC Ratios that Characterize Ambient and Source Aerosols due to Thermal-Optical Analysis

Different thermal-optical methods used to measure OC/EC and EC/TC ratios in atmospheric aerosols often produce significantly different results due to variations within the temperature programming and optical techniques of each method. To quantify the thermal and optical effects on these ratios, various source (residential cookstoves and diesel exhaust) and atmospheric (rural and urban) aerosols were analyzed using 3 thermal protocols: (1) two modified versions of the Birch and Cary (1996, Elemental Carbon-Based Method for Monitoring Occupational Exposures to Particulate Diesel Exhaust. Aerosol Sci. Technol., 25:221–241) National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH 5040) protocol—designated in this paper as NIOSH and NIST-EPA protocols, and (2) the IMPROVE (the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) protocol outlined by Chow et al. 1993 (The DRI Thermal/Optical Reflectance Carbon Analysis System: Description, Evaluation, and Applications in U.S. Air Quality Studies. Atmos. ...
Application of reconfigurable avionics for the Bantam launch vehicle

The modern aerospace market is placing increasing pressure on launch costs. This is particularly true for small university science payloads, where the cost of the experiment itself is relatively low, and the launch frequency is potentially very high. It is the stated goal of NASA's Bantam Program to reduce dramatically the costs of launching this class of payloads to the order of $1,000,000 per launch for a single 200 pound payload. The envisioned Bantam vehicle is a multi-stage reusable launch system. Meeting the Program's goal for this versatile type of vehicle requires reductions in production maintenance cost, and the operation. However, the cost of avionics is a relatively small fraction of the overall cost of launching a payload, and a simple reduction in the avionics costs will not achieve the Bantam goal. Only by reducing weight, volume, and power, while enhancing computational capability can the avionics be used to address the system-level cost reduction requirements.
Genetic population structure of the white sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, southwest Madagascar (1992-2001).

Gene flow within and between social groups is contingent on behaviourally mediated patterns of mating and dispersal. To understand how these patterns affect the genetic structure of primate populations, long-term data are required. In this study, we analyse 10 years of demographic and genetic data from a wild lemur population (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, southwest Madagascar. Our goal is to specify how patterns of mating and dispersal determine kinship and genetic diversity among animals in the population. Specifically, we use microsatellite, parentage, and census data to obtain estimates of genetic subdivision (FST), within group homozygosity (FIS), and relatedness (r) within and among social groups in the population. We analyse different classes of individuals (i.e. adults, offspring, males, females) separately in order to discern which classes most strongly influence aspects of population structure. Microsatellite data reveal that, across years, offspring are consistently more heterozygous than expected within social groups (FIS mean = -0.068) while adults show both positive and negative deviations from expected genotypic frequencies within groups (FIS mean = 0.003). Offspring cohorts are more genetically subdivided than adults (FST mean = 0.108 vs. 0.052) and adult females are more genetically subdivided than adult males (FST mean = 0.098 vs. 0.046). As the proportion of females in social groups increases, the proportion of offspring sired by resident males decreases. Offspring are characterized by a heterozygote excess as resident males (vs. nonresident males) sire the majority of offspring within groups. We link these genetic data to patterns of female philopatry, male dispersal, exogamy, and offspring sex-ratio. Overall, these data reveal how mating and dispersal tactics influence the genetic population structure in this species.
Clonal Diversity and Stability of Subgingival Eikenella corrodens

Eikenella corrodens is a commensal subgingival bacterium commonly found in both periodontally nondiseased and diseased subjects. The present study examined the clonal diversity and stability of subgingival E. corrodens over time. Ninety-five subjects were enrolled at the baseline examination, including 44 periodontally nondiseased subjects and 51 subjects with aggressive periodontitis. Twenty-two nondiseased subjects and 11 subjects with aggressive periodontitis were subsequently reexamined after an average interval of 14 months. Two subgingival plaque samples were obtained from each subject to determine the total cultivable bacteria. In addition, multiple E. corrodens isolates from each sample were recovered for clonal analysis by arbitrarily primed PCR. The mean numbers of distinct E. corrodens clones harbored by nondiseased subjects and subjects with aggressive periodontitis were 1.3 and 3.0, respectively. Thirty-nine percent of the nondiseased subjects and 63% of the subjects with aggressive periodontitis harbored multiple clones of E. corrodens. The numbers of distinct E. corrodens clones increased significantly (Mann-Whitney ranking test, P < 0.05) in sites from patients with aggressive periodontitis, in sites with pocket depths of 4 mm or greater, in sites with a clinical attachment loss of 2 mm or greater, and in sites coinfected with Porphyromonas gingivalis. Comparison of E. corrodens clones recovered at the baseline and those recovered at the follow-up examination showed that E. corrodens colonization was not stable. Thirty-eight of the 66 follow-up samples (58%) showed a complete change (including de novo colonization of the sites or complete elimination of the organism from the sites) of the subgingival E. corrodens clonal types between the baseline and the follow-up examinations. Our results suggest a complexity of subgingival microbiota not seen previously.
Pacing-Induced Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Impairs Sinus Node Function in Dogs Electrophysiological Remodeling

Background We assessed the effects of pacing-induced chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) on sinus node function, intra-atrial conduction, and atrial refractoriness. Methods and Results In 15 mongrel dogs (20 to 30 kg), AV nodal block was produced by radiofrequency catheter ablation, and a ventricular-inhibited (VVI) pacemaker (Minix 8330, Medtronic) was implanted and programmed to pace at 80 pulses per minute. In 11 of these dogs, right atrial endocardial pacing leads were connected to a pulse generator (Itrel 7432, Medtronic) and set at a rate of 20 Hz to induce AF. Corrected sinus node recovery time, P-wave duration, 24-hour Holter ECG to assess AF duration, maximal heart rate in response to isoproterenol (10 μg/min), intrinsic heart rate after administration of atropine (0.04 mg/kg) and propranolol (0.1 mg/kg), and atrial effective refractory periods (ERPs) were obtained at baseline (EPS-1) and after 2 to 6 weeks (EPS-2) of VVI pacing alone (n=4) or VVI pacing and rapid atrial pacing (n=11). At EPS-2, corrected sinus node recovery time and P-wave duration were prolonged, maximal heart rate and intrinsic heart rate were decreased, atrial ERPs were shortened, and the duration of AF was increased significantly compared with EPS-1. These changes partially reversed toward baseline 1 week after conversion to sinus rhythm. Sinus node function and AF inducibility observed in the control dogs that underwent ventricular pacing alone (n=4) did not change. Conclusions Pacing-induced chronic AF induces sinus node dysfunction, prolongs intra-atrial conduction time, shortens atrial refractoriness, and perpetuates AF, changes that reverse gradually after termination of AF.