cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 331: Head and neck and skin squamous cell carcinoma developed in a BRCA2 knockout mouse model.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC BRCA1 and BRCA2 were originally identified as breast cancer tumor suppressor genes. Germline mutations of BRCA1 have been found to predispose the carrier mainly to breast and ovarian cancers. However, germline mutations of BRCA2 can cause a much wider spectrum of cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers. There are conflicting reports on whether BRCA2 mutations also contribute to the tumorigenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Previously, it had been reported that K14-cre; BRCA2f/f mice do not develop any cancer of epithelial origin even at 600 days of age in a 129/C57 background. Here, we generated a K14-cre mediated BRCA2 knockout mouse model in a different mouse strain background than previously reported. To our surprise, we found that K14-cre; BRCA2 f/f mice started to develop tumors at seven months of age. Most of the tumors were in the head and neck region, while others were skin tumors in other locations. The head and neck tumors showed no skin involvement or ulceration. Tumor growth in many mice eventually affected their food intake and they had to be euthanized for humane reason. At around 11 months of age, we sacrificed the remaining mice and subjected them to necroscopy. All the visually suspicious tissues were processed for pathologic examination. In total, we found 8 out of 31 K14-cre; BRCA2 f/f mice (26%) with pathologically confirmed head and neck cancer and 4 out 31 K14-cre; BRCA2 f/f mice (13%) with skin cancer. None of the 28 control BRCA2 f/f mice developed any cancer at this age. The head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas arising from the mucosa surface and form large, palpable masses. In some areas, the tumors are well-differentiated with evidence of abundant keratin production, while in other areas they are less differentiated and exhibit high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios, nuclear aytpia, mitoses and central necrosis. These histological features are highly reminiscent of the pathological characteristics of human HNSCC. This finding strongly indicates that mutations of BRCA2 play an important role in the tumorigenesis of HNSCC in a specific genetic background. Citation Format: Michael Kamradt, Chaozhong Zou, Lin Liu, Yuexia Wang, Philip P. Fitchev, Howard J. Worman, Susan E. Crawford, Mark Talamonti, Qingshen Gao. Head and neck and skin squamous cell carcinoma developed in a BRCA2 knockout mouse model. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 331. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-331
Immune Dynamics in the Pathogenesis of Human Lymphatic Filariasis

Despite the longstanding recognition of the spectral nature of human disease due to lymphatic filariasis, immunologists interested in pathogenesis have mostly examined patients classified as being at either one extreme pole or the other. While the clinically asymptomatic individuals with microfilaremia who sit at one pole always have active infection, it has been difficult to define who else on the clinical spectrum is actively infected with living adult worms. In this review, David Freedman discusses how the ability to measure circulating filarial antigen in patient serum has advanced our ability to understand the immunopathogenesis of lymphatic filariasis by improving the precision of patient classification. Recent work suggests that the presence (or absence) of antigenemia, rather than overt clinical manifestations of disease, is closely associated with specific cytokine responses. A framework for patient classification based on these findings is proposed.
Structural Development of Five Springs Creek Area, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming

The Five Springs Creek area comprises a portion of the northwest flank of the Bighorn Mountains. The marginal structures along which the range uplift occurred are the Five Springs thrust along the base of the range front and a faulted monocline 1 mi to the northeast. The Five Springs thrust dips 15° NE. along the front. Toward the southeast the fault turns east and then northeast across the front and into the basement rocks; the dip increases to 45° N. and then vertical where it becomes a left-hand strikeslip fault. Toward the northwest, however, the fault turns west into the Bighorn basin and becomes a left-hand strike-slip fault. This unusual trace, and the drag and movement senses along the tear faults at either end indicate that the northwest part of the thrust is under-thrust while the southeast part is overthrust. The overturned sedimentary rocks of the upper plate just south of Five Springs Creek are capped by a small recumbent flap fold. North of the creek, the area is covered by debris from the breaking up of the flat upper limb of the flap fold by gravitational sliding. Impetus for the formation of these collapse structures was supplied by the outward movement of the upper plate as the uplift rose above the adjoining basin supplemented by under thrusting. Excellent exposures across the faulted monocline yielded convincing evidence that the basement rocks adjusted by block tilting. Rotation was demonstrated by changes in attitude of originally flat-lying Precambrian pegmatites and relict sheeting and by a system of early Laramide orthogonal vertical northwest and northeast fractures. The sharp tilting between blocks took place in narrow zones of intense deformation by small displacements along closely spaced fractures.
Extracellular Granular Material and Degeneration of Keratinocytes in the Normally Pigmented Epidermis of Patients with Vitiligo

Multiple biopsy specimens from the skin of 28 patients with common vitiligo were examined by light and electron microscopy. The patients were grouped according to the activity of their disease: progressing, stable, repigmenting, and resistant to treatment with psoralen plus sunlight. Three biopsy sites were sampled from each patient: (W) a white spot; (I) the pigmented and white interface; and (P) normally pigmented skin 1–15cm away from I. Control specimens were obtained from 17 persons without vitiligo. Two microscopic abnormalities were observed in the epidermis of the patients with vitiligo: deposits of extracellular granular material, and foci of vacuolar degeneration of basal and parabasal keratinocytes. The extracellular granular material appeared to be derived from the cytoplasm of vacuolated keratinocytes. The abnormalities were observed in greatest abundance in the normally pigmented skin of patients with rapidly progressing or stable disease. They were absent from repigmenting skin and from the skin of healthy controls. Epidermal infiltrates of mononuclear leukocytes were seen only in the normally pigmented skin of the 2 patients whose vitiligo was resistant to treatment. Our observations indicate that cellular degeneration and the generation of debris in vitiligo are not limited to melanocytes but include keratinocytes and probably whole epidermal melanin units. Our findings also indicate that the fine structure of the epidermis in normal-appearing skin is markedly altered by the disease process in patients with vitiligo.
The codon 55 polymorphism in the paraoxonase 1 gene is not associated with the risk of coronary heart disease in Asian Indians and Chinese

Recently several but not all studies have implicated the codon 192 polymorphism in the paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). These findings suggest that this polymorphism is not functional but rather may be in linkage disequilibrium with a functional mutation in the PON1 or a nearby gene. In this investigation, we have evaluated the role of another common polymorphism in the PON1 gene at codon 55 with the risk of CHD in a biracial sample of Asian Indians and Chinese. We observed a significant inter-racial variability in the allelic distribution as the frequency of the less common allele, codon 55:L, was significantly higher in Indians than Chinese (0.202 versus 0.036; PB 0.0001). However, despite this inter-racial difference the codon 55 polymorphism was neither associated with CHD risk nor with plasma lipoprotein‐lipids variation in both racial groups. We also used two site haplotype data (codons 55 and 192) to assess the combined contribution of the two polymorphisms to the risk of CHD. There was a strong linkage disequilibrium between the two polymorphic sites in both racial groups (PB0.0001). While the haplotype data revealed no association with CHD in Chinese, the frequency of the BL haplotype was significantly higher (0.430 versus 0.311; P0.004) and the frequency of the AL haplotype was significantly lower (0.368 versus 0.483; P0.006) in Indian patients than controls. Since the B allele of the codon 192 polymorphism was shown to be an independent risk factor for CHD in Indians in our previous study, the positive association of the BL haplotype with CHD appears to be mediated by the B allele with no independent contribution from the codon 55 polymorphism. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
New assumed natural strain formulation of the shallow shell element

A new efficient formulation of the 36 degree-of-freedom conforming shallow shell element of an arbitrary triangular shape is presented. This formulation is based on natural co-ordinates and independently assumed natural strain fields, and applied to shallow shell analysis. The 3-node element incorporates the normal displacement and its first and second derivatives plus the tangential displacements and their first derivatives at each vertex. A closed form of the element stiffness matrix is achieved. The form of the stiffness matrix derived in this formulation explicitly reveals the essence of the shallow shell theory. The presented approach results in avoiding definite integrals and matrix inversions, and permits operation with lower-order numerical matrices, which are the same for all elements. The example applications presented demonstrate that accurate predictions of stresses as well as displacements are obtained with only a few elements.
The Deficit Is Not a Well-Defined Measure of Fiscal Policy

Notwithstanding its widespread use, the government's deficit is not a well-defined measure of fiscal policy from the perspective of neoclassical economics; the equations of neoclassical models do not define the deficit. Rather than being a fundamental economic concept, the deficit is an arbitrary cash flow accounting construct with no necessary relation to the true stance of fiscal policy. Although the deficit is supposed to indicate how the burden of paying for the government's consumption is spread across different generations, actual changes in the measured deficit in the United States have had little if any relation to changes in the burden imposed by the government on different generations. The deficit's lack of definition is illustrated with a simple model, and the potential for misreading fiscal policy is discussed with U.S. fiscal policy in the 1980s as an example. In this article, creation of present value generational accounts are called for that would properly measure the intergenerational stance of fiscal policy.
Linking Organizational Characteristics to Psychological Empowerment

ABSTRACT An important contextual issue in empowerment theory is the distinction between ecological commonality (i.e., whether and to what extent organizational characteristics are generally important for members' empowerment across different settings) and ecological specificity (i.e., whether and to what extent organizational characteristics are uniquely important for members' empowerment within specific settings). This study addressed the issue by assessing perceived organizational characteristics within three community-based organizations, including a service-agency collaborative, an electoral association, and a multi-issue pressure group, and examining relationships with empowerment. Results revealed that perceived organizational characteristics combined with dimensions of empowerment to differentiate community-based organizations; however, organizational characteristics were not related with empowerment in expected ways across groups. Findings of the study highlight the importance of ecological specif...
Religiosity among Alzheimer's disease caregivers:

During a larger evaluation study of a Midwestern Alzheimer's Disease Association Family Caregiver Support Group Program and using their program objectives as the standard of evaluation, qualitative...
Phototransduction in transgenic mice

Transgenic mice provide a powerful tool for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of phototransduction. Mice expressing a phosphorylation-deficient rhodopsin and mice deficient in arrestin are being used to study shutoff of photoactivated rhodopsin. These in vivo mouse studies indicate that shutoff is partially mediated by rhodopsin phosphorylation alone, but complete deactivation on a physiological time scale requires arrestin. Work on other transgenic mutant mice to unravel the function of recoverin and phosducin and to further define the role of the gamma subunit of phosphodiesterase is in progress. Transgenic mice are also being used to investigate how mutant proteins give rise to retinal disease and to develop therapeutic interventions.
Performance of an etalon-stabilized tunable diode laser system.

A wavelength-stabilized tunable diode laser and a reflective optical system can produce fringe-free spectra with a noise level of 10−5 absorbance units and a precision of 10−5 cm−1 in the wave-number scale.
Blockage Below the Belt: Leriche Syndrome

PRESENTATION The patient, a 46-year-old man with a history of smoking and hypertension, was recovering from a heart attack when another problem was discovered. He initially presented to the emergency department with sudden-onset substernal chest pain that radiated to his left shoulder. His physical examination on presentation was notable for diminished (þ1) femoral and peripheral pulses bilaterally, and an electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevations in the inferior leads. Subsequently, he was referred for emergent cardiac catheterization, which was performed via a default transradial approach. Diagnostic coronary angiography identified an occluded circumflex artery as the culprit lesion for his acute myocardial infarction. The obstruction was eliminated with thrombectomy and a drug-eluting stent. He was admitted to the hospital for routine post-myocardial-infarction care.
Attending to the context of family treatment: Pitfalls and prospects

This paper argues that family therapy is failing to attend to the contexts in which family mental health services are provided and, therefore, is losing touch with the realities of family services in communities. We present a model for describing the institutional contexts of family mental health treatment in North America, and explore how these contexts influence family treatment. The model proposes that family mental health care can be categorized into three levels, analogous to the levels of the health care delivery system: (a) primary, (b) secondary, and (c) tertiary care. These levels represent systematically different contexts for family treatment; each has unique advantages and limitations. Translating treatment methods across levels can be hazardous because of differences in contexts. We argue that delineating the contextual levels of family mental health care can encourage more fruitful and respectful collaboration among the diverse professional groups working with families.
Holocene debris flows on the Colorado Plateau: The influence of clay mineralogy and chemistry

Holocene debris flows do not occur uniformly on the Colorado Plateau province of North America. Debris flows occur in specific areas of the plateau, resulting in general from the combination of steep topography, intense convective precipitation, abundant poorly sorted material not stabilized by vegetation, and the exposure of certain fine-grained bedrock units in cliffs or in colluvium beneath those cliffs. In Grand and Cataract Canyons, fine-grained bedrock that produces debris flows contains primarily single-layer clays—notably illite and kaolinite—and has low multilayer clay content. This clay-mineral suite also occurs in the colluvium that produces debris flows as well as in debris-flow deposits, although unconsolidated deposits have less illite than the source bedrock. We investigate the relation between the clay mineralogy and major-cation chemistry of fine-grained bedrock units and the occurrence of debris flows on the entire Colorado Plateau. We determined that 85 mapped fine-grained bedrock units potentially could produce debris flows, and we analyzed clay mineralogy and major-cation concentration of 52 of the most widely distributed units, particularly those exposed in steep topography. Fine-grained bedrock units that produce debris flows contained an average of 71% kaolinite and illite and 5% montmorillonite and have a higher concentration of potassium and magnesium than nonproducing units, which have an average of 51% montmorillonite and a higher concentration of sodium. We used multivariate statistics to discriminate fine-grained bedrock units with the potential to produce debris flows, and we used digital-elevation models and mapped distribution of debris-flow producing units to derive a map that predicts potential occurrence of Holocene debris flows on the Colorado Plateau.
STATISTICAL EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SEWERING TO PROTECT GROUNDWATER FROM VOC CONTAMINATION

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important source of contamination of groundwater supplies in Massachusetts and many parts of the United States. One local response is to require sewering in wellhead protection areas as an easily enforceable policy designed to reduce the probability of VOC contamination of groundwater. Data were collected for 238 wellhead protection areas in Massachusetts on VOC contamination levels and the sewered and unsewered land uses in those aquifer recharge areas. Logistic regression procedures were used to see whether sewering had any statistical effect on likelihood of contamination of well water. The results provided limited, but not overpowering, support for the idea that requiring commercial and industrial land uses to use sewers would reduce the chance of VOC contamination.
Theoretical Study of the Dipole-Bound Excited States of I-(H2O)4

Photoexcitation of I-(H2O)n clusters can lead to charge transfer states with the excess electron localized on the water cluster, making these ideal systems for studying electron/water cluster dynamics. In the present study, the MP2 method is used to study the structure and infrared spectrum of the ground state of I-(H2O)4 and the CASPT2 method is used to characterize the low-lying electronically excited states of the complex. The calculated IR spectrum is in good agreement with experimental results, providing support for a crown-like structure of I-(H2O)4. The 21A excited state is predicted to be 29 meV below the ground state of the neutral cluster (at the geometry of the ground-state anion), and the vertical excitation energy for the 11A → 21A charge-transfer transition is calculated to be 4.60 eV, in good agreement with the experimental value of 4.5 eV. Potential energy curves for the relaxation of the photoexcited I-(H2O)4 cluster from the crown-like to the planar structure are presented.
Postlesion Axonal Growth Produces Permanent Functional Connections

Lesions of the entorhinal cortex in neonatal rats cause the commissural projections to the dentate gyrus to spread from their normal location in the inner molecular layer into the outer molecular layer, a region normally occupied by afferents from the entorhinal cortex. These lesions also cause the short-latency response to commissural stimulation to spread into the outer molecular layer, a result suggesting that these abnormally located connections are operative.
Off-Axial, Gas-Jet-Assisted, Laser Cutting of 6.35-mm Thick Stainless Steel

A dual gas-jet, laser-cutting technique involving coaxial and off-axial oxygen gas flows was developed to cut 6.55-mm thick AISI 304 stainless steel plates with a 1.2-k W CO 2 gas transport laser at a culling speed of 12.7 mm/sec (30 in. /min). Under identical process conditions, the single, coaxial gas jet could not cut the stainless steel although the cutting speed was reduced to 2.77 mm/sec (5 in./min). Thresholds of off-axial nozzle diameter, gas-impinging angle, oxygen pressure, and other process parameters were determined to obtain clean-cut edge quality (average dross height 0.25 mm). Experimental data coupled with a fluid-dynamics model of gas flow were presented to show the effectiveness of the dual gas-jet, laser-cutting method in achieving the maximum machining rate without deteriorating the quality of cut
Li and Mg stabilized beta aluminas

Abstract Beta alumina and beta″ alumina crystals were grown from Na2O-Al2O3 melts doped with Li2O, MgO and Li2O+MgO. Crystal structures were identified by x-ray diffraction, and chemical composition was determined by nuclear reaction analysis. The ionic conductivity in single crystals was measured form 25° to 400°C by AC impedance analysis. Beta and beta″ alumina crystals were obtained which contained substantial concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ ions in solid solution. The room temperature conductivity is 0.014 ohm−1cm−1 in doped beta alumina and 0.12 ohm−1cm−1 in doped beta″ alumina. These conductivities are comparable to the highest values measured in beta and beta″ alumina. The concentrations of Li+ and Mg2+ give insights into the effectiveness of Mg2+ and Li+ ions as stabilizing agents.
Monitoring the heat output of a wood-burning stove

To find a simple means for monitoring the heat output of a wood stove, general engineering models of heat transfer are used to develop a model that predicts the heat output of a stove from measurements of surface temperature. Using the surface area and the measured surface temperature as inputs, the model predicts the heat output of the stove by radiation and natural convection. As a means of verification, surface temperature data from four wood stoves monitored in a calorimeter room are used to make heat output predictions. The predicted heat outputs are then compared with the actual heat outputs measured by the calorimeter room. The predictions involve several potential monitoring schemes:(J) separate temperature measurements for each surface of the stove,() an average temperature measurement for all stove surfaces, and () a single surface temperature measurement. The accuracies of the predictions are characterized by their geometric bias and scatter as well as their predictions of total energy delivere...
The discovery of 1992 QB1

The solar system got a little bigger last year. The discovery of the distant object 1992 in an orbit beyond Pluto extended the dimensions of the planetary system and provided important evidence for several hypotheses about the origin of the solar system and the source of short-period comets. The new object was found by David Jewitt of the University of Hawaii and Jane Luu of the University of California, Berkeley, who had spent more than 5 years in the search. On August 30, using the 2.2-m University of Hawaii telescope on Mauna Kea, they detected a slow-moving, 23rd magnitude object in Pisces. The initial observations suggested a distance of 41 AU. At that distance, if one assumed a typical comet nucleus albedo of 0.04, the object would have to be about 200 km in diameter [Jewitt and Luu, 1992].
Differential retention of rhodamine 123 by avian sarcoma virus‐induced glioma and normal brain tissue of the rat in vivo

The time course of uptake, retention and clearance of the cationic lipophilic dye, rhodamine 123 (Rh123), within the central nervous system was qualitatively evaluated in rats. Weanling rats were injected intracerebrally with avian sarcoma virus, which induced malignant gliomas in situ before injection of Rh123. Comparison was made of the amount of fluorescence of Rh123 within the normal cerebral cortex, myelinated tracts of the brain, meninges, choroid plexus, and neoplastic foci at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours after intravenous injection. Fluorescence microscopy was utilized to identify tissues containing the dye. Normal neuropil did not contain Rh123 at any of the time periods studied. Gliomas retained the dye at 1, 4, 8 and 12 hours, with increasing uniformity of distribution and decreasing intensity of fluorescence over this time period. Fluorescence was not detected at 24 hours within the neoplastic tissues, but was evident at all time periods studied within the choroid plexus. The specific retention of Rh123 by malignant glioma and by the choroid plexus in vivo suggests that Rh123 may be useful for photochemotherapeutic treatment of brain neoplasms and disorders of the choroid plexus.
Contact chemoreception in the mosquito, Culiseta inornata (Williston); Sensitivity of the tarsi and labella to sucrose and glucose

Abstract The mosquito Culiseta inornata has taste receptors on all the tarsal segments except the first. The labellar lobes also bear these sense organs. The sensitivity of these receptors was determined for sucrose and glucose. Attached animals were used in the experiments. The criterion of tarsal stimulation with the sugars was a downward movement of the proboscis. Spreading of the labellar lobes was used as a test for stimulation of receptors on that organ. The median acceptance threshold for sucrose resulting from tarsal stimulation was 0·135 M and the corresponding value for the labellar lobes was 0·0107 M. With glucose, the threshold was 2·095 M for the tarsi and 0·425 M when the labellar lobes were stimulated.
Real-time Monitoring of Tectonic Displacements in the Pacific Northwest through an Array of GPS Receivers

The Pacific Northwest Geodesic Array at Central Washington University collects telemetered streaming data from 450 GPS stations. These real-time data are used to monitor and mitigate natural hazards arising from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and coastal sea-level hazards in the Pacific Northwest. The displacement measurements are performed at millimeter-scale, and require stringent analysis and parameter estimation techniques. Recent improvements in both accuracy of positioning measurements and latency of terrestrial data communication have led to the ability to collect data with higher sampling rates, of up to 1 Hz. For seismic monitoring applications, this means 1350 separate position streams from stations located across 1200 km along the West Coast of North America must be able to be both visually observed and analyzed automatically. We aim to make the real-time information from GPS sensors easily available, including public access via interfaces for all intelligent devices with a connection to the Internet. Our contribution is a dashboard application that monitors the real-time status of the network of GPS sensors. We are able to visualize individual and multiple sensors using similar time series scales. We are also able to visualize groups of sensors based on time-dependent statistical similarity, such as sensors with the the highest variance, in real-time. In addition to raw positioning data, users can also display derived quantities, such as the Allan variance or the second derivative of a data stream.
Neural spike renormalization. Part I - Universal number 1

Article history: Received 21 July 2010 Available online xxxx For a class of circuit models for neurons, it has been shown that the transmembrane electrical potentials in spike bursts have an inverse correlation with the intra-cellular energy conversion: the fewer spikes per burst the more energetic each spike is. Here we demonstrate that as the per-spike energy goes down to zero, a universal constant to the bifurcation of spike-bursts emerges in a similar way as Feigenbaum's constant does to the period-doubling bifurcation to chaos generation, and the new universal constant is the first natural number 1.
On Justification: Economies of Worth

On Justification: Economies of Worth. By Luc Boltanski and Laurent Thevenot. Translated by Catherine Porter. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006. 400p. 39.50 paper.Those interested in any of a variety of fields—reasoning about justice, the foundations and mechanics of social interaction, rational action, value formation, norm change, or conflict—will find rich potential in this ambitious and challenging book by sociologist Luc Boltanski and economist/statistician Laurent Thevenot, which does not fit into any single research paradigm. Published in France more than 15 years ago, the book is available in this English translation and ought to have a significant impact on social theory generally.
Discrete techniques for computer transformations of digital images and patterns

Abstract Images and patterns through a cycle conversion T −1 T are discussed and facilitated by the combined algorithms, where the transformation is T :( ξ , η )→( x , y ) with the linear or nonlinear functions x = x ( ξ , η ) and y = y ( ξ , η ). A new Area Method is presented for images through T and T −1 T of linear transformations, and three combinations of the Splitting-Shooting Method and the Splitting-Integrating Method are proposed for images through T −1 T of linear and nonlinear transformations. Furthermore, both error analysis and graphical experiments given prove the importance of those combinations to computer vision, image processing, graphs and pattern recognition.
Influence of Magnesium Content on Preparation of Aluminum Foam

Aluminum foam was prepared by foaming in melt route. Bubble growth and structure of the obtained foam blocks were investigated. Viscosity and surface tension of aluminum melt were also analyzed after adding Mg into it. The main results are as follows: expanding velocity of aluminum melt is accelerated after adding Mg and height of the foamed block is higher than that without adding Mg. The apparent density of aluminum foam increases first and then declines with increasing the Mg content. Intermetallic compounds existing in aluminum melt are largely oxidized when Mg is put into the melt and amount of the composite oxides increases obviously. These changes result in elevation of viscosity and reduction of surface tension in the aluminum melt.
Dickinson's sign: Focal uterine softening in early pregnancy and its correlation with the placental site

Focal uterine softening, characteristic of early pregnancy, is usually known as Piskacek's or von Braun-Fernwald's sign but should be attributed to Robert Latou Dickinson, who first described it in 1892. The presence or absence of Dickinson's sign was carefully, noted in 1040 pregnant patients seeking abortions. The weeks of gestation, location of uterine softening, and correlation with placental site were also studied. This sign reliably showed the placental site, hence its unequivocal presence nearly proves the presence of intrauterine pregnancy and precludes the existence of tubal pregnancy. It was present in most pregnancies between 6 and 11 menstrual weeks, and its presence after 14 weeks should make menstrual dates suspect or signal the possibility of a septate or bicornuate uterus.
Cosmic-Ray Acceleration in Supernova Remnants

Cosmic rays are ubiquitous in our Galaxy and exhibit a power-law spectrum in their energy distribution up to a “knee” at around 1015 eV, where the power law steepens. It is generally accepted that cosmic rays up to the knee are accelerated by the strong shock waves in supernova remnants, but the efficiency of this acceleration process remains largely unknown. On page 719 of this issue, Helder et al. ( 1 ) combine x-ray and optical observations of a supernova remnant to obtain a lower limit to the acceleration efficiency in a fast shock.
Black spectral responsivity.

Six subjects induced blackness within a circular broadband field by increasing the radiance of a surrounding monochromomatic annulus, which varied in wavelength. Between the central field and the annulus was a thin dark ring. Half of the subjects were instructed to increase the radiance of the annulus until the central field just turned black, and the other half were instructed to increase the radiance of the annulus until the contour between the central field and the dark ring disappeared. Spectral luminous efficiency functions measured by the methods of heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) and brightness matching (HBM) were determined for each subject and compared with the subject’s blackness-induction functions. The hypothesis that the contour-disappearance instruction would yield blackness-induction curves best fitted by flicker photometric functions and that the absolute-blackness instruction would yield blackness-induction curves best fitted by HBM functions was not confirmed. There was only one subject for whom the spectral efficiency of blackness was represented better by HFP than by HBM. There was one subject for whom blackness spectral efficiency was fitted better by HBM than by HFP. For the remaining four subjects, there was no difference in fits.
Helium Adsorption on Lithium Substrates

We have developed a cryogenic pulsed laser deposition (PLD) system to deposit lithium films onto a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) at 4 K. Adsorption isotherms of 4He on lithium were measured in the temperature range between 1.42 K and 2.5 K. The isotherms are qualitatively different from isotherms on strong substrates such as gold and weak substrates such as cesium. There is no evidence of the formation of solid-like layers of helium, and the helium coverage is approximately linear in the pressure over a wide range. By measuring the low coverage slope of the isotherms, the binding energy of helium to lithium was found to be approximately −13.6 K. For lithium substrates less than approximately 100 layers thick, the chemical potential at which the superfluid transition was observed was surprisingly sensitive to the details of lithium deposition.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor-elicited or sciatic ligation-associated phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein in the rat spinal dorsal horn is reduced by block of tyrosine kinase receptors.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) may critically contribute to injury-associated plasticity and thus to the development of persistent pain. In the present study we examined the potential interaction between CREB and BDNF in the spinal dorsal horn. Significant CREB phosphorylation was elicited by local application of BDNF (1 μg) onto the spinal dorsal horn of control, uninjured animals. The degree of phosphorylation was similar to that elicited by loose ligation of the sciatic nerve. The tyrosine kinase (Trk) blocker K252a (2 μg) significantly reduced the CREB phosphorylation elicited either by BDNF or the sciatic ligation. These data provided further support for the notion that at least some of the injury-associated activation of CREB in the spinal dorsal horn may be dependent upon BDNF-mediated activation of Trk receptors.
Engagement in HIV Prevention Advocacy Associated with Increased Consistent Condom Use Among HIV Clients in Uganda

We examined whether engagement in prevention advocacy among HIV clients is associated with their own condom use and HIV care adherence. Longitudinal data merged from three studies in Uganda produced a sample of 1,882 participants who were administered assessments at baseline and months 6 and 12. The measure of prevention advocacy was the mean of two Likert scale items assessing encouragement of others to (1) use condoms, and (2) get HIV tested. In regression analyses controlling for demographics and known correlates of the dependent variables, increased prevention advocacy from baseline to month 12 was significantly associated with increased consistent condom use and marginally associated with increased antiretroviral adherence and clinic attendance. These results suggest that empowering HIV clients to engage in prevention advocacy with others may benefit their own HIV protective behaviors and should be promoted as a component to interventions targeting positive living among people living with HIV.
Increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in type I and type II endometrial carcinomas

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is a nuclear protein that is upregulated in many tumors and triggers biologic events intimately associated with aggressive tumor behavior. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Ki-67 and p53 in type I and type II endometrial adenocarcinoma. In total, 149 patients diagnosed with endometrial adenocarcinoma in our institute from 1995 to 2001 were included in this study, of which 108 were type I and 41 were type II endometrial adenocarcinoma. Patient demographics, clinical and pathological data were reviewed. Tissue microarrays were prepared from the paraffin blocks and immunohistochemistry was performed for antibodies against HIF-1α, VEGF, Ki-67 and p53. High expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, Ki-67 and p53 were significantly more frequent in type II than type I endometrial adenocarcinoma (P<0.001). HIF-1α expression was highly correlated with VEGF expression in the tumor cells (P=0.001). In type I endometrial adenocarcinoma, high expression of HIF-1α showed a significant correlation with higher grade of the tumor, depth of myometrial invasion, adnexal invasion and clinical stage. A similar correlation was not observed in type II endometrial adenocarcinoma. Surgical stage was the only independent prognostic marker for survival. In conclusion, high expression of HIF-1α is more frequent in type II than in type I endometrial adenocarcinoma. In type I endometrial adenocarcinoma, HIF-1α expression correlates with morphologic features of aggressiveness. In type II endometrial adenocarcinoma, there is no correlation between HIF-1α expression and these features. Thus, HIF-1α may play an important role in endometrial adenocarcinoma progression, particularly in type I endometrial adenocarcinoma. Additional investigations of HIF-1α as a biomarker of aggressive potential and as a novel target for therapeutics in endometrial adenocarcinoma are warranted.
Effects of smoking status and smoking cessation on leptin levels

Cigarette smoking is associated with lower body weight, and quitting smoking typically produces weight gain. An effect of chronic smoking on increasing leptin, a protein product associated with reducing weight, may help explain this influence of smoking on lowering body weight. We examined fasting serum leptin levels in male and female adult smokers (n = 52) and non-smokers (n = 12) as well as long-time ex-smokers (n = 13), with all groups similar in body mass index (BMI). Partial regression analyses controlling for BMI and, where relevant, age were used to relate leptin to indices of smoking exposure and dependence within the smokers, and with typical alcohol and caffeine intake in the entire sample. Furthermore, a subset of the smokers (n = 22) quit for at least 3 weeks, and changes in leptin and weight were prospectively assessed. Results showed no difference in mean leptin levels as a function of smoking status and no significant associations of leptin with smoking exposure variables after controlling for BMI and age. However, leptin was significantly correlated with alcohol intake (inversely) in women. In addition, smoking cessation increased leptin, the opposite change expected if leptin were responsible for weight gain, but again only in women and not in men. This leptin change remained significant after controlling for the increase in weight observed in both men and women. In conclusion, the influence of cigarette smoking on body weight does not appear to be due directly to changes in leptin levels, as there is no difference in leptin due to smoking status and leptin does not decline after cessation.
The Function of Acculturation and Collective Self-Esteem on Prejudicial Attitudes among Vietnamese American Young Adults

This study examined the influence of collective self-esteem and acculturation on prejudicial attitudes in a sample of Vietnamese American young adults. A total of 122 college students from a public university in Southern California were given the Collective Self-Esteem Scale, the Vietnamese Acculturation Scale, and the Quick Discrimination Index. Results suggest that students who were more involved in U.S. culture and had both higher public collective self-esteem (i.e., the belief that their cultural groups were perceived positively by others) and higher private collective self-esteem (i.e., the individuals' private evaluation about their cultural groups) tended to have fewer prejudicial attitudes. Interestingly, results also reveal that students who were more involved in Vietnamese culture and had higher membership collective self-esteem (i.e., the belief in how well they perform in their cultural groups) tended to have more prejudicial attitudes. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Molecular phylogenetic study of the Ranunculaceae: utility of the nuclear 26S ribosomal DNA in inferring intrafamilial relationships.

Abstract There are only a small number of molecular markers currently proven to be useful for phylogenetic inference within the flowering plants. We demonstrate that the 5′ end of the 26S ribosomal DNA (ca. 1100 bp) is of great value for investigating generic to subfamilial relationships. We analyzed DNA sequences from 31 species of the Ranunculaceae and four species of the Berberidaceae to test phylogenetic relationships within the Ranunculaceae. The inferred phylogeny strongly supports the concept that theThalictrumchromosome group is not monophyletic, but consists of three independent lineages: (1)Hydrastis,(2)XanthorhizaandCoptis,and (3)Thalictrum, Aquilegia,andEnemion.Based on comparison with conventional taxonomic characters, we propose a hypothesis that the third group also includes the rest of theThalictrumchromosome taxa that have a base chromosome number of seven. For theRanunculuschromosome group, our study suggests several relationships that have not been recognized by conventional systematics. The inferred 26S rDNA topology is compared with results from two previously published molecular data sets: DNA sequences fromrbcL,atpB, and 18S rDNA genes and restriction fragment length polymorphism data from chloroplast DNA. The three topologies are highly congruent and agree with karyological characters, but not with fruit type, both of which have often been used for the higher classification of the Ra- nunculaceae.
A Note on Triangular Decomposition and Measures of Ill-Conditioned Matrices:

In most multivariate statistical procedures used in the field of Education and Psychology, the n by n matrix of intercorrelations among the n attributes or variables is required to be a symmetric positive definite matrix, i.e., an non-singular matrix. When a matrix is close to being singular it is said to be "ill-conditioned." In the present note, the triangular decomposition method is suggested as a general technique for obtaining the various measures of an ill-conditioned matrix.
Patterns of Competence and Adjustment Among Adolescents from Authoritative, Authoritarian, Indulgent, and Neglectful Homes: A Replication in a Sample of Serious Juvenile Offenders

The correlates of authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful parenting were examined within a sample of 1,355 14- to 18-year-olds adjudicated of serious criminal offenses. The sample is composed primarily of poor, ethnic-minority youth living in impoverished urban neighborhoods. As has been found in community samples, juvenile offenders who describe their parents as authoritative are more psychosocially mature, more academically competent, less prone to internalized distress, and less prone to externalizing problems than their peers,whereas those who describe their parents as neglectful are less mature, less competent, and more troubled. Juvenile offenders who characterize their parents as either authoritarian or indulgent typically score somewhere between the two extremes, although those from authoritarian homes are consistently better functioning than those from indulgent homes. These patterns did not vary as a function of adolescents' ethnicity or gender.
Nike just did it: International Subcontracting and Flexibility in Athletic Footwear Production

DONAGHU M. T. and BARFF R. (1990) Nike just did it: international subcontracting and flexibility in athletic footwear production, Reg. Studies 24, 537–552. Over its twenty-five year history, Nike has developed a complex set of production alliances with manufacturers in South East Asia. Athletic shoe production now takes place under several different subcontracting arrangements. Based on interviews with company officials, this paper describes in detail Nike's present production partnerships, which include conventional capacity and complementary subcontracting types, as well as newer forms. The study opens with brief histories of the athletic shoe industry and the company. Analysis is directed toward understanding the global production of Nike shoes in terms of the ‘New International Division of Labour’, the nature and form of vertical disintegration and production subcontracting, and the current debate surrounding industrial system flexibility. We show that Nike's subcontracting system allows the company a...
Impact of carboxylic acid ultrafiltration recycle streams on coagulation

This research identified unintended consequences of integrating ultrafiltration and its required ancillary cleaning systems within conventional surface water treatment facilities. Carboxylic acids, used in ultrafiltration membrane chemically enhanced backwashes, were demonstrated to interfere with ferric chloride and alum coagulation if recycled into coagulation basins at sufficient acid to coagulant (A/C) molar ratios. Tricarboxylic citric acid and monocarboxylic acetic acid were shown to interfere with conventional coagulation process performance. Significant changes in settled water turbidity, true colour and metal concentrations were observed in jar tests designed to simulate full-scale water treatment plant operations. A threshold A/C molar ratio for coagulation interference was identified for three surface waters in the United States based on sedimentation basin performance goals established by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Citric acid interfered with coagulation at A/C molar ratios as low as 0.028; whereas acetic acid negatively influenced coagulation at A/C molar ratios in excess of 18.0.
Effects of thermodynamic ensembles and mineral surfaces on interfacial water structure

While performing molecular dynamics simulations of water or aqueous solutions in a slab geometry, such as at mineral surfaces, it is important to match bulk water density in the diffuse region of the model system with that expected for the appropriate experimental conditions. Typically, a slab geometry represents parallel surfaces with a variable region of confined water (this region can range in size from a few Angstroms to many tens of Angstroms). While constant-pressure simulations usually result in appropriate density values in the bulk diffuse region removed from either surface, constant-volume simulations have also been widely used, sometimes without careful consideration of the method for determining water content. Simulations using two thermodynamic ensembles as well as two methods for calculating the water-accessible volume have been investigated for two distinct silicate surfaces—hydrophilic cristobalite (111) and hydrophobic pyrophyllite (001). In cases where NPT simulations are not feasible, a simple geometry-based treatment of the accessible volume can be sufficient to replicate bulk water density far from the surface. However, the use of the Connolly method can be more appropriate in cases where a surface is less well-defined. Specific water–surface interactions (e.g., hydrophobic repulsion) also play a role in determining water content in a confined water simulation. While reported here for planar surfaces, these results can be extended to an interface with any solvent, or to other types of surfaces and geometries.