cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resource Letter PSEn-1: Physics and society: Energy

This Resource Letter provides a guide to the physics-related literature about energy-and-society. Journal articles, books, and websites are cited for the following topics: general references, textbooks, other pedagogical resources, population growth, fossil fuels, global warming, nuclear power, side effects of nuclear power, fusion power, renewable resources (including hydroelectric, biofuels, wind, photovoltaics, direct solar, geothermal, hydrogen, and energy storage), energy efficiency, and transportation efficiency.
Resonant spectra of Malignant breast cancer tumors using the three-dimensional Electromagnetic Fast multipole model

This paper presents an intensive numerical study of the resonance scattering of malignant breast cancer tumors. The three-dimensional electromagnetic model, based on the equivalence theorem, is used to obtain induced electric and magnetic currents on breast and tumor surfaces. The results show that the nonspherical malignant tumor can be characterized, based on its spectra, regardless of orientation, incident polarization, or incident or scattered directions. The spectra of the tumor depend solely upon its physical characteristics (i.e., shape and electrical properties); however, their locations are not functions of the depth of the tumor beneath the breast surface. This paper can be a guide in the selection of the frequency range at which the tumor resonates to produce the maximum signature at the receiver.
Range profile synthesis for stepped chirps via multichannel blind deconvolution

Stepped chirp signal is widely employed in high resolution radar systems. Conventional spectrum reconstruction methods are sensitive to system errors. In this paper, a novel range profile synthesis algorithm is proposed based on multichannel blind deconvolution (MBD) theory. The received signals are modelled as the outputs of a series of linear time-invariant (LTI) systems with a common unknown input. In the presence of system errors, the impulse responses of the LTI systems are also unknown. Thus, range profile synthesis is formulated as a MBD problem. Regularizations are introduced to solve the ill-posedness. Alternating optimization method is used to solve the problem. Simulation results show that the proposed method is able to provide accurate range profile estimations. (4 pages)
Demographic attributes of dispersing southern bog lemmings (Synaptomys cooperi) in eastern Kansas.

Demographic attributes of southern bog lemmings colonizing two removal grids were compared with those of residents on neighboring control grids over a two year period in eastern Kansas. There was a positive association between the number of lemmings colonizing the removal grids and density of the control grids. Overall, 41% of the losses from the two control grids was accounted for by dispersal. The following differences were observed comparing residents with dispersers: 1) a greater proportion of males colonized the removal grids, 2) a lower percentage of adult females colonizing the removal grids were in breeding condition, whereas the reverse was true for subadult females, and 3) a greater proportion of subadults colonized the removal grids. These results are consistent with those obtained for other microtine species. “I don't understand”, said the scientist, “why you lemmings all rush down to the sea and drown yourselves”. “How curious”, said the lemming. “The one thing I don't understand is why you human beings don't” — from Intervie with a Lemming by James Thurber.
Rapid emergence does not explain agitation following sevoflurane anaesthesia in infants and children: a comparison with propofol

Summary Background: Emergence agitation in children is frequently associated with the use of the new highly insoluble volatile anaesthetics. Rapid emergence has been cited as one of the possible causes. Propofol also permits rapid emergence from general anaesthesia but is not associated with agitation. Methods: The emergence characteristics of children receiving sevoflurane and propofol anaesthesia were examined. After induction with sevoflurane, 53 children, aged 2–36 months, who were undergoing ambulatory surgery, were randomized to receive maintenance anaesthesia with either sevoflurane or propofol. Introperative analgesia with either 2 µg·kg−1 of intravenous fentanyl or a caudal block with 0.25% bupivacaine was supplied according to surgical procedure. An observer blinded to anaesthetic technique recorded the time to achieve extubation and recovery and assessed emergence behaviour. Data were analysed using Wilcoxon scores, Kruskal–Wallis test, chi-square and multiple regression analysis. Results: The results showed that the time to extubation and recovery were similar between the two study groups, but that emergence agitation was significantly higher in the sevoflurane group compared with the propofol group. No relationship between analgesic technique and agitation scores was found. Conclusions: Although both sevoflurane and propofol allow for rapid emergence from general anaesthesia, only sevoflurane is associated with a high incidence of emergence agitation in infants and young children. Rapid emergence does not fully explain this phenomena.
Acid precipitation: strong and weak acids.

Doubt is cast on the accuracy of the results reported by Frohliger and Kane concerning the acid character of rain. They do not believe that the pH of rainfall was ever controlled by the solubility of CO/sub 2/ in the precipitation and discredit the assumption that strong acids account for the presently observed pH value. The specific issue is exactly what acid species are responsible for the ambient pH values that Frohliger and Kane observed. Total acidity values as reported by them are informative but not adequate to answer this question. Only a complete chemical analysis of their samples would provide the necessary information. Lacking such independent data, total acidity values can be variously interpreted.
Size of youth cohort and suicide rate in Japan.

In Japan from 1961 to 1979, the suicide rates of youths were not related to their proportion in the population, unlike results from the USA.
Hormonal regulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1α-hydroxylase and 24-hydroxylase gene transcription in opossum kidney cells

Abstract In the kidney, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D) is converted to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D) by the 25(OH)D3-1α-hydroxylase enzyme, which contains a terminal cytochrome P450 (CYP1α) (systematic name: CYP27B1). Likewise, the kidney also produces 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and 1,24,25-trihydroxyvitamin D3 via a 24-hydroxylase whose terminal cytochrome P450 is CYP24. The purpose of this study was to characterize the transcriptional regulation of the CYP1α and CYP24 genes by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25(OH)2D in the kidney. Promoter–reporter gene constructs were transfected into opossum kidney (OK) cells, a renal proximal tubular cell line with endogenous PTH and 1,25(OH)2D receptors. PTH and forskolin stimulated CYP1α promoter activity via a cAMP-dependent pathway acting through the phosphorylation of CREB (cAMP-dependent response element-binding protein). This stimulation did not require new protein synthesis but may be modulated by short-lived proteins. 1,25(OH)2D modestly inhibited basal and forskolin-stimulated CYP1α promoter activity. The stimulation of CYP1α promoter activity by PTH and forskolin can account for the effect of these hormones on renal CYP1α mRNA levels. CYP24 promoter activity in transfected cells was increased by both 1,25(OH)2D and PTH, but there was no interaction between the two. The modest effects of 1,25(OH)2D and PTH on promoter activity and their lack of interaction do not account for the effects of these hormones on renal CYP24 mRNA levels. This suggests that there may be important posttranscriptional regulation of CYP24 mRNA in the kidney.
The effect of postsynaptic deprivation on the presynaptic chief cell in the rat carotid body.

Abstract After the surgical removal of the postsynaptic sensory sinus nerve, the presynaptic specialization in the chief cell of the rat carotid body chemoreceptor rapidly disappear. When the sinus nerve is allowed to regenerate, the presynaptic specializations reappear almost simultaneously with the re-establishment of apposition of the nerve to chief cells and the number of the synapses is restored to a normal range by the third week after deafferentation. This finding indicates that the maintenance of the presynaptic specializations in the chief cell depends on the persistence of the post- synaptic element, and further suggest the neurotrophic maintenance of the presynaptic specializations my be exerted by the postsynaptic sinus nerve. The sustentacular cells may play a role in governing the specificity of reinnervation by the sinus nerve.
Polybrominated Biphenyls in Michigan [Abstract Only and Discussion]

Inadvertent admixture of the fire retardant chemical polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) with farm feed occurred in Michigan late in 1973; important animal disease resulted. Delay in detection allowed wide and prolonged distribution of contaminated food, and as a result most of Michigan’s 9 000 000 citizens currently have detectable levels of PBB in serum and body tissues. Almost all samples of breast milk in the State have been found to have PBBs as well as PCBs. A clinical field survey of more than 1000 dairy farm residents and others demonstrated an unusual prevalence of specific but not pathognomonic clinical complaints, particularly neuro-behavioural. These were far fewer among a control group of Wisconsin dairy farm residents not exposed to PBB. Similar contrasts were noted in two laboratory studies: liver function test results (enzyme levels) were much more likely to be abnormal in Michigan than in Wisconsin, possibly related to the fact that the halogenated biphenyl is a powerful enzyme inducer; in addition, T cell and B cell abnormalities and impaired lymphoblastogenesis were the rule in Michigan dairy farmers, but these findings, consistent with immuno­suppression, were absent in the Wisconsin group.The long-term signi­ficance of the observations is not at present known. This is being studied, as is the status of the general population of Michigan presumed to have lower tissue burdens than the farmers.
Characterizing the role of strategic disposition and orientation to risk in wayfinding

Although digital navigation systems are becoming ubiquitous, they generally only select routes based on relatively simple criteria (length and time) and fail to adequately consider the preferred strategy of the user. In order to account for these strategies, care must be taken to solicit not only simple preferences, but also deeper issues such as overall strategic disposition and attitudes toward risk. Hallmarks of true strategy include schematic, general, conditional and conscious consideration of the impact of important variables on the achievement of one's goals. Factor analysis of a 40-item questionnaire isolated five questions that well-account for the strategic disposition of individuals. Additionally, attitudes about risk were explored in pedestrian and driving contexts. This analysis suggests that within the individual, attitudes about risk are relatively fixed, yet the manifestation of risk-seeking behavior is dependent on the mode of travel.
Expression of clusterin in human renal diseases

Expression of clusterin in human renal diseases. Clusterin, a glycoprotein with potent cohesive properties, is induced in a wide variety of acute and chronic experimental renal diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine clusterin expression in human renal diseases. Clusterin immunostaining was examined in nephrectomy specimens from patients with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (N = 5), autosomal-recessive polycystic kidney disease (N = 3), multilocular cyst of the kidney (N = 2), renal hypoplasia/dysplasia (N = 7), Wilms' tumor (nephroblastoma) (N = 6), renal cell carcinoma (N = 9), and acute and/or chronic renal transplant rejection (N = 15). No clusterin staining was detected in normal renal tissue distant from renal cell carcinomas. Increased expression of clusterin was found in epithelial cells lining cysts in all of the cystic disorders studied. Clusterin expression was found in some immature tubules in hypoplastic/dysplastic kidneys and in tubules of rejected renal allografts, but was not a prominent finding in renal neoplasms, although some renal cell carcinomas expressed clusterin in a focal manner. Common features of clusterin induction included exclusively epithelial production of clusterin in cysts, immature nephrons, and injured tubules, heterogeneity of clusterin expression, with only some tubules and/or cysts in a given area staining for clusterin, and uniform clusterin staining of epithelial cells in a given tubule or cyst in most cases. Based on its cohesive properties, we speculate clusterin functions to maintain cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions which become perturbed in the setting of renal injury and cystic diseases.
Optimal control of semilinear evolution inclusions via discrete approximations

This paper studies a Mayer type optimal control problem with general endpoint constraints for semilinear unbounded evolution inclusions in reflexive and separable Banach spaces. First, we construct a sequence of discrete approximations to the original optimal control problem for evolution inclusions and prove that op- timal solutions to discrete approximation problems uniformly con- verge to a given optimal solution for the original continuous-time problem. Then, based on advanced tools of generalized differen- tiation, we derive necessary optimality conditions for discrete-time problems under fairly general assumptions. Combining these re- sults with recent achievements of variational analysis in infinite- dimensional spaces, we establish new necessary optimality conditions for constrained continuous-time evolution inclusions by passing to the limit from discrete approximations.
A Mixed-Signal Matching State Search Based Adaptive Antenna Tuning IC

A closed-loop adaptive antenna tuning unit operating from 850 MHz-2 GHz for multi-band, multi-mode radios is presented. Unlike previous approaches, the proposed module utilizes an analog mismatch detector and a closed-loop mixed-signal matching state search circuit, without the need for an A/D converter. The integrated module is designed and fabricated on a 0.18 CMOS process. When tested on a band-limited shorted patch antenna, the module can perform a scan of 4096 antenna matching states in 4.1 ms, and tune the antenna to a specified narrow instantaneous bandwidth over the entire frequency range.
Common First Names as Cues for Inferences about Personality

Two studies examined the hypothesis that different forms of common first names-formal (such as Robert), familiar (such as Bob), and adolescent (such as Bobby)-elicit differential inferences about the personalities of the name bearer. Experiment I showed that differentiation among these three name categories was a significant basis for subjects' free sorting of common names according to similar personality types. In Experiment 2 subjects displayed different patterns of trait inferences about persons identified by formal as opposed to familiar and adolescent names. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Genetic controls of Th17 cell differentiation and plasticity

CD4+ T lymphocytes play a major role in regulation of adaptive immunity. Upon activation, naive T cells differentiate into different functional subsets. In addition to the classical Th1 and Th2 cells, several novel effector T cell subsets have been recently identified, including Th17 cells. There has been rapid progress in characterizing the development and function of Th17 cells. Here I summarize and discuss on the genetic controls of their differentiation and emerging evidence on their plasticity. This information may benefit understanding and treating immune diseases.
Influence of snow patterns and snow avalanches on the alpine treeline ecotone

Snow avalanches, snow accumulation, and snow ablation patterns were mapped and analyzed to assess their impact on the three-dimensional position, composition (closed canopy forest, open canopy forest, meadow, krummholz, and non-vegetated surfaces), and spatial structure of the Alpine Treeline Ecotone (ATE) in a portion of Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Multitemporal Landsat Multispectral Scanner data were processed to derive snow accumulation and ablation patterns throughout a snow season. Landsat Thematic Mapper data were processed and combined with aerial photo interpre- tations for discerning and characterizing snow avalanche paths. Transition matrices were used to assess the change in the state of snow cover conditions, whereas multiple regression analy- ses were used to examine the position and character of snow avalanche paths. The analyses were framed and implemented within a geographic information system (GIS) approach. Re- sults indicate a snowmelt pattern progressing from zonal to azonal; influence of local site and situation factors in snow accumulation and ablation patterns; and the importance of topography, geologic structure, and lithology in defining the starting elevation and source area of snow avalanche paths. Finally, a conceptual process is presented where sites affected by stresses and disturbances are analyzed at a local spatial scale for analysis through a deterministic model, whereas regional stresses and disturbances are assessed through remote sensing and GIS approaches for analysis through empirical models.
Effect of pulsed dye-laser wavelength stabilization on spectral overlap in atmospheric NO fluorescence studies

We introduce an inexpensive application of a Fabry–Perot etalon to control long-term UV-laser line drift in atmospheric NO laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements by monitoring the visible fundamental of a pulsed dye laser. A linear image sensor captures the interference pattern, and the dye grating can be adjusted to maintain a fixed wavelength through an interface with labview software. Results indicate that the laser wavelength can be fixed to an accuracy of ±0.0001 nm in the dye fundamental and ±0.00003 nm in the UV beam. Hence the average error in the LIF signal owing to fluctuations in spectral overlap between the laser and the NO absorption transition decreases from ∼5 to ∼0.05%, which results in improved measurement accuracy.
A novel assay to detect nucleotide receptor P2X7 genetic polymorphisms influencing numerous innate immune functions.

The importance of accessory signaling pathways amplifying endotoxin responses has recently been highlighted by genetic studies describing LPS-hyporesponsive individuals despite carrying the common allele for TLR4. The nucleotide receptor P2X7 modulates the production of numerous LPS-stimulated inflammatory mediators. We have recently described the largest phenotypic screen known for genetic polymorphisms associated with the nucleotide receptor P2X7, a global regulator of leukocyte function. This required the development of a novel monocyte pore assay with numerous advantages over previous methods and with the potential to facilitate rapid (< 3 h), multiplex analysis of clinical samples. This paper addresses aspects pertinent to the development of the monocyte pore assay, briefly summarizes our results suggestingthat P2X7 alleles modulate LPSstimulated cytokine production, and discusses a model wherein P2X7 may serve as an amplification loop of innate immunity.
A universal nonlinear component and its application to WSI

Presents a high-speed multifunction chip for performing one of four nonlinear operations: 1) square root, 2) reciprocal, 3) sine/cosine, and 4) arctangent. Each of these functions is evaluated with one ROM access, two additions, and one major and one minor multiplication, yielding a new result every two clock cycles. Its performance signifies an estimated three-to-four-fold increase in speed (for comparable technologies and minimum feature size) over existing approaches. Furthermore, since all four functions are performed on the same cell, a silicon-area advantage of approximately three is realized when the application demands multiple functions. In wafer scale integration (WSI) of signal and image processing algorithms, several such functions are usually needed, while defect tolerance dictates the use of just one or two types of cells. Thus the new component is ideally suited for monolithic WSI. However, it can also be used as a co-processor/accelerator for commercial DSP chips in hybrid WSI implementation of signal processing algorithms. The underlying principle, which has made the combined goals of high-speed and multifunctionality possible, is second-order interpolation of very small ROM tables. Two versions are presented: a 24-b chip, and a 16-b chip, both fabricated in 2.0- mu m CMOS technology. >
PAB1 Self-Association Precludes Its Binding to Poly(A), Thereby Accelerating CCR4 Deadenylation In Vivo

The mRNA deadenylation process, catalyzed by the CCR4 deadenylase, is known to be the major factor controlling mRNA decay rates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have identified the proline-rich region and RRM1 domains of poly(A) binding protein (PAB1) as necessary for CCR4 deadenylation. Deletion of either of these regions but not other regions of PAB1 significantly reduced PAB1-PAB1 protein interactions, suggesting that PAB1 oligomerization is a required step for deadenylation. Moreover, defects in these two regions inhibited the formation of a novel, circular monomeric PAB1 species that forms in the absence of poly(A). Removal of the PAB1 RRM3 domain, which promoted PAB1 oligomerization and circularization, correspondingly accelerated CCR4 deadenylation. Circular PAB1 was unable to bind poly(A), and PAB1 multimers were severely deficient or unable to bind poly(A), implicating the PAB1 RNA binding surface as critical in making contacts that allow PAB1 self-association. These results support the model that the control of CCR4 deadenylation in vivo occurs in part through the removal of PAB1 from the poly(A) tail following its self-association into multimers and/or a circular species. Known alterations in the P domains of different PAB proteins and factors and conditions that affect PAB1 self-association would, therefore, be expected to be critical to controlling mRNA turnover in the cell.
Retargetable and reconfigurable software dynamic translation

Software dynamic translation (SDT) is a technology that permits the modification of an executing program's instructions. In recent years, SDT has received increased attention, from both industry and academia, as a feasible and effective approach to solving a variety of significant problems. Despite this increased attention, the task of initiating a new project in software dynamic translation remains a difficult one. To address this concern, and in particular, to promote the adoption of SDT technology into an even wider range of applications, we have implemented Strata, a cross-platform infrastructure for building software dynamic translators. This paper describes Strata's architecture, our experience retargeting it to three different processors, and our use of Strata to build two novel SDT systems - one for safe execution of untrusted binaries and one for fast prototyping of architectural simulators.
Single-mask reduced-gap capacitive micromachined devices

This paper presents single mask capacitive micromechanical devices with dry-etched deep-sub-micron gaps. Thick oxide mask layer with sub-micron openings suitable for etching deep narrow trenches is fabricated using a gap-reduction technique. Less than 100nm openings are realized while the original feature sizes are defined by conventional optical lithography. This method combined with modified high aspect ratio DRIE recipes shows a great potential for batch-fabrication of high-frequency low-impedance single crystal silicon resonators on SOI substrates. Results measured from various resonator structures with frequencies as high as 205 MHz, Q values as high as 68,000, and 200nm gaps with aspect ratio of 60:1 are demonstrated.
MINERALOGY AND PROVENANCE OF CLAYS IN MIAROLITIC CAVITIES OF THE PIKES PEAK BATHOLITH, COLORADO

Des echantillons provenant de 105 cavites dans des filons de pegmatite miarolitique granitique de part et d'autre du batholite de Pikes Peak, au Colorado, ont ete analyses par diffraction X (methode des poudres). Smectite (beidellite), illite, et kaolinite sont presentes dans ces cavites. Un calcul de la distribution de l'epaisseur des cristallites, de leur epaisseur moyenne, et de la variance de leur epaisseur permet de determiner la provenance et le mode de formation de l'illite et de la smectite. L'illite et la smectite authigenes des cavites miarolitiques font preuve d'une distribution log-normale de l'epaisseur des cristallites, et une epaisseur superieure par rapport a leur homologues derives des sols; l'illite des cavites ayant une distribution non log-normale des epaisseurs resulterait d'un melange d'illite formee dans la cavite et d'illite derivee de sols. Une analyse des epaisseurs moyennes et de la variance des epaisseurs montre que la croissance de l'illite a ete initiee par un evenement bref causant la nucleation, suivi d'un episode ou la cinetique etait regie par les surfaces. La cristallisation des argiles dans les cavites miarolitiques resulterait d'une neoformation aux depens d'une phase fluide hydrothermale. L'evaluation de provenance permet une determination des distributions regionale et locale des mineraux argileux dans les cavites miarolitiques au sein du batholite de Pikes Peak.
The contribution of observations on early pregnancy in the little sac-winged bat, Peropteryx kappleri, to an understanding of the evolution of reproductive mechanisms in monovular bats.

The reproductive biology of Peropteryx kappleri was investigated histologically in females collected during the onset of a synchronized breeding season. Many had recently given birth, although the interval between parturition and a new ovulation appeared to be variable. Successive ovulations in this monovular species tended to alternate between the ovaries, but this was restrained by partial dominance of the left ovary. Evidence of reproductive failures was noted in several post-partum females in which ovulation had not alternated. Although development usually proceeded to the blastocyst stage in the oviduct, shedding of the zona pellucida was deferred until the embryo passed into the uterus. Implantation was of the central type and always occurred at the cranial end of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the new corpus luteum. Immediately prior to and after ovulation the oviduct on the active side of the reproductive tract appeared preferentially stimulated. Its epithelial cells were usually larger and often contained more cytoplasmic glycogen than those of the other oviduct. During the tubal journey of the ovum, endometrial development was most pronounced at the prospective implantation site and was minimal in the opposite uterine horn. Many of the oviductal epithelial cell nuclei in all of the adult bats examined appeared extensively vacuolated. Histochemical tests established that this was attributable to the intranuclear presence of glycogen. The ability of P. kappleri (and of some other bats with bicornuate or duplex uteri) to alternate ovulations and to control the uterus via local pathways probably serves to decrease the interval required to recycle the female tract after either a reproductive failure or a previous pregnancy. This could be advantageous to species with low reproductive potentials and restricted breeding seasons. Retention of the ovum in the oviduct until the blastocyst stage probably favors subsequent successful development of the embryo in the uterus, only a small portion of which is maximally stimulated. The bats with simplex uteri appear to have evolved another means of efficiently recycling the uterus in the event of a nonfertile cycle. They eliminate much of the aging endometrium at the prospective implantation site by menstruating and regenerate a new one.
A Dosimetric Model for Particles in the Respiratory Tract above the Trachea

Abstract The ICRP Task Group on Lung Dynamics 1966 model for deposition and clearance of particles did not consider the airways above the trachea to be at risk with respect to inhaled radioactive particles. Evidence from animal exposure studies and human epidemiological studies suggests that these airways should be included in an overall respiratory tract model. This paper is a review of existing data on deposition and clearance of particles in the nasal, oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal regions and includes a model for dosimetric calculations to tissues in the upper airways. Although it is intended primarily for radioactive aerosols, it can also be used to predict effects for other inhaled particles.
Tin Silsesquioxanes as Models for the “Open” Site in Tin‐Containing Zeolite Beta

The use of biomass as a resource to produce value-added products has garnered significant interest as a means of reducing reliance on fossil fuels. This task is complicated by the complex, highly functionalized nature of abundant biomass derivatives, such as glucose. Tin-containing zeolite Beta (Sn-Beta) can selectively isomerize glucose to fructose through a 1,2-intramolecular hydride shift (1,2-HS) or selectively produce mannose through a 1,2-intramolecular carbon shift (1,2-CS) by titration of the silanol groups with sodium (Na-Sn-Beta). To understand the structure–activity relationships between the conditions of the active sites in the zeolite, two molecular models (tin silsesquioxanes) of the tin sites in the zeolite were synthesized. Tin silsesquioxanes that contain an octahedral tin site with and without an adjacent silanol group selectively form fructose through a 1,2-HS and mannose through a 1,2-CS, respectively, and provide further evidence for the nature of the active sites in Sn-Beta.
The Influence of Statin Medications on Prostate-specific Antigen Levels

the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center who were free of prostate cancer, had not undergone prostate surgery or taken medications known to alter androgen levels and who had at least one PSA value within 2 years before and at least one PSA value within 1 year after starting a statin. The change in PSA from before to after statin treatment was analyzed as a continuous variable using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The association between change in PSA and change in cholesterol parameters (low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-density lipoprotein [HDL], and total cholesterol) was analyzed using multivariate linear regression. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Mean (SD) age when starting statins was 60.3 (8.3) years; median prestatin PSA concentration was 0.9 (1.9) ng/mL; and mean prestatin LDL cholesterol concentration was 144 (34) mg/dL. After starting a statin, the median LDL decline was 27.5%, and the median PSA decline was 4.1% ( P 41% declines in LDL (highest quartile) after starting a statin experienced a 17.4% (95% CI = 10.0% to 24.9%) decline in serum PSA. Conclusions PSA levels declined by a statistically significant extent after initiation of statin treatment. The reduction was most pronounced among men with the largest LDL declines and those with PSA levels that would make them candidates for prostate biopsy. By lowering PSA levels, statins may complicate cancer detection, although further studies are needed to quantify the clinical significance of this effect.
Trámites and Transportes: The Acquisition of Second Language Communicative Competence for One Speech Event in Puno, Peru

The communicative competence defined by Hymes includes four sectors : what is possible (grammatical), feasible, appropriate, and done; and can be analyzed in terms of eight components of speech acts or events described under his mnemonic « SPEAKING ». In the quarter of a century since then, communicative competence has come to mean a number of things to a variety of people, especially in language teaching fields, but Hymes's original conception seems the most durable and sound to this writer. This paper uses results of an incidental piece of ethnographic research in Puno, Peru, to explore Hymes's model for one case. Over a period of several months, the researcher was involved in a number of speech events and acts making up one prolonged speech event : the negotiation of a driver's license at the Ministry of Transportation in Puno, Peru. The paper describes the speech events involved and analyzes them in the light of Hymes's model. Since the events were carried out in spanish, a second language for the researcher, the paper also suggests implications of the analysis for an understanding of the acquisition of second language communicative competence
ADAPTER, OPTIMISER, PRÉVOIR: La convergence des concepts, des outils, des technologies et des normes peut-elle accélérer l’innovation ?

Les outils et procedes permettant de reduire les insuffisances de la chaine logistique sont tres precieux. La capacite a s’adapter peut en effet ne pas dependre de la seule technologie mais d’une p...
Occurrence and Complications of Tracheal Reintubation in Critically Ill Adults

BACKGROUND: Timing and preparation for tracheal extubation are as critical as the initial intubation. There are limited data on specific strategies for a planned extubation. The extent to which the difficult airway at reintubation contributes to patient morbidity is unknown. The aim of the present study was to describe the occurrence and complications of failed extubation and associated risk factors, and to estimate the mortality and morbidity associated with reintubation attempts. METHODS: Cohort study of 2,007 critically ill adult patients admitted to the ICU with an ETT. Patients were classified in 2 groups, based on the requirement for reintubation: “never reintubated” versus “> 1 reintubations.” Baseline characteristics, ICU and hospital stay, hospital mortality, and in-patient costs were compared between patients successfully extubated and those with reintubation outside the operating room, using regression techniques. Reasons, airway management techniques, and complications of intubation and reintubation were summarized descriptively. RESULTS: 376 patients (19%) required reintubation, and 230 (11%) were reintubated within 48 hours, primarily due to respiratory failure. Patients requiring reintubation were older, more likely to be male, and had higher admission severity score. Difficult intubation and complications were similar for initial and subsequent intubation. Reintubation was associated with a 5-fold increase in the relative odds of death (adjusted odds ratio 5.86, 95% CI 3.87–8.89, P < .01), and a 2-fold increase in median ICU and hospital stay, and institutional costs. Difficult airway at reintubation was associated with higher mortality (adjusted odds ratio 2.23, 95% CI 1.01–4.93, P .05). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 20% of critically ill patients required out of operating room reintubation. Reintubation was associated with higher mortality, stay, and cost. Moreover, a difficult airway at reintubation was associated with higher mortality. Key words: extubation; mechanical ventilation; ICU; cohort study; airway management. [Respir Care 2012;57(10):1555–1563. © 2012 Daedalus Enterprises]
Low-Dose Photons Modify Liver Response to Simulated Solar Particle Event Protons

Abstract Gridley, D. S., Coutrakon, G. B., Rizvi, A., Bayeta, E. J. M., Luo-Owen, X., Makinde, A. Y., Baqai, F., Koss, P., Slater, J. M. and Pecaut, M. J. Low-Dose Photons Modify Liver Response to Simulated Solar Particle Event Protons. Radiat. Res. 169, 280–287 (2008). The health consequences of exposure to low-dose radiation combined with a solar particle event during space travel remain unresolved. The goal of this study was to determine whether protracted radiation exposure alters gene expression and oxidative burst capacity in the liver, an organ vital in many biological processes. C57BL/6 mice were whole-body irradiated with 2 Gy simulated solar particle event (SPE) protons over 36 h, both with and without pre-exposure to low-dose/low-dose-rate photons (57Co, 0.049 Gy total at 0.024 cGy/h). Livers were excised immediately after irradiation (day 0) or on day 21 thereafter for analysis of 84 oxidative stress-related genes using RT-PCR; genes up or down-regulated by more than twofold were noted. On day...
God, Gays, and Progressive Politics: Reconceptualizing Intersectionality as a Normatively Malleable Analytical Framework

I draw on conservative black Christians' claims regarding their co-constitutive racial, religious, class, and sexual subordination to demonstrate that intersectionality is a heuristic that can be used to advance a range of normative arguments. My research rejects traditional understandings of intersectionality as a necessarily progressive analytical framework, as well as recent discussions that suggest that intersectionality's use for conservative ends is evidence of its theoretical underdevelopment. My analysis also reveals that by positing interlocking racism, classism, heterophobia, and anti-Christian bigotry as blacks' “true” experience of oppression, conservative black Christians guide political scientists to consider 1) that intersectional analysis is central rather than antithetical to in-group policing; 2) that we can best interrogate the standards that social groups use to police their boundaries when we adopt a normative-critical conception of power, and 3) that power so defined challenges the erroneous assumption that our role is to either describe or prescribe social reality.
Short birth intervals and uterine cervical cancer risk in Jamaican women.

High parity common in developing countries has been consistently associated with higher cervical cancer (CC) risk. Pregnancy-related immunosuppression has been proposed as a possible mechanism by which oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) can replicate. Stanczuck reported a higher risk of CC among women genetically predisposed to lower immune response. In-vitro studies also demonstrate increased transcriptional activity of HPV16/18 in a progesterone-rich environment. Indeed a greater than 2-fold increase in CC risk was reported in women with rapid multiple births. However this study used nulliparous women as referents which does not allow one to distinguish the role of parity from that of birth-intervals. Birth-intervals are a modifiable risk factor of CC 80% of which occurs in developing countries. To determine whether short birth-intervals increase CC risk incident cases were identified through the Kingston-St. Andrews Jamaica Cancer Registry and controls were identified from cytology log-books of facilities where cases were diagnosed. Response rates of cases and controls were 82% and 60% respectively. Analyses are restricted to 183 cases and 214 controls with >/= 2 pregnancies each lasting >/= 7 months (>/=1 birth interval). The average interval was estimated by dividing the sum of non-pregnant months by total pregnancies. We assessed factors known to be associated with CC or pregnancy for confounding and retained those that changed the OR >/= 10%. (excerpt)
Subminiature implantable potentiostat and modified commercial telemetry device for remote glucose monitoring

A subminiature implantable potentiostat and telemetry electronics package was developed to provide remote monitoring of implantable amperometric glucose sensors. Included are a new potentiostat for sensor biasing, a transimpedance amplifier to produce the sensor-current proportional voltage, and an optically coupled interface to the commercially available telemetry unit which transmits glucose concentration data to a corresponding receiver and computer. Potentiostat components were individually tested in vitro for accuracy and stability, and as a system utilizing telemetry for end-to-end remote data monitoring. In vitro calibrations of a glucose sensor obtained with our subminiature potentiostat/telemetry unit and a traditional potentiostat correlated extremely well (R/sup 2/=0.9994). Instrumentation developed in this paper will allow other researchers to easily develop implantable units for their own applications.
Developmental biology: Jumping-gene roulette

Jumping genes, which make DNA copies of themselves through an RNA middleman, provide a stochastic process for generating brain diversity among humans. The effect of their random insertion, however, is a bit of a gamble.
Color mutation model of soft interaction in high energy hadronic collisions

A comprehensive model, called ECOMB (eikonal color mutation branching), is proposed to describe multiparticle production by soft interaction. It incorporates the eikonal formalism, parton model, color mutation, branching, and recombination. The physics is conceptually opposite to the dynamics that underlies the fragmentation of a string. The partons are present initially in an hadronic collision; they form a single, large, color-neutral cluster until color mutation of the quarks leads to a fission of the cluster into two color-neutral subclusters. The mutation and branching processes continue until only q{bar q} pairs are left in each small cluster. The model contains self-similar dynamics and exhibits scaling behavior in the factorial moments. It can satisfactorily reproduce the intermittency data that no other model has been able to fit. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Clinical Decision Support in the Management of Patients With Suspected Ebola Infection.

Patients with suspected public health threats, such as Ebola, must be quickly identified and isolated on presentation to health care facilities. Patients can be screened by intake staff or other health care providers; however, perfect compliance is difficult to achieve. Well-designed, carefully placed clinical decision support (CDS) within the electronic health record can be a reliable partner in helping to rapidly identify, isolate, and care for patients with suspected Ebola infection and other emerging public health threats. We describe how different types of CDS can be applied in the clinical workflow and share how we implemented CDS to force Ebola screening upon patient presentation to our emergency department. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:591–594)
Remarks on ISS and formation control

For a leader/follower formation of autonomous mobile agents, the concept of input-to-state stability has been proposed recently as a valid tool to relate the influence of the motion of the leader to the formation error. The ISS approach is quite promising, as it allows great flexibility in the formation topology, and yields computable gains relating the formation error to external inputs and disturbances. While suitable when the dynamics of the agents are modeled as linear systems, the ISS framework is not directly applicable when non-holonomic vehicle models are considered, as the necessary condition of global asymptotic stability of the unforced systems is not met. The aim of this paper is to clarify some of the issues and the obstruction in applying ISS-methods to the control of formations of non-holonomic vehicles, and to offer some remedies. The analysis of the behavior of the vehicle dynamics relative to the steady-state of the formation plays a crucial role in identifying the source of the problem. The proposed solution, based on a local version of ISS originally given by Teel, employs saturated controls to enforce ISS of the internal dynamics in an input-output linearization scheme. Computable bounds on appropriate norms of the formation error as function of external inputs are given explicitly. Simulation results on an illustrative example are presented and discussed.
THE APPEARANCE AND STRUCTURE OF INTERCELLULAR CONNECTIONS DURING THE ONTOGENY OF THE RABBIT OVARIAN FOLLICLE WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO GAP JUNCTIONS

Lanthanum tracer and freeze-fracture electron microscope techniques were used to study junctional complexes between granulosa cells during the differentiation of the rabbit ovarian follicle. For convenience we refer to cells encompassing the oocyte, before antrum and gap junction formation, as follicle cells. After the appearance of an antrum and gap junctions we call the cells granulosa cells. Maculae adherentes are found at the interfaces of oocyte-follicle-granulosa cells throughout folliculogenesis. Gap junctions are first detected in follicles when the antrum appears. In early antral follicles typical large gap junctions are randomly distributed between granulosa cells. In freeze-fracture replicas, they are characterized by polygonally packed 90-A particles arranged in rows separated by nonparticulate A -face membrane. A particle-sparse zone surrounds gap junctions and is frequently occupied by small particle aggregates of closely packed intramembranous particles. The gap junctions of granulosa cells appear to increase in size with further differentiation of the follicle. The granulosa cells of large Graafian follicles are adjoined by small and large gap junctions; annular gap junctions are also present. The large gap junctions are rarely surrounded by a particle-free zone on their A -faces, but are further distinguished by particle rows displaying a higher degree of organization.
Single molecule and cell manipulation in soft microfluidic devices

Summary form only given as follows: We have been using soft lithography to make microfluidic chips for ultrasensitive analysis of single DNA molecules and cells. There are numerous advantages to fabricating chips out of polymeric materials, and as a result we have been able to rapidly and inexpensively fabricate active devices with moving parts, such as pinch valves and peristaltic pumps. We have also developed a microfabricated flow cytometry chip as a replacement for analytical pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Assays with these chips are two orders of magnitude faster than pulsed field gels and use a million times less material. Because they are detecting single molecules, their sensitivity is comparable to PCR based techniques. We have also developed a microfabricated fluorescence activated cell sorter and demonstrated its use in screening bacterial cells. The novel valve and pump components for on-chip fluidic manipulation that we developed in the course of this research will be useful for fabricating more complex chip designs for a variety of biotechnological applications.
Effect of Brefeldin A Treatment on the Resident Golgi Protein, MG160

TheGolgi apparatus (GA) plays a crucial role in the post-translational processing and sorting of many cellular proteins. A small number of Golgi-specific proteins have been identified, including MG160 (Gonatas et al., 1989), an integral membrane sialoglycoprotein concentrated in the medial cisternae. Analysis of the biochemical properties of theseGolgi-specific proteins should provide insight into the molecular mechanisms which underlie GA function. Here we examine the effects of BFA treatment on the lifecycle of MG160 in order to determine if it undergoes unique carbohydrate processing or targeting within the GA. Our data indicate that BFA promotes the accumulation of a 150 Kd precursor to MG160 which is Endo-H resistant, but not sialylated. These results raise interesting questions about the transit of MG160 through the GA.