cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid and accurate computation of the distance function using grids

We present two fast and simple algorithms for approximating the distance function for given isolated points on uniform grids. The algorithms are then generalized to compute the distance to piecewise linear objects. By incorporating the geometry of Huygens' principle in the reverse order with the classical viscosity solution theory for the eikonal equation |∇u| = 1, the algorithms become almost purely algebraic and yield very accurate approximations. The generalized closest point formulation used in the second algorithm provides a framework for further extension to compute the distance accurately to smooth geometric objects on different grid geometries, without the construction of the Voronoi diagrams. This method provides a fast and simple translator of data commonly given in computational geometry to the volumetric representation used in level set methods.
Pharmacological inhibition of BMK1 suppresses tumor growth through promyelocytic leukemia protein.

Summary BMK1 is activated by mitogens and oncogenic signals and, thus, is strongly implicated in tumorigenesis. We found that BMK1 interacted with promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML), and inhibited its tumor-suppressor function through phosphorylation. Furthermore, activated BMK1 notably inhibited PML-dependent activation of p21. To further investigate the BMK-mediated inhibition of the tumor suppressor activity of PML in tumor cells, we developed a small-molecule inhibitor of the kinase activity of BMK1, XMD8-92. Inhibition of BMK1 by XMD8-92 blocked tumor cell proliferation in vitro and significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo by 95%, demonstrating the efficacy and tolerability of BMK1-targeted cancer treatment in animals.
ORGANIZING The Jungle: INDUSTRIAL RESTRUCTURING AND IMMIGRANT UNIONIZATION IN THE AMERICAN MEATPACKING INDUSTRY1

The American meatpacking industry has undergone substantial restructuring over the last few decades, resulting in a significant decline in unionization and a change in workforce composition. Based on a case study of an organizing campaign among Latino immigrant meatpacking workers in South Omaha, this article explores how industrial restructuring has affected workers' bargaining power. Specifically, it examines the dynamics of Latino immigrant unionization by (1) pointing out that workers' bargaining power, as well as wages and working conditions, in meatpacking declined prior to the rapid incorporation of Latino immigrants into the industry; (2) highlighting undocumented workers' rights and protections under U.S. labor legislation in light of recent court decisions that give precedence to immigration legislation; and (3) demonstrating that the presence of Latino immigrants, including undocumented workers, in the industry does not necessarily undermine workers' bargaining power and unionization. The article suggests that contemporary meatpacking workers are highly receptive to unionization and that the decline in worker bargaining power in meatpacking is the result of industrial restructuring and organized labor's inability to resist or adapt to such restructuring.
Performance of a Low-Power Cylindrical Hall Thruster

Recent mission studies have shown that a Hall thruster which operates at relatively constant thrust efficiency (45-55%) over a broad power range (300W - 3kW) is enabling for deep space science missions when compared with slate-of-the-art ion thrusters. While conventional (annular) Hall thrusters can operate at high thrust efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad power envelope down to 0 (100 W) while maintaining relatively high efficiency. In this note we report the measured performance (I(sub sp), thrust and efficiency) of a cylindrical Hall thruster operating at 0 (100 W) input power.
Depressive reactions in children and adolescents

Abstract The phenomenology and underlying processes of de pressive illness in children and adolescents appear to be determined largely by age and stage of development. Cognitive, environniental, and psychological factors that vary with maturation probably interact to produce the various manifestations of this affective disturbance. Depression in youth may go unrecognized because the clinical picture frequently differs from that of adult depression. Somatic complaints or acting-out behavior sometimes mask depression. The author describes signs and symptoms ac companying various depressive reactions in early childhood, mid childhood, and adolescence.
AVOIDANCE CONDITIONING OE SKIN POTENTIAL RESPONSES

Avoidance of electric shock was used to manipulate skin potential changes elicited by a simple visual stimulus. Experimental and control Ss were matched on habituation trials and yoked for 40 acquisition and 10 extinction trials. During acquisition the avoidance Ss differentiated between stimulus and non-stimulus periods more reliably than the controls. During extinction the avoidance group produced significantly more criterion electrodermal responses, with greater magnitude of positive wave components, than the control group. Some of the problems of appropriate control procedures inherent in this design are examined in relation to these results.
Myoglobin-facilitated oxygen transport in heterogeneous red muscle tissue.

The transport of oxygen in red muscle tissue is influenced by a variety of physical factors: muscle tissue is heterogeneous, oxygen is irreversibly consumed in the muscle cells, and myoglobin is present inside the muscle cells. This is a problem of diffusion with both irreversible and reversible chemical reaction in heterogeneous media. Whereas previously the problem of myoglobin-facilitated oxygen-transport has been considered for homogeneous media, the effect of the tissue heterogeneity on the oxygen transport is investigated here. Simple expressions for the effective oxygen permeability and the effective oxygen consumption for the tissue as a whole are derived as a function of the myoglobin concentration, oxygen consumption inside the cells, the characteristic cell size, cell volume fraction, and physicochemical parameters. The analysis takes into account deviations from chemical equilibrium. Utilizing realistic values for the physicochemical parameters, it is shown that myoglobin-facilitated oxygen transport is significant at low oxygen partial pressures. The oxygen-myoglobin reaction is near but not at equilibrium inside the muscle cell. For large oxygen consumption rates a coupling effect between the reversible and the irreversible reaction takes place which causes an increase in the oxygen transport rate.
Kinetics of polymer gelation

The kinetics of polymer growth and especially gelation are discussed for a system of reacting f‐functional monomeric units. The gelation models of Flory and Stockmayer are examined, and their implications concerning sol–gel interaction after gelation has occurred are clarified. A new model, in which the gel does not cross link, is considered. A mathematical analysis shows that the onset of gelation is related to the formation of a shock‐wave solution of the equation satisfied by the generation function.
Reviewing reflection: on the use of reflection in interactive system design

Designers have demonstrated an increased interest in designing for reflection. However, that work currently occurs under a variety of diverse auspices. To help organize and investigate this literature, this paper present a review of research on systems designed to support reflection. Key findings include that most work in this area does not actually define the concept of reflection. We also find that most evaluations do not focus on reflection per se rather but on some other outcome arguably linked to reflection. Our review also describes the relationship between reflection and persuasion evidenced implicitly by both rhetorical motivations for and implementation details of system design. After discussing the significance of our findings, we conclude with a series of recommendations for improving research on and design for reflection.
An introduction to journalism norms and representations of politics

In addition to providing an overview of this special issue of Political Communication, this introduction identifies a preliminary set of rules that journalists use for representing politics in the news. These rules guide news decisions in keeping with underlying journalistic norms about the workings of politics and the role of the press in the political system. Such political norms must also be reconciled with professional journalism norms of fairness, and with the economic norms of efficiency and profit that increasingly drive the news business. Reconciling news content aimed at citizens in a democracy with traditional journalism standards and entertainment values has transformed the news itself. Increasingly sensationalistic narratives and dramatic production values both bridge and reflect the tensions among the various norms and practical rules that guide journalists in their daily representations of the political world.
INFLUENCE OF DIETARY FACTORS AND SEX ON THE TOXICITY OF CARBON TETRACHLORIDE IN RATS.

Six groups of rats on different diets were exposed to the inhalation of carbon tetrachloride (about 300 p. p. m.) for 150 days. Food intake and changes in weight were followed throughout the experiment. Animals fed a diet low in protein showed greater susceptibility than rats on a diet high in protein. Methionine was a good substitute for protein (casein) in the diet. Increase in fat intake with correspondingly lower carbohydrate intake exerted a harmful effect, especially evident in combination with a low protein diet. In this change of the fat: carbohydrate ratio, whether the increased fat or the lowered carbohydrate is the specific factor must remain unanswered at the present time. Necrotizing nephrosis was the presenting sign of the intoxication caused by carbon tetrachloride, in addition to hepatic changes, such as hydropic degeneration, necrosis, and cirrhosis. Dietary factors (methionine and methionine-containing protein, as well as low fat intake) more consistently prevented renal injury than cirrhosis of the liver. Under identical dietary conditions, especially with higher fat intake, male rats appeared to evince greater susceptibility to carbon tetrachloride than female rats. The significance of this observation and its wider applicability has been discussed.
American legacies and the variable life histories of women and men

Sex differences in behavior are most interesting when they are the result of inherent differences in the operational rules motivating behavior and not merely a reflection of differing life history experiences. American men and women exhibit a few differences in testamentary patterns of property allocation that appear to be due to inherently different rules of allocation. Even when analyses control for resources and surviving kin configurations, women distribute their property among a greater number of individual beneficiaries than do men. The most striking differences in property allocation between men and women occur within the nuclear family and reflect differences in reproductive life span and the resulting reproductive conflicts between spouses that can endure beyond death.
MRI-Guided Breast Interventions

The use of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis, staging, and management of breast cancer is rapidly increasing. MRI has the ability to detect malignancy that is occult to physical exam, ultrasound, and mammography. These qualities necessitate methods for MRI-guided tissue sampling. This article reviews all previously published and currently accepted methods for MRI-guided tissue sampling. The data to support these techniques are provided where appropriate. A detailed technique for vacuum-assisted breast biopsy is included. We will also review the data on other MRI-guided breast interventions such as transcutaneous tissue ablation.
Evaluation in School Counseling Current Practices and Future Possibilities

This article provides an overview of general models and methods for evaluating school counseling programs and interventions. Types of data to be gathered, timing of evaluation, and finding solutions to common challenges are considered. Case vignettes illustrate some possible strategies for and rewards of evaluation.
Husserl, Phenomenology, and Foundationalism

Husserl is often taken, and not without reason, to endorse the view that phenomenology's task is to provide the “absolute foundation” of human knowledge. In this paper, I will argue that the most natural interpretation of this view, namely that all human knowledge depends for its justification, at least in part, on phenomenological knowledge, is philosophically untenable. I will also present evidence that Husserl himself held no such view, and will argue that Dan Zahavi and John Drummond, though reaching the same conclusion, reach it for the wrong reasons. In the process, I will also defend a brand of epistemological externalism according to which knowledge does not depend upon knowing the epistemic principles under which one's knowledge falls, and argue that Husserl himself held such a view. I conclude with a discussion of a few of the ways in which phenomenology positively contributes to human knowledge.
Synergistic relation between vasoconstriction and fixed epicardial vessel stenosis in coronary artery disease

The clinically important hemodynamic consequences of epicardial coronary artery vasoconstriction were examined in the presence of stenosis of major vessels. For this purpose, a special isolated canine circumflex coronary artery preparation was used to provide elimination of reflex, humoral, and distal coronary vasculature resistance influences. Without stenosis, active vasoconstriction induced by either phenylephrine (10-3 M), angiotensin (10-5 M), or acetylcholine (10-5 M) had no effect on flow through the circumflex artery. Coronary arterial stenosis was created by intraluminal obstruction, which itself produced only insignificant effect on vessel flow. When the vasoconstrictor agent stimulation was superimposed on the fixed underlying vascular stenosis, there occurred dose-dependent marked flow decreases through the partially obstructed vessel accompanied by major trans-stenotic pressure gradient increases. Phenylephrine, angiotensin, and acetylcholine separately caused significant (54%, 59%, and 46%) flow decreases with 48, 54 and 50 mm Hg pressure gradient increases respectively. This study demonstrates that vasoconstriction and stenosis act synergistically to reduce flow through obstructed major vessels in coronary artery disease.
Microsomal Hydroxylase Induction in Liver Cell Culture by Phenobarbital, Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, and p,p'-DDT

Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction by phenobarbital, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and the insecticide, 2.2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (p,p'-DDT), occurs in rat fetal liver cell cultures. The maximum net rate at which the hydroxylase activity accumulates is about the same when phenobarbital, 3-methlcholanthrene, or benz[a]anthracene is in the growth medium at optimum concentrations. An additive effect is obtained when either phenobarbital or p.p'-DDT is present with a polycyclic hydrocarbon in the growth medium, but not when the cells are treated with phenobarbital plus p.p'-DDT or with the combination of two polycyclic hydrocarbons.
A New Quantitative Bead Aggregation Assay for Determining the Association Rates of Protein-Protein Interactions

Developing new quantitative methods for studying the interactions of cell surface proteins is imperative to advance understanding of the molecular determinants of cell adhesion. Our interest in the dimerization kinetics of cadherin, a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule, has motivated us to develop a quantitative bead aggregation assay to study the effects of calcium concentration on the kinetics of association. Although bead aggregation has been used for some time to study protein-protein interactions, the data are usually only interpreted qualitatively. Here we establish a quantitative method for studying the aggregation of beads that are coated with neural-cadherin. Data indicated exponential growth in aggregate size as a function of time. Time constants of association ranged from 18 to 3 minutes over a 100 fold increase in calcium concentration. We used this method to study the slow association kinetics of a mutant cadherin (NCAD1/R14E). These studies yielded a time constant of 28 minutes, which indicates that the association rate of mutant is slower than wild type (9 minutes). Experimental factors were controlled to ensure precision in the data including protein binding to beads, incubation time in the presence of calcium, mixing of the beads prior to placing on the slide and the residence time on the slide before data were acquired. This method is the first report of experimental determination of the kinetics of the association of proteins tethered to a surface, and is broadly applicable to study the kinetics of protein-protein interactions.
Projective Block Lanczos Algorithm for Dense, Hermitian Eigensystems

Projection operators are used to effect “deflation by restriction” and it is argued that this is an optimal Lanczos algorithm for memory minimization. Algorithmic optimization is constrained to dense, Hermitian eigensystems where a significant number of the extreme eigenvectors must be obtained reliably and completely. The defining constraints are operator algebra without a matrix representation and semi-orthogonalization without storage of Krylov vectors. Other semi-orthogonalization strategies for Lanczos algorithms and conjugate gradient techniques are evaluated within these constraints. Large scale, sparse, complex numerical experiments are performed on clusters of magnetic dipoles, a quantum many-body system that is not block-diagonalizable. Plane-wave, density functional theory of beryllium clusters provides examples of dense complex eigensystems. Use of preconditioners and spectral transformations is evaluated in a preprocessor prior to a high accuracy self-consistent field calculation.
Genetic forms of male hypogonadism.

The clinical manifestations of male hypogonadism will depend on when the testicular failure occurs. Therefore, based on the timing of testicular failure, different types of male hypogonadism can be identified. A correlation between physiopathology, clinical manifestation, and treatment is attempted
Combining semantic networks with multi-attribute utility models: An evaluative data base indexing method

Abstract This article presents a method for representing evaluative knowledge by combining techniques from two separate but complementary disciplines. A semantic network knowledge representation is merged with a decision-theoretic multiattribute utility (MAU) model to provide an indexing technique for data bases that store information in the form of judgments or evaluations. Such a merger provides reasoning and inference capabilities that allow the data base to estimate an evaluation even if no direct evidence is available for user queries. In addition to the technique, a sample application in international marketing, called the Country Consultant, is described.
Antihypertensive drug Valsartan promotes dendritic spine density by altering AMPA receptor trafficking

Recent studies demonstrated that the antihypertensive drug Valsartan improved spatial and episodic memory in mouse models of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and human subjects with hypertension. However, the molecular mechanism by which Valsartan can regulate cognitive function is still unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of Valsartan on dendritic spine formation in primary hippocampal neurons, which is correlated with learning and memory. Interestingly, we found that Valsartan promotes spinogenesis in developing and mature neurons. In addition, we found that Valsartan increases the puncta number of PSD-95 and trends toward an increase in the puncta number of synaptophysin. Moreover, Valsartan increased the cell surface levels of AMPA receptors and selectively altered the levels of spinogenesis-related proteins, including CaMKIIα and phospho-CDK5. These data suggest that Valsartan may promote spinogenesis by enhancing AMPA receptor trafficking and synaptic plasticity signaling.
Determinations of 15N chemical shift anisotropy magnitudes in a uniformly 15N,13C-labeled microcrystalline protein by three-dimensional magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Amide 15N chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) tensors provide quantitative insight into protein structure and dynamics. Experimental determinations of 15N CSA tensors in biologically relevant molecules...
Fourteen New Companions from the Keck and Lick Radial Velocity Survey Including Five Brown Dwarf Candidates

We present radial velocities for 14 stars on the California and Carnegie Planet Search target list that reveal new companions. One star, HD 167665, was fit with a definitive Keplerian orbit leading to a minimum mass for the companion of 50.3 M_(Jup) at a separation from its host of ~5.5 AU. Incomplete or limited phase coverage for the remaining 13 stars prevents us from assigning to them unique orbital parameters. Instead, we fit their radial velocities with Keplerian orbits across a grid of fixed values for M sin i and period P, and use the resulting χ^2_v surface to place constraints on M sin i, P, and semimajor axis ɑ. This technique allowed us to restrict M sin i below the brown dwarf-stellar mass boundary for an additional four companions (HD 150554, HD 8765, HD 72780, HD 74014). If the combined five companions are confirmed as brown dwarfs, these results would comprise the first major catch of such objects from our survey beyond ~3 AU.
The predictive validity of the National Teacher Examinations used for admission to teacher education programs

This research investigates previous findings which report that performance on the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) tests of Communication Skills (CS) and General Knowledge (GK) used for teacher education admissions was not related to performance in teacher education course work. Administrative data were collected for 1,143 graduates of teacher education programs, including various test scores and grade point averages. The CS and GK scores were not found to be strongly enough related to performance in teacher education programs, as measured by grade point average, to merit their use as requirements for admission. The tests are useful for predicting performance on the NTE test of Professional Knowledge, the state certification examination. Cross-validation of prior regression models showed these relationships to be stable. The authors point out policy implications of the study.
Myhre syndrome: Clinical features and restrictive cardiopulmonary complications

Myhre syndrome, a connective tissue disorder characterized by deafness, restricted joint movement, compact body habitus, and distinctive craniofacial and skeletal features, is caused by heterozygous mutations in SMAD4. Cardiac manifestations reported to date have included patent ductus arteriosus, septal defects, aortic coarctation and pericarditis. We present five previously unreported patients with Myhre syndrome. Despite varied clinical phenotypes all had significant cardiac and/or pulmonary pathology and abnormal wound healing. Included herein is the first report of cardiac transplantation in patients with Myhre syndrome. A progressive and markedly abnormal fibroproliferative response to surgical intervention is a newly delineated complication that occurred in all patients and contributes to our understanding of the natural history of this disorder. We recommend routine cardiopulmonary surveillance for patients with Myhre syndrome. Surgical intervention should be approached with extreme caution and with as little invasion as possible as the propensity to develop fibrosis/scar tissue is dramatic and can cause significant morbidity and mortality.
Medieval Social and Economic History as Viewed by North American Medievalists

The problem of how North American medievalists should deal with social and economic history is one which seems to have some importance the present time. Two recent articles in the JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC HISTORY are concerned with this matter. So are two others which have just appeared in the American Historical Review and which, since they examine quantitative history in general, throw light on this problem. Because of this kind of current interest, it was decided to hold a special session devoted to social and economic history at the recent semicentennial anniversary meeting of the Mediaeval Academy of America. This session was preceded by a questionnaire sent to 105 medieval historians of the United States and Canada who represented every field study, every age group, and every geographic area of this continent. Seventy replies were received and a lively discussion took place later at the meeting itself, which some thirty scholars attended. This article represents an attempt to sum up the results of both the survey and the subsequent discussion because it should be of value not only to medievalists but also to a wider body of scholars who share an interest in economic and social history in general.
Air interdiction mission planning using dynamic programming

A simple algorithm to aid air interdiction mission planning is described. Threats are modeled by circles, and routes are described by a sequence of turnpoints. Dynamic programming finds the minimum-risk route to a specified target. The minimum-risk route depends on the distribution of threat-avoidance weight or risk odds assigned by the user. A computer program based on this algorithm complements current manual planning methods by providing preliminary route options which avoid known threats and take advantage of favorable terrain. Final detailed planning must still be performed manually.
Repair of motor nerve gaps with sensory nerve inhibits regeneration in rats

Objective: Sensory nerve grafts are often used to reconstruct injured motor nerves, but the consequences of such motor/sensory mismatches are not well studied. Sensory nerves have more diverse fiber distributions than motor nerves and may possess phenotypically distinct Schwann cells. Putative differences in Schwann cell characteristics and pathway architecture may negatively affect the regeneration of motor neurons down sensory pathways. We hypothesized that sensory grafts impair motor target reinnervation, thereby contributing to suboptimal outcomes. This study investigated the effect of motor versus sensory grafts on nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Study Design: The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled animal study. Methods: Fifty-six Lewis rats were randomized to seven groups of eight animals each. Five-millimeter tibial nerve defects were reconstructed with motor or sensory nerve grafts comprised of single, double, triple, or quadruple cables. Tibial nerve autografts served as positive controls. Three weeks after reconstruction, nerves were harvested for histologic examination and quantitative histomorphometric analysis. Wet muscle masses provided an index of functional recovery. Results: Nerve regeneration was significantly greater across motor versus sensory nerve grafts independent of graft cross-sectional area or cable number. Motor grafts demonstrated increased nerve density, percent nerve, and total fiber number (P < .05). Normalized wet muscle masses trended toward improved recovery in motor versus sensory groups. Conclusions: Reconstruction of tibial nerve defects with nerve grafts of motor versus sensory origin enhanced nerve regeneration independent of cable number in a rodent model. Preferential nerve regeneration through motor nerve grafts may also promote functional recovery with potential implications for clinical nerve reconstruction.
Neutrino properties and puzzles

Abstract Sixty years after the existence of the neutrino was first postulated, we are still lacking in information on the fundamental properties of neutrinos. Measurements have consistently pushed the limits on the mass, magnetic moment and possible mixing down. Solar neutrino experiments are now shedding more light on the “solar neutrino problem” and are starting to give a hint that perhaps these quantities are nonzero. The present status of our knowledge of neutrino properties, the newest experimental data on the “solar neutrino problem,” and future plans are presented.
Comparison of two methods for estimation of spray deposits after application of microbial pesticides.

Abstract The effectiveness of two methods for the determination of deposition of mycopesticides on hemlock trees by spray application was compared. One method employs water and oil sensitive paper cards; the other uses a combination of two adhesive tapes (scotch tape) with different adhesive properties. Two fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Lecanicillium muscarium, and three fungal formulations based on whey, oil, and whey together with oil were used to evaluate the efficacy of the two methods. The new method has shown the certain advantages in comparison with the traditional method which is based on the sensitive paper cards. Generally, number of droplets counted was greater in the case of adhesive tape utilization. These observations were noted for the two entomopathogenic fungi. However, different results were noted for the three different types of fungal formulations. The presence of conidia was observed in all three formulations using adhesive tape. The number of conidia localized on hemlock twigs was af...
Optical extinction from Raman lidar measurements

Lidar can be an effective tool for measuring the optical extinction along atmospheric paths. The Penn State University LAMP lidar recently participated in a series of atmospheric measurements at NASA's Wallops Island test facility in September 1995. The LAMP lidar was operated with the beam pointed along horizontal and vertical paths. This paper discusses the determination of atmospheric extinction coefficients with Raman lidar measurements. Lidar measurements show the presence of aerosol layers in the atmosphere as a marked departure from the expected molecular profile for a Raman lidar signal. The horizontal extinction coefficient can be determined directly from the range corrected slope of a horizontal Raman profile. The vertical extinction coefficient can be determined directly from the range corrected slope of a horizontal Raman profile. The vertical extinction coefficient can be determined by comparing the gradient of the Raman lidar profile with the gradient of the molecular atmosphere. The LAMP lidar has also been used with a bistatic receiver to measure the scattering phase function which can then be used to calculate the aerosol particle size distribution and the optical extinction coefficient. This paper will discuss the experimental method and present several representative examples from Raman lidar measurements. The extinction coefficients determined form the Raman lidar data will then be compared with the extinction coefficients determined from the bistatic receiver data.
Problems in using birth certificate files in the capture-recapture model to estimate the completeness of case ascertainment in a population-based birth defects registry in New York State.

BACKGROUND: The limitations and underlying assumptions of the capture-recapture methods have hindered their application in epidemiological settings, especially in evaluating the completeness of birth defects registries. This study explored the possibility of using birth certificates as the secondary data source in a simple two-source capture-recapture model to estimate the completeness of case ascertainment of the Congenital Malformations Registry (CMR) for selected major birth defects. METHODS: The CMR and the birth certificates were used as the primary and secondary sources, respectively. Children who were born in 1996–2001 and had selected major birth defects were identified from the two sources. The accuracy of the diagnoses was examined by comparing the individual birth defect categories of the children from the two sources. RESULTS: Discrepancies in birth defect categories in the two data sources and false positives in the birth certificates were the major problems encountered in estimating the completeness of the CMR using the simple two-source capture-recapture method. The estimated completeness for selected major birth defects was only about 71%. Stratified analyses resulted in relatively high estimated completeness for oral clefts (90%) and Down syndrome (88%). CONCLUSIONS: Although the birth certificate data was not a good source for estimating the completeness of case ascertainment of the CMR using capture-recapture methods, the analyses provided reasonable estimates for some conditions that were relatively easy to identify and diagnose at birth, such as oral clefts and Down syndrome. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 76:772–777, 2006. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Progressive disease in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is correlated with the DNA methylation index

The DNA methylation index (MI) is calculated as a percentage of methylated cytosines to cytosines. We established the DNA MI in 100 normal individuals ranging in age between 1 month and 94 years and found that the age-specific DNA MI can be calculated (4.00-0.0034 x age). We determined the DNA MI in 23 patients with CLL ranging from 47 to 90 years and compared the results with age-matched controls. Using Cox proportional hazard models for MI, adjusting for age and white blood cell count, only the DNA MI correlated with early clinical indications for systemic therapy (p=0.0038, HR=7.00, 95% CI: 1.90-26.20).
Effects of heat release in a turbulent, reacting shear layer

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of heat release in a planar, gas-phase, reacting mixing layer formed between two free streams, one containing hydrogen in an inert diluent, the other, fluorine in an inert diluent. Sufficiently high concentrations of reactants were utilized to produce adiabatic flame temperature rises of up to 940 K (corresponding to 1240 K absolute). The temperature field was measured at eight fixed points across the layer. Flow visualization was accomplished by schlieren spark and motion picture photography. Mean velocity information was extracted from Pitot-probe dynamic pressure measurements. The results showed that the growth rate of the layer, for conditions of zero streamwise pressure gradient, decreased slightly with increasing heat release. The overall entrainment into the layer was substantially reduced as a consequence of heat release. A posteriori calculations suggest that the decrease in layer growth rate is consistent with a corresponding reduction in turbulent shear stress. Large-scale coherent structures were observed at all levels of heat release in this investigation. The mean structure spacing decreased with increasing temperature. This decrease was more than the corresponding decrease in shear-layer growth rate, and suggests that the mechanisms of vortex amalgamation are, in some manner, inhibited by heat release. The mean temperature rise profiles; normalized by the adiabatic flame temperature rise, were not greatly changed in shape over the range of heat release of this investigation. A small decrease in normalized mean temperature rise with heat release was however observed. Imposition of a favourable pressure gradient in a mixing layer with heat release resulted in an additional decrease in layer growth rate, and caused only a very slight increase in the mixing and amount of chemical product formation. The additional decrease in layer growth rate is shown to be accounted for in terms of the change in free-stream velocity ratio induced by the pressure gradient.
CYBERSPACE CHALLENGES TO MAINSTREAM NONPROFIT HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS

Nonprofits are increasingly significant to public administration. The field also is confronting the Internet. In examining health-based nonprofits, the authors ask: How are traditional nonprofits and newer radical groups using the Internet? What is the relationship between these two types of groups? Traditional groups use the Internet for organizational maintenance whereas newer groups use it for the more “radical” pursuits of empowerment, advocacy, and the provision of solidary benefits. The authors identify three relationships between traditional groups and their newer, more radical counterparts: cooperation, competition, and specialization.
Finasteride and Prostate Cancer: A Commentary

This commentary discusses the risks and benefits of using finasteride to prevent prostate cancer.
Gifted Students’ Perspectives on an Instructional Framework for School Improvement

School improvement efforts often focus on students who perform below grade level. These improvement efforts typically focus on improving instruction, often through a framework and professional development. The question remains, how do students who are gifted and talented respond to this type of instruction? We observed 48 students in their classrooms, interviewed them, and then held focus groups to gain their perspectives on the instructional framework being implemented. The students suggested that teacher modeling was valuable, that group work should include accountability, and that homework should be reasonable. They had mixed views on the importance of a clearly stated learning target and did not experience any small group instruction. Recommendations for school improvement that are inclusive of students who are gifted are included.
Spectral segmentation and multiple frequency-band tomographic backward propagation technique for high-resolution sonar imaging

This paper describes the multiple frequency-band tomographic backward propagation technique for sonar imaging. This technique models the received array time data as the complex superposition of plane waves of different wavelengths. The received plane waves are individually backward propagated to the image space to form single frequency holographic reconstructions. The individual holograms are coherently superimposed to form a final tomographic reconstruction of the image with superior resolution over the single-frequency holographic images. This paper outlines the backward propagation technique for sonar imaging, derives a quantitative description of performance under wide bandwidth conditions, and highlights the similarities of this technique with the popular phase-shift beamforming algorithm.
Single polarization fibers and applications

Single polarization fibers are designed so that one polarization propagates, while the other is cut off. Several classes of index profiles can be used. Applications include new transmission systems, sensors, and components.
A weight-based adaptive call admission control scheme for integrated multimedia traffic in mobile wireless networks

High speed mobile and wireless networks are expected to support multimedia traffic with different quality of service (QoS). However the high mobility of users, channel fading effect and limited bandwidth make QoS provision a challenging issue. In this paper, we classify multimedia traffic into three classes: CBR real-time traffic, VBR real-time traffic and VBR non real-time traffic. We propose a weight-based adaptive call admission control scheme in mobile wireless multimedia networks. The basic strategy is to look at the actual demand of bandwidth determined by both arrival rate and required transmission rate for each class of traffic. Our weight-based adaptive call admission control scheme is observed to maintain a good QoS through extensive simulations.
Alteration of the heme prosthetic group of neuronal nitric-oxide synthase during inactivation by N(G)-amino-L-arginine in vitro and in vivo.

It is established thatNG-amino-l-arginine (NAA) is a metabolism-based inactivator of all three major nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms. The mechanism by which this inactivation occurs, however, is not well understood. In the current study, we discovered that inactivation of the neuronal isoform of NOS (nNOS) by NAA in vitro results in covalent alteration of the heme prosthetic group, in part, to products that contain an intact porphyrin ring and are either dissociable from or irreversibly bound to the protein. The alteration of the heme is concomitant with the loss of nNOS activity. Studies with nNOS containing a 14C-labeled prosthetic heme moiety indicate that the major dissociable product and the irreversibly bound heme adduct account for 21 and 28%, respectively, of the heme that is altered. Mass spectral analysis of the major dissociable product gave a molecular ion ofm/z 775.3 that is consistent with the mass of an adduct of heme and NAA minus a hydrazine group. Peptide mapping of the irreversibly bound heme adduct indicates that the heme is bound to a residue in the oxygenase domain of nNOS. We show for the first time that metabolism-based inactivation of nNOS occurs in vivo as highly similar heme products are formed. Because inactivation and alteration may trigger ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of nNOS, NAA may be a useful biochemical tool for the study of these basic regulatory processes.
Robustness issues for hybrid systems

Studies robustness issues for hybrid systems. Various robustness properties are described and examples are provided. The authors also provide an approximation procedure which can be used to obtain robustness results.
US of the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Wrist Ligaments and Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex—Normal Anatomy and Imaging Technique

Injuries of the intrinsic and extrinsic wrist ligaments can lead to chronic wrist pain and carpal instability, while injuries of the triangular fibrocartilage complex are a frequent cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain. Currently, magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography is the preferred imaging modality for the evaluation of these structures, but good results can also achieved with MR imaging without preceding arthrography and computed tomographic (CT) arthrography. Promising results have been published on ultrasonography (US) and sonoarthrography of the intrinsic wrist ligaments and the triangular fibrocartilage complex and on US of the majority of extrinsic wrist ligaments. Visualization of these structures can be achieved by using high-frequency linear transducers. US has the advantages of MR imaging and MR arthrography: lower cost, no known contraindication for imaging, and real-time technique with possible dynamic evaluation. This technique does not require imaging guided intraarticular injection of contrast medium prior to MR arthrography or CT arthrography and does not use ionizing radiation; however, US is operator dependent, which can be compensated for by using standardized imaging techniques. Supplemental material available at http://radiographics.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/rg.e44/-/DC1.
An Olfactometer for Measuring Host-Seeking Behavior of Female Aedes Aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

A novel olfactometer, suitable for recording hostseeking behavior of mosquitoes, is described. This vertically oriented olfactometer operates by passive diffusion of attractant vapors and contains funnels and baffles which direct both attractant and mosquitoes. The olfactometer discriminates between questing and nonquesting mosquitoes within a few minutes. The results are unaffected by crowding (within certain limits) and time of day. Insemination does not affect questing behavior in this device, but sucrose ingestion inhibits host-seeking. The features of this device are compared to those of previously described olfactometers.
Shaping the future of synthetic biology.

Over the past few years, a debate has been taking place within the Convention on Biological Diversity regarding the risks and benefits of organisms, components, and products arising from synthetic biology techniques to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. If synthetic biology were recognized as a new and emerging issue, the Convention would be able to develop rules governing its use. The voices and expertise of the scientific community have been mostly silent in this debate. In October 2014, about 20 of the 168 countries that are signatories to the Convention determined that there was insufficient information to make this designation and established an online forum and expert working group to collect more information in order to make a final recommendation to the Conference of the Parties by December 2016 ([ 1 ][1]). The United States is not a signatory to the Convention and therefore has limited influence on the process and final decisions. Although the United States will not be bound by the Convention, any researcher or company planning on developing or deploying synthetic biology in the other 168 countries that are signatories will be affected. It is therefore critical that the scientific community become actively engaged in this process. There is an open call for information related to synthetic biology to be submitted by 30 April ([ 2 ][2]). Issues being considered include (i) how to address the relationship between synthetic biology and biological diversity; (ii) similarities and differences between living modified organisms (as defined in the Cartagena Protocol) and organisms, components, and products of synthetic biology techniques; (iii) operational definition of synthetic biology, comprising inclusion and exclusion criteria; (iv) potential benefits and risks of organisms, components, and products arising from synthetic biology techniques to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and related human health and socioeconomic impacts relevant to the mandate of the Convention and its Protocols; and (v) best practices on risk assessment and monitoring regimes currently used by Parties to the Convention and other governments. There will also be an online forum of experts discussing these issues, beginning on 27 April. If members of the scientific community cannot participate fully as designated experts, they can submit information through the Woodrow Wilson Center, which is a member of the expert online forum. 1. [↵][3] Convention on Biological Diversity, Biosafety Clearing-House, Tentative calendar of activities related to synthetic biology ( ). 2. [↵][4] Submission of Information on Synthetic Biology ([www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2015/ntf-2015-013-synthetic-biology-en.pdf?=download][5]) [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [4]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text" [5]: http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2015/ntf-2015-013-synthetic-biology-en.pdf?=download
Epizootiology of eastern equine encephalitis virus in upstate New York, USA. VII. Virus surveillance 1978-85, description of 1983 outbreak, and series conclusions.

Mosquito and arbovirus surveillance activities have been routinely conducted in upstate New York since 1971. This report details the surveillance results during 1978–85. Minimal virus activity was detected in the first 4 yr of concentrated surveillance at Toad Harbor Swamp, Oswego County. In 1983, an outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) resulted in one human and nine equine cases. The outbreak was preceded by an epiornitic of Highlands J (HJ) virus in 1982; this was the first evidence of HJ virus activity in the region. Isolations of EEE virus from mosquitoes in 1983 incriminated Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) and Cs. morsitans (Dyar) as epiornitic vectors and Aedes canadensis (Theobald) as an epizootic vector. Mosquito collection data from two endemic foci indicated substantial and significant differences in EEE virus infection rates. The occurrence of HJ virus, the differences in mosquito infection rates, and widespread epizootic disease during a year of low mosquito densities are used to develop a hypothesis on the distribution of multiple endemic foci of EEE virus in upstate New York.
Effects of noise on plasma renin activity in rats (39867).

SummaryThe effects of noise on plasma renin activity (PRA) were studied in unan-esthetized rats. An intensity of 115 dB (broadband) was required to increase PRA in animals eating a normal diet; the threshold was only 90-100 dB for sodium-deprived rats. Stimuli at 2000 cps of up to 115 dB were ineffective in elevating PRA.The authors gratefully acknowledge the advice and assistance of Dr. Joseph E. Hawkins.