cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The critical region on the human Xq

Adult female carriers of balanced X; autosome translocations (118 cases) and of balanced X inversions (31 cases) have been collected from the literature. Forty-five of the 118 translocation carriers in whom the break was in the critical region (Xq13–q22, Xq22–q26, separated by a narrow region within Xq22) showed gonadal dysgenesis. Seven of the 31 inversion carriers in whom the break was in the same region also had gonadal dysgenesis, whereas the remaining 24 were normal in this respect. The critical region consists mainly of Q-bright material, and is the fifth brightest segment in the human genome. The region contains relatively few genes. It is possible that meiotic crossing-over, rarely, if ever, takes place in it. The critical region may therefore consist of two “supergenes” whose integrity must be maintained to allow normal ovarian development. The effect exerted by this region differs from other known position effects, in that it is independent of the break-point within the region and of the chromosome bands to which the broken ends are attached. One possible mechanism causing this effect might be a change in the replication order of the chromosome bands, which, in turn, might affect their function.
Nuclear war: the granzyme A-bomb

Granzyme A, a serine protease in the cytotoxic granules of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, induces caspase-independent cell death when introduced into target cells by perforin. Granzyme A induces single-stranded DNA damage as well as rapid loss of cell membrane integrity and mitochondrial transmembrane potential through unknown mechanisms. Granzyme A destroys the nuclear envelope by targeting lamins and opens up DNA for degradation by targeting histones. A special target of the granzyme A cell death pathway is an endoplasmic reticulum-associated complex, called the SET complex, which contains three granzyme A substrates, the nucleosome assembly protein SET, the DNA bending protein HMG-2, and the base excision repair endonuclease Ape1. The SET complex also contains the tumor suppressor protein pp32 and the granzyme A-activated DNase NM23-H1, which is inhibited by SET. Granzyme A cleavage of SET releases the inhibition and unleashes NM23-H1. Cleavage of Ape1 by granzyme A interferes with the ability of the target cell to repair itself. The novel cell death pathway initiated by granzyme A provides a parallel pathway for apoptosis, important in destroying targets that overexpress bcl-2 or are otherwise invulnerable to the caspases.
Crown closure estimation of oak savannah in a dry season with Landsat TM imagery: Comparison of various indices through correlation analysis

In this paper, we assess the capability of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) for oakwood crown closure estimation in Tulare County, California. Measurements made from orthorectified aerial photographs for the same area were used as a reference. The linear relationship between crown closure and digital values of each band of the TM image was examined. TM Band 3 had the highest correlation ( @ = m 0.828; R 2 = 0.687) with crown closure measurements. The simple ratio (SR) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were generated for correlation analysis and only NDVI showed better correlation ( A = 0.836; R 2 = 0.699) than use of single bands. An additional index (NIR N - R N )/(NIR N + R N ), called NDVIN, was experimented, NDVISQ ( N = 2) and NDVICUB ( N = 3) showed some improvements over SR and NDVI ( A = 0.855; R 2 = 0.732 for N = 3). Through multiple regression with all six bands, we found that there was a considerable amount of improvement in variability explanation over any individual band or in...
Ecological approaches to the study of religion

This article is an attempt to describe and assess recent appeals to ecology for the purpose of explaining and understanding religious beliefs and practices. These appeals are divided into two kinds, those which trace out mono-directional causation and those which display functional relationships with feedback loops. The latter approach is found to be far more helpful and revealing, though some of the examples considered here lack quantitative precision or convincing empirical support. Examination of ecological explanations should help us to appreciate the value of having a variety of explanatory techniques.
Corporate Ownership and Governance in Russia

Abstract This article investigates the impact of privatization on managers' behavior, considering both the unique features of the Russian reality and general theoretical issues in property rights and economic behavior. Our analysis was primarily concentrated on corporate ownership structure as the derivative of managers' primary interest in corporate control, on the approaches they employ in order to satisfy their primary interests, and on sources on managers' power. Attention then was directed to the relationship between the ownership structure and governance potentials of different groups of investors. The results of the study conclude that (1) the initial attempt to separate ownership and control in order to increase managers' incentives to be concerned about accounting numbers has not been successful; (2) currently, managers have a negative attitude toward any actions, which could alter their powerful position and the distinctive socio-economic environment in Russia provides enough incentives to ensure that the managers' behavior remains consistent with their desire to keep control of the corporate leadership; (3) corporate behavior during the transition period will not necessarily vary with changes in the structure of corporate ownership toward giving a greater power to outsiders, due to the very specific relationship between inside and outside owners.
Bonding of Ofloxacin to Polytetrafluoroethylene Suture and Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus

Conditions required for in vitro bonding of14C-ofloxacin (OFX) to polytetrafluoroethylene suture (PTFE) were investigated. Bonding of OFX to PTFE was enhanced 22- and 75-fold in the presence of the cationic surfactant benzalkonium chloride (BAC) or silver and organic solvents (S/O), respectively. The optimal temperature and time of incubation for maximum OFX bonding was 37°C for 1 h (BAC) and 37°C for 25 min (S/O). BAC- and S/O-treated PTFE bound 3.94 nmoles and 17.79 nmoles OFX/cm suture. Prolonged in vitro incubation of OFX/PTFE for 7 days at 37°C in the presence of serum or saline resulted in 50% OFX retention. In vivo studies on OFX/PTFE placed into canine carotid arteries showed 8% OFX retention. The intravenous infusion of coagulase-positiveStaphylococcus aureus into OFX/PTFE animals resulted in colonization. Although significant in vitro bonding of OFX to PTFE was observed, in vivo studies demonstrate an accelerated release and inferior OFX/PTFE activity against microbial colonization.
The Fuzzy C Quadratic Shell clustering algorithm and the detection of second-degree curves

Abstract This paper introduces a new fuzzy clustering algorithm called the Fuzzy C Quadric Shells algorithm which is expressly designed to seek clusters that can be described by segments of second-degree curves, or more generally by segments of shells of hyperquadrics.
Distinguishing splanchnic nerve and chromaffin cell stimulation in mouse adrenal slices with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.

Electrical stimulation is an indispensible tool in studying electrically excitable tissues in neurobiology and neuroendocrinology. In this work, the consequences of high-intensity electrical stimul...
Bi-chevron aluminum nitride actuators for high pressure microvalves

Abstract Thin-film, aluminum nitride (AlN) can be utilized in piezoelectric actuators as an alternative to PZT, enabling high pressure operation without compressive-stress depolarization. To overcome relatively lower piezoelectric coefficients, amplification flexures (e.g. bi-chevron) are used. This paper describes the design, fabrication and testing of a bi-chevron AlN actuator for a high-pressure microvalve. The AlN microvalve can operate at higher pressures (10 MPa) with a fifty-fold increase in stroke/volume ratio compared to current PZT valves. The actuation stroke is compared with theoretical values and finite element method (FEM) results. The error between FEM and empirical data is less than 17 %.
Birth Outcomes for Arabic-Named Women in California Before and After September 11

Persons who were perceived to be Arabs experienced a period of increased harassment, violence, and workplace discrimination in the United States in the weeks immediately following September 11, 2001. Drawing on prior studies that have hypothesized that experiences of discrimination increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight, this study explores whether there was an effect on birth outcomes for pregnant women of Arab descent. California birth certificate data are used to determine the relative risk of poor birth outcomes by race, ethnicity, and nativity for women who gave birth in the six months following September 2001, compared with the same six calendar months one year earlier. The relative risk of poor birth outcomes was significantly elevated for Arabic-named women and not for any of the other groups.
Tropolones of cupressaceae—III.

Abstract Twenty-two samples of heartwood from various Cupressus species were analyzed by paper chromatography to determine the tropolones present. Nootkatin and β-thujaplicin seem to occur in all species. Pygmaein, α-thujaplicinol, and α-dolabrinol occur only in the three cypresses from the California coast— C. pygmea, C. goveniana , and C. abramsiana . γ-Thujaplicin is found in large amounts in two closely related species, C. forbesii (southern California) and C. guadalupensis (Guadalupe Island, Baja California), as well as in C. lusifanica , a species known in cultivation only; it appears sporadically in C. arizonica and in the related species C. glabra . Hydronootkatinol and β-thujaplicinol are fairly common, usually in small amounts. α-Thujaplicin and β-dolabrin seem to be rare trace constituents.
ON TESTING AGAINST RESTRICTED ALTERNATIVES FOR THE VARIANCES OF GAUSSIAN MODELS

Summary Let π1,…,πp be p independent normal populations with means μ1…, μp and variances σ21,…, σ2p respectively. Let X(ni) be a simple random sample of size ni from πi, i = 1,…,p. Given the simple random samples X(n1),…, X(np) from π1,…,πp respectively, a test has been proposed for testing the homogeneity of variances H0: σ21=…σ2p, against the restricted alternative, H1: σ21≥…≥σ2p, with at least one strict inequality. Some properties of the test are discussed and critical values are tabulated.
Excitation in low-current discharges and breakdown in He at low pressures and very high electric field to gas density ratios E ∕ N

We investigate optical emission from low-current discharges in He at very high electric field to gas density ratios $E∕N$ between parallel plate electrodes. We also determine the electrical breakdown and the voltage-current behavior at low currents. The $E∕N$ are $300\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Td}$ to $9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kTd}$ $(1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Td}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}21}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{V}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{m}}^{2})$ at pressures times electrode separations ${p}_{0}d$ from $3\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}0.9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{Torr}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{cm}$. Absolute optical emission probabilities versus distance are determined for the $501.6\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ line $(3\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{1}P\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{1}S)$ and for the $587.6\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ line $(3\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{3}D\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{3}P)$ by reference to Boltzmann calculations at our lowest $E∕N$ and to published pressure dependent electron beam experiments. At $E∕N$ below $1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kTd}$, the emission follows the exponential growth of the electron density, while at above $7\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{kTd}$ heavy particle excitation is evident near the cathode. Collisional transfer of excitation from the singlet to the triplet system dominates the $587.6\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ excitation. Comparisons of models with experiments show the importance of excitation and of electron production at the cathode by fast He atoms produced by charge transfer collisions of ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ with He. The breakdown voltage versus ${p}_{0}d$ is multivalued for ${p}_{0}d\ensuremath{\sim}1.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{Torr}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{cm}$. At currents below $100\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{A}$ and our lower $E∕N$, the discharge voltage decreases linearly with current as expected for an increasing electron yield with ion energy and $E∕N$ at the cathode.
Pioneer and Voyager observations of the solar wind at large heliocentric distances and latitudes

Data obtained from the electrostatic analyzers aboard the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft and from the Faraday cup aboard Voyager 2 were used to study spatial gradients in the distant solar wind. Prior to mid-1985, both spacecraft observed nearly identical solar wind structures. After day 150 of 1985, the velocity structure at Voyager 2 became flatter, and the Voyager 2 velocities were smaller than those observed by Pioneer 11. It is suggested that these changes in the solar wind at low latitudes may be related to a change which occurred in the coronal hole structure in early 1985.
Characterizations of PG(n-1,q)\PG(k-1,q) by Numerical and Polynomial Invariants

We show that the simple matroid PG(n - 1, q)\PG(k - 1, q), for n > 4 and 1 ≤ k ≤ n - 2, is characterized by a variety of numerical and polynomial invariants. In particular, any matroid that has the same Tutte polynomial as PG(n - 1, q)\PG(k - 1, q) is isomorphic to PG(n - 1, q)\PG(k - 1, q).
Establishing a national traumatic brain injury information system based upon a unified data set

In alliance with payers and persons with disabilities, rehabilitation professionals can create an outcome data system for traumatic brain injury (TBI) that will provide the knowledge necessary to improve the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. A nationwide TBI data system is needed to identify reasonably homogeneous subgroups given different treatments whose outcomes can be meaningfully compared. The advantages of a national outcome data system for gathering and analyzing this information include large sample sizes, objective assessment, measurement across the whole continuum of care, and adequate severity adjusters. Proposed methods and content for such a database are described, for reflecting general functional levels of clients along the continuum of care: acute care, TBI rehabilitation programs, and the community. Tools proposed are brief, have proven reliability and validity, and measure characteristics common to traumatically brain injured individuals. Possible data analysis approaches for a National Information System (database) dedicated to TBI are described for discussion within the rehabilitation community.
Prediction of shear viscosity and non-Newtonian behavior in the soft-sphere liquid

We show that a shear rate-dependent viscosity coefficient, normal pressure differences, and shear dilatancy can be predicted in a soft-sphere liquid given only the equilibrium radial distribution function and a relaxation time. Calculations are made using the relaxation-time theory of Hess and Hanley, and the results are compared with simulation data from nonequilibrium molecular dynamics.
Object recognition using appearance representations derived from solid models of objects

We advance active computer vision algorithms for flexible manufacturing systems that classify objects and estimate their pose from intensity images. Our algorithms automatically reposition the sensor if the class or pose of an object is ambiguous in a given image and incorporate data from multiple object views in determining the final object classification. A feature space trajectory (FST) in a global eigenfeature space is used to represent 3-D distorted views of an object. Bayesian methods are used to derive the class hypothesis, pose estimate, confidence measures, and the sensor position that best resolves ambiguity. FSTs constructed using images rendered from solid models of objects are used to process real image data.
Wastewater Treatment Plants as Chemical Observatories to Forecast Ecological and Human Health Risks of Manmade Chemicals

Thousands of chemicals have been identified as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), but prioritizing them concerning ecological and human health risks is challenging. We explored the use of sewage treatment plants as chemical observatories to conveniently identify persistent and bioaccumulative CECs, including toxic organohalides. Nationally representative samples of sewage sludge (biosolids) were analyzed for 231 CECs, of which 123 were detected. Ten of the top 11 most abundant CECs in biosolids were found to be high-production volume chemicals, eight of which representing priority chemicals, including three flame retardants, three surfactants and two antimicrobials. A comparison of chemicals detected in nationally representative biological specimens from humans and municipal biosolids revealed 70% overlap. This observed co-occurrence of contaminants in both matrices suggests that the analysis of sewage sludge can inform human health risk assessments by providing current information on toxic exposures in human populations and associated body burdens of harmful environmental pollutants.
Inhibition of polyphenoloxidase in mango puree with 4-hexylresorcinol, cysteine and ascorbic acid

Abstract Mango puree, at three pH (3.5, 4.0, or 4.4) was mixed with 4-hexylresorcinol (4-HR) (40, 60, or 80 mg/kg), cysteine (Cys) (100, 200, or 300 mg/kg), or ascorbic acid (AA) (250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg) to assess their effect on polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity. Combinations of 4-HR/Cys and 4-HR/AA at pH 3.5 were also studied. PPO activity was analysed spectrophotometrically at 30 °C. Mango purees were stored for at least three weeks at 3±1 °C. L * , a * , and b * color parameters were analysed to evaluate mango color stability. The PPO activity in fresh mango puree at pH 3.5, 4.0, and 4.4 exhibited 11.7, 23.1, and 259.2 PPO activity units, respectively. This means there was a reduction in 95.5 and 91.1% of PPO activity for pH 3.5 and 4.0 respectively. No significant differences ( * P > 0.05 ) were observed for PPO activity among anti-browning agents and concentrations used separately, but PPO activity at pH 4.4 was significantly different ( * P 0.05 ). All concentrations at of AA and 300 mg/kg of Cys at pH 3.5 and 4.0 exhibited less darkening during storage. No significant differences in PPO activity were observed for combinations of AA or 4-HR. The darkening effect of puree was slowed down as Cys and AA concentrations were increased in combination with 4-HR.
2-Phenyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)hexahydro-pyrimidine.

The title compound, C15H17N3, was prepared by reaction of benzoyl­pyridine and hexahydropyrimidine. The 1,3-diazinane ring adopts a chair conformation with one N—H group axial and the other equatorial. The axial N—H group participates in very weak hydrogen bonding to the lone pair of electrons of the N atom with the equatorial H atom producing a very weakly hydrogen-bonded dimer. The pyridine N atom accepts an inter­nal hydrogen bond from the equatorial H atom. The phenyl ring adopts an equatorial position while the pyridine ring is axial. The phenyl ring exhibits a slight twist (ca 25°) relative to the hexahydropyrimidine ring. The pyridine ring stacks with symmetry-related pyridine rings.
Partial fractions expansion

Nine methods for expressing a proper rational function in terms of partial fractions are presented for the case where the denominator polynomial has been reduced to linear factors. Only those methods which are amenable to computation algorithms are considered. To the extent possible, Newton's divided difference formula is used to provide a uniform derivational tool. Each method is illustrated numerically. The efficiency of the methods are compared on the basis of the number of multiplications and divisions required in the computation.
Renal tract ultrasonography for routine surveillance in spinal cord injury patients.

Objectives: To report the efficacy of a urinary tract surveillance regime based on annual renal tract ultrasound without routine use of urodynamic testing (UDS) in our population of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients managed with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Methods: Data was gathered retrospectively from the records of 48 SCI patients (40 males and 8 females). After establishing a safe system with initial urodynamics, renal ultrasonography was done annually for surveillance. UDS was repeated only when patients presented with new symptoms. The primary endpoint was the report of ultrasound findings at last follow-up. Findings of dilatation, calculi, scarring, and reflux were noted. Results: Mean follow-up was 6.8 years. By final follow-up, pelvicaliectasis was present in 4 (8%) subjects. Mild-moderate hydronephrosis was present in 3 (6%) subjects: 1 stable and 2 (4%) new compared to initial assessment. No severe cases of hydronephrosis were noted. Six (13%) subjects had renal/ureteral calculi. ...
Determining proximity warning and action zones for a magnetic proximity detection system

Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are developing intelligent software for use with electromagnetic proximity detection systems. The technology accurately locates workers around mining machines in real time. With the accurate locations of the workers around the equipment being known, their safety status can be evaluated. If a worker is located dangerously close to a machine, the machine can be partially or completely disabled to protect the worker from striking, pinning and entanglement hazards according to pre-defined logic. The technology is particularly applicable to mobile underground mining machines which offer difficult safety challenges in that operators generally work in close proximity to these machines in very restricted spaces. With use of the intelligent proximity detection system, nuisance alarms and failures to alarm are also expected to be sharply reduced. An effective proximity warning and action zone scheme is necessary for safe implementation and will improve the acceptance of a magnetic proximity detection system by underground workers.
Equations of motion for mechanical systems: a unified approach.

This paper presents a unified framework from which emerge the Lagrange equations, the Gibbs-Appell Equations and the Generalized Inverse Equations for describing the motion of constrained mechanical systems. The unified approach extends the applicability of the first two approaches to systems where the constraints are non-linear functions of the generalized velocities and are not necessarily independent. Furthermore, the approach leads to the Explicit Gibbs-Appell Equations.
Imbricate continuum and progressive fracturing of concrete and geomaterials

After giving an overview of the recent results at Northwestern University on mathematical models for fracturing heterogeneous materials, the lecture addresses the problem of a continuum model for strain-softening. In a classical, local continuum, strain-softening leads to unrealistic unstable response, such that failure localizes into a layer of vanishing thickness and occurs at vanishing energy dissipation. While the classical nonlocal continuum does not resolve the problem, solution is found in the form of a new type of nonlocal continuum, called the imbricate continuum, which represents the limiting case of a system of overlapping (imbricated) finite elements of a certain fixed characteristic size that is a material property.
Clinical Medicine and Clinical Trials

INTRODUCTION Dr. Eli Glatstein has been an important mentor and friend during my 30 years in clinical radiation oncology. He has made countless contributions to our field, and those contributions are being celebrated as part of this special issue of The Oncologist. I am indebted to him for his guidance and help in the development of my career generally. I am particularly grateful to Eli for helping me to form my views regarding the role of clinical trials as a guide to clinical medicine. As well as anyone I know, Eli could penetrate the subtleties, the contradictions, the strengths, and the weaknesses of the clinically oriented scientific literature. It is that ability that has made him such a superb teacher and clinical scientist. That ability (along with many others) has had an enormous influence on me and has helped generate the ideas described below. I herein describe some of my thoughts and opinions, and their rationale, on clinical trials. Some of them Eli will agree with, and some he will not. But all reflect his teaching to think carefully about these important issues. Clinical oncology is rapidly changing. Rapid introduction of newer, more sophisticated diagnostic tools, pharmaceuticals, and therapeutic technologies increases options for our patients. This can lead to confusion because it is often not clear when and if these new treatment options should be used. One of the most important things we need to do as physicians is to learn how to understand and interpret conflicting data and information in the medical literature. Herein, I discuss some of those issues, as they apply to oncology in general and specifically to radiation oncology. Good clinical trials are important to help the clinician know when and how to employ these new, often expensive, diagnostic/therapeutic options. Nevertheless, many tools reach the clinic without meaningful clinical efficacy data. In order to be approved in the medical marketplace in the U.S., devices only have to demonstrate that they accomplish the goals for which they are intended, and that is often a technical, not a clinical endpoint. New drugs have a greater hurdle in that they need to demonstrate some measure of clinical efficacy, although the definition of efficacy is far from straightforward. At times no data are available to demonstrate clinical efficacy, but at times, even when data are available, they are often suboptimal for several reasons.
Low Expectations: Reference‐Dependent Preferences and Labor Supply in Cape Town, South Africa

Reference-dependent decision-making — the core of behavioral economics' prospect theory — makes people more likely to choose an outcome that they expect to receive. Reference-dependence therefore may imply the perpetuation of disadvantage: people who do not expect an opportunity may be less likely to “seize the day” if one unexpectedly arrives. We find evidence of this possibility in labor supply decision-making in two datasets about a high-unemployment part of Cape Town, South Africa, including a panel. People with low expectations for finding a job — that is, people who expect to be unemployed — are less likely to report accepting several hypothetical job offers. This result is robust to a range of respecifications, including adding a range of control variables for desire and ability to work, including reservation wages. The finding appears to arise according to the theorized mechanisms. To our knowledge, this is the first indication of reference-dependent labor supply in a developing country, where especially low expectations could have particularly important consequences.
Quantitative analysis and modeling of katanin function in flagellar length control

A mutation in a microtubule-severing enzyme, katanin, causes flagella to become short due to a reduced cytoplasmic precursor pool. These results suggest that competition between flagella and cytopl...
Social support as a mediator between symptom distress and quality of life in women with breast cancer.

Objective: To examine relationships between symptom distress and quality of life when religious support and personal support were introduced as mediating variables. Design: Cross-sectional, correlational. Setting: Internet recruitment following university institutional review board approval. Participants: Mailed questionnaires from 100 women with breast cancer, mean age 46, length of time since surgery 1 to 24 months, predominantly White. Instruments: Symptom Distress Scale, Religious Support Scale, FACT-B, and Facit-Sp-12. Results: Personal support was positively related to quality of life and partially mediated the effects of symptom distress. Religious support did not mediate symptom distress and was not directly related to quality of life. Conclusions: Social support from family members and friends helped to decrease the negative effects of symptoms on quality of life. This study underscores the need to continue to assess for symptom distress and adequacy of personal support throughout the cancer trajectory and to facilitate the garnering of support resources when needed.
Model City USA: The Environmental Cost of Victory in World War II and the Cold War

AbstractLong shrouded in a cocoon of national-security secrecy, the history of the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works site in western New York sheds light on the enduring environmental, political, and social costs of victory in World War II and the Cold War. A micro-study of a nuclear waste site, this article analyzes connections among U.S. nuclear weapons waste management and the environment, local politics, grassroots activism, and international diplomacy. Ultimately, it argues that a spirit of patriotic sacrifice, combined with a culture of secrecy, overrode concerns about safety. The end result of that sacrifice is today a legacy of environmental contamination and the progressive decline of local democratic controls over natural resources.
The influence of risk status on guideline adherence for patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Background Practice guidelines for patients with non–ST-segment elevation (NSTE) acute coronary syndromes (ACS) recommend targeting evidence-based therapies for the highest-risk patients. We characterized guideline adherence for NSTE ACS by risk status. Methods We analyzed inhospital treatments and outcomes for 77 760 patients with NSTE ACS (ischemic ST-segment changes and/or positive cardiac markers) included in the CRUSADE initiative from January 2001 to September 2003 at 457 US hospitals. Compliance with the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Class guideline recommendations for NSTE ACS was evaluated in subgroups of eligible patients without listed contraindications at increased risk for mortality and among risk categories designated by an adapted version of the PURSUIT risk model designed to predict inhospital mortality. Results Inhospital mortality was increased in patients with diabetes mellitus (5.8% vs 4.3%), renal insufficiency (10.0% vs 3.9%), signs of congestive heart failure on presentation (10.6% vs 3.1%), and age ≥75 years (8.6% vs 2.7%), compared with patients without these features. Use of guideline-recommended acute medications, invasive cardiac procedures, and discharge medications and interventions was significantly lower in patients with these high-risk features. Patients designated as high-risk for inhospital mortality were less likely to be treated with guideline-recommended therapies compared with low-risk and moderate-risk patients. Conclusions Patients with NSTE ACS with the highest risk of mortality are less likely to receive guideline-recommended therapies and interventions. These findings highlight the need to clarify guideline recommendations for high-risk patients and to develop novel quality improvement approaches that target undertreated subgroups of patients with NSTE ACS.
Procedural results of coronary angioplasty but not late mortality have improved in patients with depressed left ventricular function.

Background: Published experience with coronary angioplasty in patients with severely depressed left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction indicates that procedural complications are more frequent in such patients than in those with normal or near normal LV function. Although the immediate outcomes of transcatheter revascularization in unselected populations have improved substantially since the procedures upon which these reports were based were performed, outcomes with this subset of patients has not been recently reviewed. Hypothesis: This study was undertaken to document the results of the application of current transcatheter technology to this patient subset. Methods: We analyzed data from 194 consecutive patients with a visually estimated LV ejection fraction < 30%, who underwent coronary angioplasty in this institution between January 1, 1995, and April 30, 1996, and compared their outcomes with those of 1,390 patients with normal LV function treated concurrently. Results: Angiographic success in the two groups was similar. The hospital mortality of the patients with low ejection fraction was higher (2.6 vs. 0.6%, p=0.02) than in concurrently treated patients with normal LV function. Other procedural complications were no more frequent than in such patients. Late mortality in patients with low ejection fraction was 16%, a similar value to that in older reports. Conclusion: Compared with older reports, current hospital outcomes of coronary angioplasty are improved in patients with severely depressed LV function. Unfortunately, late outcomes are not demonstrably better.
Contribution of thermal cues to material discrimination and localization

The objective of these two experiments was to determine the role of thermal cues in material discrimination and localization, using materials that spanned a range of thermal properties. In the first experiment, the subjects were required to select the cooler of two materials presented to the index fingers. In the second, the finger that was in contact with a material that was different from that presented to the other two fingers on the same hand had to be identified. The results indicated that the subjects were able to discriminate between materials, using thermal cues, when the differences in their thermal properties were large. The changes in skin temperature when the fingers were touching the materials were, however, smaller than those predicted by the theoretical model. The ability to localize the thermal changes when three fingers on the same hand were stimulated was poor and depended on both the thermal properties of the target and the distractor materials.
Structure of CD94 Reveals a Novel C-Type Lectin Fold: Implications for the NK Cell–Associated CD94/NKG2 Receptors

Abstract The crystal structure of the extracellular domain of CD94, a component of the CD94/NKG2 NK cell receptor, has been determined to 2.6 A resolution, revealing a unique variation of the C-type lectin fold. In this variation, the second α helix, corresponding to residues 102–112, is replaced by a loop, the putative carbohydrate-binding site is significantly altered, and the Ca 2+ -binding site appears nonfunctional. This structure may serve as a prototype for other NK cell receptors such as Ly-49, NKR-P1, and CD69. The CD94 dimer observed in the crystal has an extensive hydrophobic interface that stabilizes the loop conformation of residues 102–112. The formation of this dimer reveals a putative ligand-binding region for HLA-E and suggests how NKG2 interacts with CD94.
Experiences of paraprofessionals in US preschool special education and general education classrooms

A substantial challenge confronting public education systems across the world is the employment and retention of high-quality paraprofessionals (also known as teaching assistants and educational assistants). The current study expands upon previous research by employing a mixed methods design to examine the relationship between paraprofessionals' perceptions of their responsibilities and the corresponding satisfaction and issues relating to their job in the USA. Analytic induction through the generation of themes was used to analyse the qualitative data and revealed that paraprofessionals perceive or demonstrate issues relating to three primary domains: confusion of responsibilities in different contexts, relational power dynamics between paraprofessionals and teachers, and satisfaction based on both monetary compensation and recognition. In addition to the qualitative findings, researchers designed the paraprofessional perception survey, a quantitative survey measuring the concept of paraprofessional perceptions relating to their job. Results from the survey analysis revealed similar findings across domains. Additional results, practice implications and directions for future research are discussed.
The effects of cascaded inference on the subjective value of information

Abstract Twenty-four Subjects participated in an information purchase experiment that manipulated both diagnosticity of data and the number of steps required in making an inference. Subjective cascaded (multi-step) inference was less conservative than noncascaded (one-step) inference across all diagnostic levels. These results support the generality of the hypothesis that unless diagnosticity is very low, cascaded inference is more nearly optimal than its noncascaded controls.
PANC-1 Migration and Cluster Formation is Regulated by Short Range Mechanical Forces

Islet cell transplantation has already shown improved control of glucose levels and the potential to achieve insulin independence in type 1 diabetes mellitus, however there is a shortage of organ donors needed to match patient needs [1–2]. In the search for alternative sources of islets, many cell types have shown signs of β-cell differentiation by secreting c-peptide, insulin, and glucagon [3–5]. When maintained in serum-free medium, human epithelial-like pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PANC-1) cells and human-islet derived precursor cells (hIPCs) can go through a morphological transition and cluster [6]. These islet-like cell aggregates subsequently express glucagon, somatostatin, and insulin, indicating that clustering may play an important role in differentiation towards β-cells [7].Copyright © 2011 by ASME
On double k-class estimators of coefficients in linear regression

Abstract In this article we provide a technique to obtain an unbiased estimator of the mean squared error of any double k -class estimator of coefficients in linear regression and illustrate its use to obtain conditions under which this estimator has smaller mean squared error than the least squares estimator.
Dispersion of cellulose crystallites by nonionic surfactants in a hydrophobic polymer matrix

Cellulose nanoparticles obtained by acid hydrolysis of cellulose paper were used to reinforce polystyrene composite films. The nonionic surfactant sorbitan monostearate was utilized to improve the dispersion properties of the hydrophilic cellulose in hydrophobic matrix and to prevent the formation of aggregates. Turbidity tests were used to measure dispersion stability of the cellulose crystallites in the hydrophobic solvent used in the composite manufacture. A correlation was found between the dispersion stability in solvent and the formation of aggregates in the polymeric composites. Nanocomposite films were processed using a casting/evaporation technique. Thermal and mechanical properties of processed composites were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamical mechanical analyses (DMA), respectively. The results showed that the optimum addition of surfactant produced better dispersion of the cellulose particles in the polystyrene matrix and improved the mechanical properties of the resulting composite due to an enhanced compatibility. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 49:2054–2061, 2009. a 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Rheological properties of magnetorheological fluids

The effects of dispersed phase saturation magnetization and applied magnetic fields on the rheological properties of magnetorheological (MR) fluids are described. MR fluids based on two different grades of carbonyl iron powder with different average particle size, 7–9 μm (grade A) and 2 μm (grade B), were prepared. Vibrating sample magnetometer measurements showed that the saturation magnetization values were 2.03 and 1.89 T for grades A and B, respectively. Rheological measurements were conducted for 33 and 40 vol% grade A and grade B based MR fluids with a specially built double Couette strain rate controlled rheometer at flux densities ranging from 0.2 to ~0.8 T. The yield stresses of 33 and 40 vol% grade A were 100 ± 3 and 124 ± 3 kPa, respectively at 0.8 ± 0.1 T. The yield stress values of MR fluids based on finer particles (grade B) were consistently smaller. For example, the yield stresses for 33 and 40 vol% grade B based MR fluid were 80 ± 8 and 102 ± 2 kPa, respectively at 0.8 ± 0.1 T. The yield stresses at the flux density approaching magnetic saturation in particles (B ~ 0.8T) were found to increase quadratically with the saturation magnetization (μ0Ms) of the dispersed magnetic phase. This is in good agreement with the analytical models of uniformly saturated particle chains developed by Ginder and co-workers. The results presented here show that the decrease in yield stress for finer particle based MR fluids is due to the relatively smaller magnetization of the finer particles.
Mobile computing personae

Highly portable, powerful computers with wireless connections will radically change the way people think about and use computing. No longer will users limit their computations to a single machine; rather, they will use the machines that best suit their current needs. A user's environment, which we call the computing persona, cannot continue to be redefined on each machine. Rather, as people move between systems, their environment should follow. The notion of computing persona provides new insight into resource management in a distributed and dynamic world. Resource constraints will vary widely and for-fee services will change optimization strategies. Many of the technologies needed to realize personae are current research topics, and the persona concept will focus that work and make it more valuable. >
Cells expressing partially unfolded R789C/p.R989C type II procollagen mutant associated with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia undergo apoptosis

We investigated the effects of the presence of R75C (p.R275C), R519C (p.719C), R789C (p.R989C), and G853E (p.G1053E) type II collagen (COL2A1) mutants, associated with distinct forms of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia (SED), on the biological processes occurring in chondrocytic cells harboring those mutants. Mutant-specific biological responses of cells were initiated by activating tetracycline (Tet)-dependent expression of type II collagen mutants. Employing microscopic and biochemical assays, we determined that cells expressing the thermolabile R789C (p.R989C) type II collagen mutant undergo apoptosis. In contrast, in cells expressing the thermostable R75C (p.R275C), R519C (p.719C), and G853E (p.G1053E) mutants, apoptotic markers were not apparent. We also demonstrated that the R789C (p.R989C) mutant formed atypical complexes with endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident chaperones, thereby indicating an "unfolded protein response" (UPR) of cells harboring this specific mutant. Apoptotic changes were also demonstrated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and cleaved caspase 3 assays in the growth plates of mice harboring the R992C (p.R1147C) substitution in type II collagen. Based on these results, we propose that the intracellular presence of structurally altered type II collagen mutants could activate an apoptotic response, thereby limiting cell survival. By analyzing the response of cells to the altered structure of collagen mutants, our study contributes to better understanding the molecular basis of the pathological changes seen in vivo at the tissue level.
Trade liberalization and labor market evolution: Evidence from Chilean plant level data

We document the evolution and composition of labor in Chilean manufacturing over the period 1979-1995. This period is notable in that it follows a substantial trade liberalization of the Chilean economy. The average share of skilled labor in total plant employment increases by eight percent, whereas the average wagebill share of skilled workers rises by sixteen percent during this period. Consistent with skill biased technological change (SBTC), most of the shift in labor composition is accounted for by within rather than between industry variation. By sorting the data into exportoriented, import-competing and non-tradable categories, we examine the effect of trade liberalization on labor composition. The wage bill share of white collar workers in total employment is higher in the import-competing and non-tradable sectors relative to the export-oriented sector. The wage bill share grew most rapidly for the non-tradable sector. Using a cost minimization approach to analyze the plant-level determinants of the share of skilled workers in the wage bill, we find strong evidence that the wagebill share for skilled workers is positively related to measures of technology adoption such as foreign direct technical assistance, providing further support for SBTC. We also find strong evidence of capital-skill complementarity for the import-competing sector of manufacturing. We find no evidence of capital-skill complementarity for the export-oriented sector.
Automated design of two-dimensional rational decimation systems

The paper gives an automated procedure to design rational decimation compression systems that resample two-dimensional bandpass signals at their Nyquist rates. Our procedure takes a sketch of the desired bandpass shape in the frequency domain, circumscribes it with a parallelogram of minimal area, and linearly maps the minimal enclosing parallelogram onto one period of the frequency domain. From the rational matrix that performs the linear mapping, we compute the parameters of the upsampler, filter, and downsampler in the compression system. The compression system only has linear components. >
Cancer Survivorship: A Pediatric Perspective

The last four decades have seen tremendous improvements in the survival of children diagnosed with cancer, with 5-year survival rates now at 80%. The burgeoning population of childhood cancer survivors creates an obligationtounderstandthehealthandwell-beingofthese individuals. The use of cancer therapy at an early age can produce complications that may not become apparentuntilyearslater;ithasbeendemonstratedquiteconclusively that approximately two thirds of these survivors will experience at least one late effect and aboutonethirdwillexperiencealateeffectthatissevere or life threatening. Long-term complications in childhood cancer survivors, such as impairment in growth and development, neurocognitive dysfunction, cardiopulmonary compromise, endocrine dysfunction, renal impairment, gastrointestinal dysfunction, musculoskeletalsequelae,andsubsequentmalignancies,arenotonly related to the specific therapy employed, but may also be determined by individual host characteristics. This review describes some of the known late effects described in childhood cancer survivors in order to suggest reasonable starting points for evaluation of specific long-term problems in this unique and growing population. The Oncologist 2008;13:1181–1192
Predictors of mobility and basic ADL difficulty among adults aged 70 years and older

We use data from the 1993-1995 Assets and Health Dynamics of the Oldest-Old survey to estimate predictors of onset of mobility difficulty, onset of basic activity of daily living (ADL) difficulty, and improvement to no mobility difficulty. Onset of mobility difficulty occurred among 20% of those with no difficulty at baseline (n = 2,857) and was most likely among those 85 years of age or over, women, those with a body-mass index of 30 or over, and those who reported lung disease, arthritis, frequent pain, and poor memory. For those with mobility difficulty at baseline (n = 1,871), improvement occurred among 24% and onset of basic ADL difficulty occurred among 25%. Improvement was more likely among those with difficulty in just one mobility item at baseline, and onset of ADL difficulty was most common among those with difficulty in three or more mobility items at baseline.