cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical characteristics of electrochemically fabricated porous silicon microcavities

In this experiment, the optical characteristics of porous silicon microcavities (PSM) are studied using spectroscopy analysis. Porous silicon microcavities were fabricated by the anodization of boron doped P-type (111) single crystal wafers in hydrofluoric acid/ethanol (HF/EtOH) electrolytes. The samples were prepared at room temperature under different fabrication conditions in order to obtain different physical parameters such as porosity (p), thickness (d), and pore geometry. The current density was varied from 25mA/cm2 to 100mA/cm2 and the HF/EtOH concentration was varied from 1:1 to 1:4. The transmission spectra of the prepared samples were investigated over the range of 800 nm to 2400 nm with a period of 2 seconds. The fabricated PSM structures were investigated using SEM and their physical properties were analyzed as a function of the fabrication parameters. The transmission spectra of the prepared samples were compared to the transmission spectra of the reference bulk silicon wafer. We observed that the refractive index of the (PSM) was lower than that of bulk silicon, and it decreased with increasing porosity (p). Based on the experimental spectra of the PSM structure, we report a spectral density function relating the physical properties of the surface and the effective dielectric function.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Single-Pulse Raman And Photoacoustic Spectroscopy Studies Of Triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) And Related Compounds

Pulsed-laser-excited Raman scattering methods and photoacoustic spectroscopy have been applied to the study of porous, granular samples (i.e., pressed pellets) of 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNB), 1-amino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (MATB), 1,3-diamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (DATB) and 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB). Single-pulse spontaneous Raman spectra have been obtained for all four materials. Using 532-nm excitation, the intensity of the background emission observed with the Raman scattered light varies as TNB > MATB > DATB > TATB. This trend is compared to information on the long-wavelength absorption edge of MATB, DATB and TATB as determined by the photoacoustic spectra of these materials. Stimulated Raman scattering has been observed for three of the compounds with conversion efficiency as follows: DATB > TATB > MATB. In the case of TATB, this process may be limited by photo-induced chemical reactions. The relatively efficient formation of one or more stable photolysis products in TATB is evident on the basis of its photoacoustic spectrum. Preliminary single-pulse Raman scattering measurements on shocked TATB are also described.
Experimental Verification Of The Osculating Cones Method For Two Waverider Forebodies At Mach 4 and 6

The NASA Langley Research Center Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel and the 20-Inch Mach 6 Tunnel were used to test two osculating cones waverider models. The Mach-4 and Mach-6 shapes were generated using the interactive design tool WIPAR. WIPAR performance predictions are compared to the experimental results. Vapor screen results for the Mach-4 model at the on- design Mach number provide visual verification that the shock is attached along the entire leading edge, within the limits of observation. WIPAR predictions of pressure distributions and aerodynamic coefficients show general agreement with the corresponding experimental values.
Expression of Rat Pro Cholecystokinin (CCK) in Bacteria and in Insect Cells Infected with Recombinant Baculovirus

Abstract Wang, W., L. Yum and M. C. Beinfeld. Expression of rat pro cholecystokinin (CCK) in bacteria and in insect cells infected with recombinant baculovirus. Peptides 18(9) 1295–1299, 1997.—Neuropeptide prohormones are generally not abundant in nature as they exits to be processed and contain sites which could be cleaved by a number of cellular proteases. In order to study the processing of prohormones in vitro it is necessary to produce them in quantity. Finding an expression system which produces intact prohormone has been a matter of trial and error. We report that intact rat pro CCK was produced with an amino-terminal His-Tag in e. coli. and it was secreted from sf 9 and other insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus vector. The bacteria contained about 0.1 μg pro CCK/ml of cells. The High 5 insect cells produced 4.3 μg/ml medium (as determined by RIA), 10 times as much as sf 9 or sf 21. Using a combination of ion exchange, gel filtration and HPLC, the insect cell protein was purified about 150 fold with a recovery of about 16%. The secreted insect cell pro CCK is tyrosine sulfated like its mammalian equivalent. Using these expression systems it is possible to produce significant (μg to mg) quantities of pro CCK for immunologic, enzymatic and structural studies.
An Approach to Congenital Malformations of the Head and Neck

It is easy to be overwhelmed when faced with the hundreds of cataloged anomalies of the head and neck region. For any individual defect there may be variation in phenotype, associated anomalies, and cause. To help organize these various disorders, dysmorphologists have grouped them into "syndromes", "sequences" and "associations" based on our level of understanding of their etiologies. Recently, completion of the human genome project has added a new level of complexity to the study of human malformations by providing a flood of new information about the genetic origins of established syndromes. The article describes the dysmorphologist's approach to the child with one or more anomalies and provides a glimpse into the future of human genetics.
Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Pleistocene Sediments from the Indian Ocean.

Two deep-sea cores containing Cretaceous, Paleocene, and Pleistocene sediments from an oceanic rise approximately 500 miles southeast of Cape Town contained well-preserved fossil foraminiferal ooze...
Slow Inactivation in Human Cardiac Sodium Channels

The available pool of sodium channels, and thus cell excitability, is regulated by both fast and slow inactivation. In cardiac tissue, the requirement for sustained firing of long-duration action potentials suggests that slow inactivation in cardiac sodium channels may differ from slow inactivation in skeletal muscle sodium channels. To test this hypothesis, we used the macropatch technique to characterize slow inactivation in human cardiac sodium channels heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Slow inactivation was isolated from fast inactivation kinetically (by selectively recovering channels from fast inactivation before measurement of slow inactivation) and structurally (by modification of fast inactivation by mutation of IFM1488QQQ). Time constants of slow inactivation in cardiac sodium channels were larger than previously reported for skeletal muscle sodium channels. In addition, steady-state slow inactivation was only 40% complete in cardiac sodium channels, compared to 80% in skeletal muscle channels. These results suggest that cardiac sodium channel slow inactivation is adapted for the sustained depolarizations found in normally functioning cardiac tissue. Complete slow inactivation in the fast inactivation modified IFM1488QQQ cardiac channel mutant suggests that this impairment of slow inactivation may result from an interaction between fast and slow inactivation.
Radioactivity from natural, industrial, and other sources

Natural radioactivity and the use of x-rays and radioactive substances in the practice of medicine are the main sources of radiation exposure to the general public. The protection standards used in all countries are based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. These standards are being observed by the nuclear industry and have succeeded in protecting both nuclear workers and members of the general public. The dose received from nuclear power generation is a tiny fraction compared to the doses received from nature and medical practice.
Social Comparison and the ‘Circle of Objectification’

The purpose of this study was to test a new theoretical model that integrates self-objectification, objectification of others, and social comparison as contributors to the development and maintenance of body image disturbance and disordered eating behavior. Within the new theoretical model, self-objectification, objectification of others, and social comparison are conceptualized as a self-perpetuating cycle, rather than as processes that occur independently of one another. Measures of self-objectification, objectification of others, social comparison, body shame, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder symptomatology were completed by 549 female students between the ages of 18 and 30 years from a large university in the southeastern United States. Structural equation modeling with nested model comparisons was used to examine the fit of the new theoretical model relative to less complex models which contain only relationships which have received previous attention in the research literature (e.g., the relationship between self-objectification and body shame). Results indicated that the new theoretical model demonstrates good fit for the data and that the fit of this model is significantly better than the original model suggested by the literature. This model also brings together two distinct lines of research and offers a more complete understanding of processes underlying women’s body image and eating behavior. Implications for clinical work as well as theory and measurement are discussed.
A neuroendocrine overview of aging

The neuroendocrine changes associated with aging are numerous, and tend to vary quantitatively, if not qualitatively between species. The extent to which neuroendocrine dysfunction contributes to the undesirable features of aging remains to be fully determined. Nevertheless, although the aging process itself may not have a neuroendocrine basis, identification and correction of the associated neuroendocrine dysfunction may be important in enhancing the quality of life during this period.
Using Science Notebooks to Improve Writing Skills and Conceptual Understanding.

The purpose of this article is to provide teachers with strategies for improving students' writing and deepening their conceptual understanding through the use of science notebooks. The strategies include using various resources and providing a variety of feedback opportunities for students. A sample science investigation and an accompanying science notebook entry illustrate these strategies.
Retail evolution: Historical facts, theoretical logic and critical thinking

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to enhance students’ ability to use theory to assess facts logically and creatively. To achieve this end, the author explicates the evolution of retailing from its pre-industrial genesis to its Internet descendants in a historically based retail strategy class that investigates the determinants of new retail formats (major retail innovations – MRIs) over a > 200 year span. MRIs entail a major reconfiguration of the retail mix (i.e. price, product, place, promotion and personnel) , take significant business from existing formats that sell the same goods, generate greater benefits to customers than do rival formats and are widely imitated. Design/methodology/approach – The author chronologically presents how the industrial revolution generated major environmental changes that facilitated a creative and highly effective re-organization of the retail mix. Findings – Changes in environmental factors (e.g. mass production, transportation, location of population and communication) made possible retail formats that could not have existed earlier. Research limitations/implications – The course is based on two theories that are linked by the retail mix; one theory relates to consumer store choice, while the other relates to the minimum market size required for a retail format to be viable. To illustrate, more personnel raises service, drawing customers from rivals while raising costs; higher costs raise the needed market size. Originality/value – All six MRIs are derived from the two aforementioned theories. Experience indicates these theories are valid for assessing retailing at all stages of economic development. The course is based on the authors own material.
Generalizing general strain theory: An examination of an offending population

We attempt to investigate the generality of general strain theory (GST) by exploring the operation of general strain in an offending population. Data are obtained from self-report interviews of approximately 150 youths who had been adjudicated for a variety of offenses; all had been identified as chemically abusing or dependent. Using measures of strain and negative affect, as well as strain-exacerbating factors such as peer delinquency and strain-alleviating factors such as family communication and cognitive, social, physical, emotional, and spiritual coping skills, we find support for some of the basic tenets of GST. Implications of the findings for future research are discussed.
Translation Initiation Factor 4B Homodimerization, RNA Binding, and Interaction with Poly(A)-binding Protein Are Enhanced by Zinc

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF) 4B promotes the RNA-dependent ATP hydrolysis activity and ATP-dependent RNA helicase activity of eIF4A and eIF4F during translation initiation. eIF4B also helps to organize the assembly of the translational machinery through its interactions with eIF4A, eIF4G, eIF3, the poly(A)-binding protein (PABP), and RNA. Although the function of eIF4B is conserved among plants, animals, and yeast, eIF4B is one of the least conserved of initiation factors at the sequence level. Mammalian eIF4B is a constitutive dimer; however, conflicting reports have suggested that plant eIF4B may exist as a monomer or a dimer. In this study, we show that eIF4B from wheat can form a dimer and we identify the region responsible for its dimerization. Zinc stimulated homodimerization of eIF4B and bound eIF4B with a Kd of 19.7 nm. Zinc increased the activity of the eIF4B C-terminal RNA-binding domain specifically. Zinc promoted the interaction between eIF4B and PABP but not the interaction between eIF4B and eIF4A or eIFiso4G, demonstrating that the effect of zinc was highly specific. The interaction between PABP and eIFiso4G was also stimulated by zinc but required significantly higher levels of zinc. Interestingly zinc abolished the ability of eIFiso4G to compete with eIF4B in binding to their overlapping binding sites in PABP by preferentially promoting the interaction between eIF4B and PABP. Our observations suggest that wheat eIF4B can dimerize but requires zinc. Moreover zinc controls the partner protein selection of PABP such that the interaction with eIF4B is preferred over eIFiso4G.
Water vapor permeation of selected cellulose ester films

In a study of water vapor permeation of cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose acetate stearate films it was observed that permeability constant decreased with increasing chain length of the acid moiety. Cellulose acetate hydrogen phthalate films were easily permeated by water vapor at temperatures below 30° and resembled films of cellulose acetate stearate in their permeability at higher temperatures. The rather abrupt change in permeability observed in the temperature range of 30–35° indicates that caution must be exercised in interpreting accelerated aging data at higher temperatures with these films. Mixed films of cellulose acetate hydrogen phthalate and polyethylene glycol 4000 show a minimum permeability constant when polyethylene glycol 4000 is 10–20 per cent by weight of the film.
Online Spectral Learning on a Graph with Bandit Feedback

Online learning on a graph is appealing due to its efficiency. However, existing online learning algorithms on a graph are limited to binary classification. Moreover, they require accessing the full label information, where the label oracle needs to return the true class label after the learner makes classification of each node. In many application scenarios, we only have access to partial label information, where the label oracle will return a single bit indicating whether the prediction is correct or not, instead of the true class label. This is also known as bandit feedback. In this paper, to overcome the above limitations of existing online learning algorithms on a graph, we study online learning on a graph for multi-class node classification, in both the full information setting and the partial information setting. First, we present an online multi-class classification algorithm in the full information setting. It is based on function learning on a graph using the spectral information of the graph Laplacian. We show that it attains O (cd log T) regret bound, where T is the number of rounds in online learning, c is the number of classes, and d is the number of eigenvectors of the graph Laplacian used for learning. Second, we present an online multi-class classification algorithm with bandit feedback. We use upper-confidence bound technique to trade off the exploration and exploitation of label information. We show that it attains O (cd a#x221A;T log T) regret bound, which is only a a#x221A;T factor worse than the proposed algorithm in the full information setting. Experiments on several benchmark graph datasets show that the proposed online multi-class classification algorithm beats the state-of-art baseline, and the proposed bandit algorithm is also much better than the bandit version of the baseline.
The stability of metal—water reactions

Abstract The stability of metal—water reactions on a flat plate was examined. The analysis considered the balance between the heat generated by reaction and the heat dissipated as a result of convective heat transfer, radiative heat transfer, and conduction in the plate. If the imbalance between generation and dissipation is large enough, the reaction could become unstable in the sense that a very rapid escalation in temperature occurs. A stability criterion for metal—water reactions is presented.
Moral Motivational Pluralism: Moral Judgment as a Function of the Dynamic Assembly of Multiple Developmental Structures

The purpose of this study was to examine the within-person multiplicity of moral motivation in the context of specific judgment choices using a new and integrative approach. This purpose serves to test a new model of moral motivation. In this model, Kohlberg’s six developmental stages are reconceptualized as dynamic structures of motivation that operate together within person, reflecting motivational pluralism. A total of 391 university students participated by responding to a questionnaire that elicited six different moral judgments. Three judgments were about hypothetical dilemmas, and three were about social policy issues (war, abortion, death penalty). Using a recognition task, the questionnaire presented participants with standard descriptions of motivational structures to be rated separately as possible reasons for decisions. Results provided support for the hypothesized within-person operation of multiple stages in each judgment context. The majority of motivational structures operated in ways that were significantly correlated with each other. Correlations observed a developmental order. Analyses revealed patterns of association between the use of specific developmental stages and different judgment choices in each judgment context. The most pervasive associations with specific judgment choices were revealed by a combination of stage 1 (obedience) and stage 4 (social order). The motivation of moral judgment involves the operation of multiple motivational strategies that are developmentally connected to each other. This motivational pluralism can be detected by the multiplicity of stage structures that are recognized by individuals as reasons behind their judgments, and by the multiplicity of relationships between stages and judgment choices. Limitations and possibilities of future research are discussed in terms of the need to examine individual developmental trajectories over time and across contexts.
The social responsibilities of the physician

The 1997 Keynote Address for the White Coat Ceremony at St George's University School of Medicine indicates the importance of social medicine in the work of the physician and urges the students beginning the study of medicine to devote themselves to equitable provision of medical care, to prevention of disease and promotion of health, and to promotion of social well-being.
Development of optical quality in the kitten eye

Abstract The eyes of young kittens exhibit very poor optical quality which improves markedly as the animals mature. A longitudinal series of fundus photographs was made in eight eyes (four kittens) from which we derived the optical modulation transfer function at different ages. Linespread functions calculated from these MTF's show optical performance that approaches that of the adult by 4–5 weeks of age. Slower improvement continues through 10 weeks. A comparison of these MTF's with figures for overall visual performance at 3 and 5 weeks suggests that optics may not be a major factor in limiting acuity during development.
Phase I trial of a 5-day course of carbetimer

Carbetimer (carboxyimamidate) is a low molecular weight derivative of ethylene/maleic anhydride polymer. This compound has demonstrated antitumor activity against several animal models with a daily x 5 schedule appearing most effective. A phase I clinical study of the daily x 5 schedule repeated every 28 days was therefore performed. Forty-one evaluable patients received 66 evaluable cycles of Carbetimer at daily doses ranging from 100–11000 mg/m2. Hypercalcemia was the dose limiting toxicity with both patients at the 11000 mg/m2 daily dose level and one patient who received 6 cycles of drug at the 4200 mg/m2 dose level developing severe hypercalcemia not explained by the underlying malignancy. Mild nausea, concentration and rate dependent arm pain at the site of infusion, proteinuria, and coagulopathy were also seen. Calcium balance studies revealed hypercalciuria, suggesting increased mobilization of calcium rather than renal retention. In vitro coagulation studies revealed concentration dependent prolongation of the partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time. No complete or partial responses were seen. However mixed response or biochemical response (reduction in serum lactic dehydrogenase) were seen in 5 patients with melanoma or renal cancer. Due to unacceptable toxicity at the 11000 mg/m2 daily dose level, Carbetimer 8500 mg/m2 is the recommended dose for a 5-day treatment schedule every 28 days. Special attention should be directed toward possible activity against melanoma and renal cancer.
A Matter of Life or Death: Organizational Change in the Real World

There are times when even academics have a chance to get their feet wet in the real world-to use their expertise in a collaborative effort to help make a difference on a matter of deep public concern. This article describes the efforts of a handful of academic researchers from varying disciplinary backgrounds who pooled their respective expertise in an attempt to influence a real life-or-death situation (the impending execution of a potentially innocent person). The challenges to personal and organizational change are described and discussed.
SU‐FF‐T‐292: An Efficient Method for Image Quality Analysis of the On‐Board Imager®

Purpose: To develop a quality assurance procedure to test image quality of a kilovoltage On‐board Imager system (On‐Board Imager®, Varian Medical Systems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA). Method and Materials: An imaging phantom (TOR 18FG, Leeds Test Objects, Ltd.) was used to analyze kV imaging quality. The phantom includes 21 line pairs (0.5 – 5.0 lp/mm) and 18 low contrast discs. An image of the phantom was taken weekly using 70kV, 40mA, and 100ms. The images were analyzed using the ImageJsoftware package (U.S. National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD). A macro detects the circular edge of the phantom and performs a least squares circle fit to detect any translational shift in the phantom. ROIs are automatically selected and mean and standard deviation are measured. An interface to our in‐house quality assurancedatabase was developed. The database calls the macro, receives the measurement results and calculates noise, contrast scale and MTF of the image. Low contrast is resolved by taking the difference between the mean of the low contrast discs and areas adjacent to them. Visibility is determined by a minimum difference. The database stores analyzed data and graphs results over time. Results:Images were acquired between October 2008 and February 2009. Images were exported from the R&V system and were typically analyzed in under a minute. The software was tested by introducing additional specific noise to the images using ImageJ. Using the software, we were able to track MTF,contrast scale, and noise over time and confirm the imaging quality of kV imager.Conclusions: This work demonstrates an efficient way to perform weekly quality assurance for on‐board kV imagers.
"Sub"-super scan--manifestation of bone marrow metastases?

A case is presented in which bone imaging over a period of 1 year indicated continued and increased radionuclide uptake. In association with CT and magnetic resonance imaging studies it was determined that the continued increased activity was related to developing bone marrow metastases.
Plasma and CNS pharmacokinetics of O4-benzylfolic acid (O4BF) and metabolite in a non-human primate model.

Purpose O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) repairs DNA damage from alkylating agents by transferring the alkyl adducts from the O6-position of guanine in DNA to AGT. The folate analog O4-benzylfolic acid (O4BF) is an inhibitor of AGT with reported selectivity of the alpha-folate receptor in tumors. We studied plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pharmacokinetics and CSF penetration of O4BF in a non-human primate model.
Two Challenges for the New Century: Transforming Relationships in Whole Bodies Politic

Two challenges are posed for social scientists, one substantive and the other disciplinary. First, scholars and practitioners should together find ways to transform fragmented and conflictual relationships into relationships capable of building peaceful societies where human dignity is respected. Second, to achieve this goal, they should work to develop non-disciplinary spaces where people from different disciplines can come together to create the requisite conceptual and methodological frameworks.
Two New Species of Plistophora (Microsporidea) from North American Fish with a Synopsis of Microsporidea of Freshwater and Euryhaline Fishes

SYNOPSIS. Two new species of Microsporidea, Plistophora salmonae from steelhead and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdntri) and Plistophora crpedianar from gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) are described. Schizonts to spores of P. cepedianae were found at one time within the same cyst, while only sporonts and spores of P. salmonae were found within the cyst. An illustrated synopsis of the known Microsporidea of freshwater and euryhaline fishes is given.
Damping of the Vibrations of a Coiled Spring Due to Creep

The vibrations of a concentrated mass suspended from a coiled spring are studied when the material of the spring is capable of deforming both elastically and in consequence of creep. When the creep law is linear, the attenuation of the vibrations is independent of the amplitude. When the creep law is non-linear in the sense that the creep rate is a power function of the force transmitted by the spring, with the exponent greater than unity, the attenuation increases with increasing amplitude.
Phytoplankton community composition of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, during the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) invasion: A multivariate analysis

The colonization of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in Saginaw Bay dramatically altered the phytoplankton community composition resulting in exclusion of light sensitive species and dominance of species with oligotrophic preferences and light resistance. In 1990, the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory initiated a 7-year survey program to monitor changes in the lower food web of Saginaw Bay, where zebra mussels became established in the fall of 1991. To investigate shifts in the phytoplankton community composition over the 7-year period from 1990 to 1996 we searched for clusters of similar composition using multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) on proportions of 22 taxonomic groupings of the total phytoplankton density (cells per milliliter). We then used an agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis of the PCA scores. We identified five characteristic phytoplankton communities in configurations that allowed recognizing four distinct periods in Saginaw Bay linked to the zebra mussel invasion. Significant changes were indicative of increased water clarity and eutrophic conditions being replaced by more oligotrophic conditions as clusters dominated by light sensitive species, such as the cyanobacteria Oscillatoria redekii, became immediately rare and clusters dominated by diatoms such as Cyclotella spp. became common. Microcystis spp., a light tolerant cyanobacteria not grazed by zebra mussel, dominated assemblages after 1994. The shifts in phytoplankton composition confirm that zebra mussels effects on phytoplankton communities are mediated by both direct (filtration) and indirect (nutrient cycling) mechanisms and also suggests that increased light penetration is an important mechanism behind some changes.
Paraganglioma of the Filum Terminale: Case Report, Pathology and Review of the Literature

Spinal paragangliomas are very rare neuroendocrine tumors often presenting with low back pain and radicular symptoms; once resected, they often show benign clinical outcomes. Radiographically spinal paragangliomas mimic more commonly described tumors, such as ependymomas, schwannomas, meningiomas, and even hemangiomas, but a "salt and pepper" appearance related to a serpiginous vascular structure is instructive. Indeed, the rarity of this tumor makes the diagnosis rather challenging radiographically. Graded as a WHO Grade I tumor, they are slow-growing with low proliferation indices. Gross total resection is the mainstay of operative treatment but is often limited by tumor adherence to functional nerves. Here, we present a case of this rare tumor and its management, including a review of the pathology and literature related to this tumor.
A 1.8-V 6/9-GHz switchable dual-band quadrature LC VCO in SiGe BiCMOS technology

This paper presents a quadrature VCO that can be reconfigured between 6 and 9 GHz frequency bands. The dual-band VCO comprises a 6 GHz LC VCO, two 1/2-dividers, two mixers, and two 3 GHz notch filters. The 9 GHz output is generated based on a fractional frequency multiplication method by mixing the 6 GHz VCO output with its divide-by-two signal. The VCO, implemented in a 0.18 /spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS technology, shows a fast switching time of 3.6 nsec. The measured VCO phase noises are -106 dBc/Hz and -104 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset for 6 and 9 GHz modes, respectively, while draining 10.8 mA from a 1.8 V supply.
Testosterone Reduces Macrophage Expression in the Mouse of Toll-Like Receptor 4, a Trigger for Inflammation and Innate Immunity

Though gender-based differences in the development of protective or pathological adaptive host responses have been widely noted, it is becoming apparent that sex may also influence the early perception of microbial challenges and the generation of inflammatory immune responses. These differences may be due to the actions of reproductive hormones, and such a hypothesis is supported by the presence of receptors for these hormones in a variety of immune cell types. Androgens such as testosterone have been shown to decrease immune functions, including cytokine production. However, the mechanisms by which testosterone limits such responses remain undefined. In this study, we have investigated the acute effects of testosterone on the level of expression of a key trigger for inflammation and innate immunity, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), on isolated mouse macrophages. We show that in vitro testosterone treatment of macrophages, generated in the absence of androgen, elicits a modest but significant decrease in TLR4 expression and sensitivity to a TLR4-specific ligand. In addition, we have studied the effect of in vivo removal of endogenous testosterone on TLR4 expression and endotoxin susceptibility. We report that orchidectomized mice were significantly more susceptible to endotoxic shock and show that macrophages isolated from these animals have significantly higher TLR4 cell surface expression than those derived from sham gonadectomized mice. Importantly, these effects were not apparent in orchidectomized animals that received exogenous testosterone treatment. As such, these data may represent an important mechanism underlying the immunosuppressive effects of testosterone.
Dissecting the Influence of Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status on Mental Health in Young Adulthood

Studies have provided contradictory findings about the influence of race and ethnicity on mental health. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979 to 1992), this study examines the extent to which multiple dimensions of past and present socioeconomic status explain the influence of race and ethnicity on depression in young adulthood. Results indicate that Blacks and Hispanics have significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms than Whites, which supports social stress theory. These racial and ethnic differences are partially explained by family background and wealth, and substantially explained by the duration of poverty across 13 years of the transition to adulthood. Moreover, the robust depressive effect of past poverty duration is independent of present socioeconomic status and family background. Overall, this study was inspired by the life-course perspective and highlights the importance of wealth and histories of poverty for understanding racial and ethnic mental health disp...
Autism and plumbism. A possible association

Six cases of inner city black children with both infantile autism and lead poisoning are reviewed. In three cases, developmental deviance seems to have been present before the possible impact of lead toxicity. In two cases the lead poisoning may have contributed to the onset or acceleration of developmental symptomatology. In one case the temporal sequence remains unclear. Possible patterns of interaction and the implications for clinical practice are discussed.
Chromospheric Ca II Emission in Nearby F, G, K, and M Stars

We present chromospheric Ca II H and K activity measurements, rotation periods, and ages for ~1200 F, G, K, and M type main-sequence stars from ~18,000 archival spectra taken at Keck and Lick Observatories as a part of the California and Carnegie Planet Search Project. We have calibrated our chromospheric S-values against the Mount Wilson chromospheric activity data. From these measurements we have calculated median activity levels and derived R, stellar ages, and rotation periods from general parameterizations for 1228 stars, ~1000 of which have no previously published S-values. We also present precise time series of activity measurements for these stars.
A Real -Time Interactive Visualization System for DNS Amplification Attack Challenges

Domain Name Service (DNS) amplification attack has become a serious issue for network security because small queries can generate massive amounts of UDP packets in response to flood the target server. This paper presents our work to develop a real-time interactive visualization system (RTIVS) for DNS amplification attack to help administrators visualize and analyze traffic, and detect the DNS amplification attack. The design of the RTIVS is based on the characteristics of the DNS amplification attack. It provides two modes that are a manual mode and an automatic mode to support reasoning and identify DNS amplification attacks. A graphic user interface is implemented to allow administrators to easily monitor network activity and analyze the large amount of UDP packets in real time. The interactive GUI also supports combination of the administrator's knowledge, experience and judgment into the system.
Identification and quantitative characterization of antiparallel domains using an interferometric method

We present a method to identify antiparallel domains through the use of an optical interferometric technique. In contrast to etching techniques, this method is nondestructive and provides a quantitative measure of the linear electro-optic coefficient. Comparisons with the etching technique show that the two methods are in good agreement. This interferometric technique can be generalized to identify other types of domain structures as well.
Forming International Business Alliances: A Case Study of the Global Packaging Industry

The use of international alliances has increased in recent years as a result of globalization. While numerous articles analyzing strategic alliances have been published, few have provided a practical framework for practitioners to follow. This article fills the void in the literature by providing a legal framework for creating an international strategic alliance using a case study of a growing alliance in the global packaging industry.
Alanine scanning mutagenesis of the alpha-helix 115-123 of phage T4 lysozyme: effects on structure, stability and the binding of solvent.

A series of individual alanine mutations has been constructed in the helical region 115 to 123 in phage T4 lysozyme in order to evaluate the contribution to protein stability of the different side-chains within this region. Pairwise alanine mutations and a combination mutant with seven alanine substitutions were constructed to evaluate the additive effects upon structure and stability. Only three residues within this region (Ser117, Leu118 and Leu121) have a substantial influence upon stability (change in free energy of unfolding greater than 1.0 kcal/mol). Replacement of Ser117 with alanine results in an increase in protein stability of 1.27 kcal/mol, apparently due to the release of strain present in the wild-type protein. Replacement of the buried residues Leu118 and Leu121 is destabilizing. Substitution of the remaining six residues with alanine has relatively little effect on stability. This is consistent with prior studies showing that only 20 to 30% of the residues in amphipathic helices in T4 lysozyme are critical for stability. For some of the pairwise alanine mutants the effects on stability are additive. For most of these mutants, however, there is a slight (approximately 0.15 to 0.25 kcal/mol) non-additivity such that the double mutant is more stable than the sum of the constituent single mutants. This effect is consistently observed for residues with positions i, i +4; i.e. adjacent, but in consecutive turns of the helix, suggesting a weak but significant interaction between these amino acid residues. A more pronounced non-additivity (approximately 0.5 kcal/mol) is seen in the seven-alanine combination mutant. This non-additivity is due to a modest "collapse" or "repacking" that occurs for the combination mutants (especially the multiple alanine mutant) but is not possible for the single replacements. The truncation of some side-chains permits an increase in solvent accessibility of main-chain amide and carbonyl groups. This effect is most pronounced for the seven-alanine combination mutant, where two solvent molecules, not present in wild-type, hydrogen bond to main-chain carbonyl groups in the middle region of the helix. It has been suggested that the binding of such water molecules might represent the first step in solvent-mediated unfolding of an alpha-helix. The appearance of ordered solvent, however, appears to have very little effect on stability (approximately less than 0.2 kcal/mol).
A genetic study of red cell osmotic fragility in Huntington's disease.

The erythrocyte osmotic fragility was evaluated on 19 unmedicated subjects with Huntington's disease and 42 individuals at 50% risk, 27 children at 25% risk, and a group of 60 hematologically normal control persons. Five older subjects at 50% risk for Huntington's disease as well as 6 Alzheimer's disease individuals were also evaluated for comparison. The osmotic fragility of fresh and 24-hour incubated red cells was analyzed and a fragility index calculated for each individual. The fragility index for the Huntington's disease group was statistically lower than that of the control group (P < .001) suggesting that the Huntington's disease erythrocytes had a reduced osmotic fragility. In the 50% risk group, 45% of the subjects demonstrated decreased osmotic fragility and 55% had normal fragility. For those subjects in the 25% risk group, 22.2% had decreased fragility and 77.8% had normal fragility. Twenty-seven offspring were evaluated of the 14 persons at 50% risk for Huntington's disease with children; eight of the 14 individuals at 50% risk showed normal fragility and all 16 of their children showed fragility indices with the normal range. The remaining six persons at 50% risk for Huntington's disease had increased erythrocyte fragility and out of their 11 children, five showed normal fragility and six had decreased fragility. These data support the hypothesis of reduced erythrocyte osmotic fragility in individuals affected with and at risk for Huntington disease, and demonstrate the need of further study of the erythrocyte in this complex behavioral genetic disease.
Optimal hematocrit: a Procrustean bed for maximum oxygen transport rate?

physiological systems are characterized by multiple interdependent components that collectively subserve various processes and functions. In seeking better understanding of the performance of such complex systems, we must identify and evaluate alternative ways and operating schemes, comparing their
Temperature and humidity effects on off-host survival of the Northern fowl mite (Acari: Macronyssidae) and the chicken body louse (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae).

Abstract Off-host survival of the northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago) (Acari: Macronyssidae), and the chicken body louse, Menacanthus stramineus (Nitzsch) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae), was studied at 12 combinations of temperature (15, 21, 27, and 33°C) and humidity (31, 65, and 85% RH). Mite protonymphs and louse third instars survived longer on average than the respective adult stages. Higher temperatures significantly reduced survival of adult and immature stages of both ectoparasites, whereas relative humidity had significant effects on O. sylviarum (especially protonymphs) but not M. stramineus. The LT50 values for adult northern fowl mites ranged from 1.9 (at 33°C, 31%RH) to 8.3 d (at 15°C, 85%RH), LT50 values for mite protonymphs ranged from 2.0 (at 33°C, 31%RH) to 18.1 d (at 15°C, 85%RH), LT50 values for adult lice ranged from 0.5 (at 33°C, 31%RH) to 1.7 d (at 15°C, 65%RH), and LT50 values for nymphal lice ranged from 1.2 (at 33°C, 65%RH) to 3.3 d (at 21°C, 31%RH). Ma...
Assembling Processes in a Periodic Gathering: Halloween in Athens, Ohio

Abstract This paper examines assembling processes involved in attendance at an annually recurring Halloween street celebration in Athens, Ohio. The celebration draws primarily college students from around the state of Ohio. Based on survey data from students at six large public universities in the state, we examine various factors associated with assembling processes to determine their influence on the likelihood of assembling at this event. Specifically, we assess the importance of (1) message exposure, (2) supporting social networks, (3) availability/competing events, (4) prior attendance, (5) distance, and (6) the medium(s) of assembly instruction. We also examine the importance of age, gender, and class rank as predictors of attendance. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for developing a more detailed theoretical model of assembling processes.
Unikonts, Evolution and Diversification of (with Emphasis on Fungal-Like Forms)

Unikonts is an informal term that is used to designate a major monophyletic lineage of eukaryotes. The lineage includes most of the classical amoebae, slime molds, Fungi, and animals along with numerous, less well-known protist groups. Some of the unikonts are focal organisms of mycology, the study of Fungi and of organisms historically considered fungi. The last common ancestor of unikonts had a number of traits that can be deduced using comparative methods of biology. These are discussed. As the descendants of this ancestor diversified since the time it existed, some novel traits have appeared that can be used to define different, monophyletic lineages within unikonts. Traits associated with those unikonts that are the subjects of fungal biology are discussed in relation to hypothesis-driven approaches to test ideas concerning how this diversification occurred.
ANALYSIS OF MYOGENIC MARKERS IN DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY CELL MODELS

The goal of the project was to compare the in vitro differentiation potential of Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and non-disease patient derived myoblasts. The differentiation of myoblasts into...
A modified suture technique for tube gastrostomy

A modified suture technique for tube gastrostomy is presented which promotes better exposure for suture placement and results in a close continuous seal between the stomach and the abdominal wall.
Toward a Transformed Understanding: From Pain and Movement to Pain With Movement

Pain serves as a protective mechanism that leads to changes in movement.1,2 For more than 116 million Americans with chronic pain, however, the pain experience persists beyond a normal, protective phase and develops into a chronic, disabling disease.3 Altered movement may be appropriate in early protective phases, but, if maintained, this altered movement can contribute to poor recovery, continued disability, and decreased quality of life. The Institute of Medicine identifies chronic pain as a nervous system disease and a high-priority societal health concern.3 However, current management of this disease and its complications, such as movement impairments and subsequent reductions in function, is inadequate.3 The Institute of Medicine has called for the health care community to transform its understanding of pain as a key step for improving prevention, treatment, and assessment of pain.3 The Institute of Medicine specifically highlighted the need for “wider use of existing knowledge” as a main objective for transforming our understanding of pain.3 One way to meet this objective is to integrate existing knowledge into a comprehensive model that considers pain to be a dynamic, multifactorial experience that includes a movement component. Although researchers have extensively studied the sensory, psychological, and motor factors related to pain, they often have studied these factors separately or in limited combinations. Isolated investigation of these factors limits the advancement of our understanding of how pain impairs movement and how pain symptoms can cascade into a disabling disease process. Integrated study of sensory, psychological, and motor factors as primary drivers of the pain experience is needed to help establish the collective impact of pain processing on movement and recovery. The purpose of this point of view is to introduce a conceptual model for studying pain with movement. First, we present a historical overview identifying …