cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progress in organic functional group analysis: 1961

Abstract This review covers the papers dealing with microdeterminations of organic functional groups (sample size approximately 0.1 meq.) which came to the attention of the authors during the year 1961. As in the preceding paper,1 macro scale (>1 meq.) and ultramicro scale (approx. 1 μeq.) determinations which have some applicability to micro scale analysis are mentioned. Where possible, reprints received from the individual authors have been consulted. However for completeness, the abstract literature has been utilized. In no case is there any duplication of references from our previous paper.
Aquatic Larvae Of Eulichadidae and Ptilodactylidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) from Thailand, with Description of the Larva of? Pseudocladotoma Pic

Over the last two decades, Thailand has been surveyed extensively for its fauna of aquatic insects. During this work, we collected the first specimens of the larvae of Eulichadidae and Ptilodactylidae reported from Thailand. We provide new locality data for these families and discuss their general natural history. The larva of ?Pseudocladotoma Pic (Ptilodactylidae: Cladotominae) is described and illustrated. New country records include Eulichas birmanica Hajek and ?Pseudocladotoma Pic.
Capillary Hemangioma of the Temporal Bone

Objective: To discuss a rare case of temporal bone capillary hemangioma, and its diagnosis and management. Methods: Design: Case Report Setting: Tertiary Government Hospital Patient: One Results: A 44-year old woman with a history of on-and-off right ear discharge, tinnitus and decreased hearing, and a pinkish, smooth-surfaced, non-friable, non-pulsating mass occluding the right external auditory canal, was initially treated for chronic suppurative otitis media with aural polyp. A punch biopsy due to persistence of disease despite medical treatment revealed capillary hemangioma. She underwent canal wall down mastoidectomy with obliteration to completely resect the tumor. Conclusion: Capillary hemangiomas of the temporal bone are benign lesions that may lead to complications such as bone erosion, hearing loss, recurrent infection and bleeding if left untreated. Surgery remains the ideal treatment, and recurrence is rare and the prognosis is good if resection is complete. Keywords: Hemangioma, capillary hemangioma, temporal bone, middle ear
The Power of the Secondary Sphere: Modulating Hydrogenase Activity in Nickel-Substituted Rubredoxin

Secondary sphere interactions are known to significantly impact catalytic rates within biological systems as well as synthetic molecular catalysts. The [NiFe] hydrogenase enzymes oxidize and produc...
Stitching Stretchable Radiofrequency Coils for MRI: A Conductive Thread and Athletic Fabric Approach *

Objective: We propose a novel flexible and entirely stretchable radiofrequency coil for magnetic resonance imaging. This coil design aims at increasing patient comfort during joint imaging while maintaining or improving image quality. Methods: Conductive silver-coated thread was stitched in a zigzag pattern onto stretchable athletic fabric to create a single-loop receive coil. The stitched coil was mounted in a draped and stretched fashion and compared to a coil fabricated on flexible printed circuit board. Match/tune circuits, detuning circuits, and baluns were incorporated into the final setup for bench measurements and imaging on a 3T MR scanner. A fast spin echo sequence was used to obtain images for comparison. Results: The fabricated coil presents multi-directional stretchability and flexibility while maintaining conductivity and stitch integrity. Quality factor measurements and SNR calculations show that this stretchable coil design is comparable to a flexible, standard PCB coil. Detailed human wrist images were successfully obtained in vivo using the stretched, stitched coil. Conclusion: The resulting MR images and SNR calculations support further experimentation into more complex coil geometries. Significance: This coil is uniquely stretchable in all direction and allows for joint imaging at various degrees of flexion. Additionally, this coil offers the closest proximity of placement to the skin with materials that provide a similar level of comfort to that of athletic wear and compression sleeves. This stitched design could be incorporated into coils for a variety of anatomies.
Essentials of Debriefing in Simulation-Based Education

Debriefing is a critical part of the experiential learning process in simulation. It is a well-established educational methodology with deep roots in theory and practice. It is an interaction and discussion between participants and educators to promote self-assessment and reflection and to help them abstract from the learning experience to clinical practice. The instructor must optimize the learning environment to create a space where learners can feel free to make errors and are willing to accept feedback. There are several debriefing structures and techniques. The instructor has the flexibility to use these techniques to maximize the effectiveness of learning. Debriefing should be guided by the learning objectives of the educational session as well as other factors as they present themselves in the dynamic simulation environment. Each technique and structure has its merits, with no one technique being superior to another. The skilled debriefer will optimize impact on learning as they seamlessly use a variety of strategies. Assessment tools to evaluate the effectiveness of debriefing are discussed; however, these require further study.
Design optimization of a simple step-stress accelerated life test – Contrast between continuous and interval inspections with non-uniform step durations

Abstract Thanks to continuously advancing technology and manufacturing processes, the products and devices are becoming highly reliable. However, performing the life tests of these products at normal operating conditions becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible, due to their long lifespans. This can result in missed opportunities to introduce the products to the market in a timely manner and eventually loss of the market share. This problem is solved by accelerated life tests where the test units are subjected to higher stress levels than the normal usage level so that information on the lifetime parameters can be obtained more quickly. The lifetime at the design condition is then estimated through extrapolation using a regression model. Although continuous inspection of the exact failure times is an ideal mode, the exact failure times of test units may not be available in practice due to technical limitations and/or budgetary constraints, but only the failure counts are collected at certain time points during the test (i.e., interval inspection). In this work, the design optimization of a simple step-stress accelerated life test under progressive Type-I censoring is studied with non-uniform step durations for assessing the reliability characteristics of a solar lighting device. Allowing the intermediate censoring to take place at the stress change time point, the nature of the optimal stress duration is demonstrated under various design criteria including D-optimality, T-optimality, C-optimality, A-optimality, and E-optimality. The existence of these optimal designs is investigated in detail for exponential lifetimes with a single stress variable, and the effect of the intermediate censoring proportion on the design efficiency is compared between the continuous and interval inspection modes.
A Novel Visual-Privacy Themed Experiential- Learning Tool for Human-Privacy & Societal-Security Awareness in Middle-School and High-School Youth

This Full-paper in the Innovative-Practice Category introduces an innovative visual-privacy themed experiential-learning tool, and discusses how it is used for building human-privacy plus societal-security awareness in middle-school and high-school youth. The new GDPR driven business-communications are touching the lives of worldwide-consumers, including youth, who use technology-services, like internet and email, from an early age. A lack of privacy-security awareness in this context may expose youth. The new CSTA-standards advocate for inclusion of privacy, safety, ethics, societal-security and human-privacy topics in K-12. Existing literature show multiple instances of K-12 research-studies on data-privacy education and cybersecurity awareness. However, very few of these explore the visual-privacy theme in a way that middle-school and high-school youth can learn privacy, security and ethics through the lens of privacy-enhancing video-surveillance. This paper presents our simple but novel, visually interactive experiential-learning tool, which is based upon the PVA theme as applicable to visual-media contents. Our unique tool introduces young learners to privacy-security concepts, illustrates applied-cryptography and discusses privacy-security tradeoffs in surveillance-space. The educational application of this tool addresses the gap within the current K-12 educational-research work in societal-security implications and human-privacy domain. We discuss our experimental-studies with this tool, including piloting the tool-based hands-on workshop sessions with middle-school and high-school learners, as part of GICS and NSA-GenCyber projects. Additionally, we share and analyze the learning-assessment data and survey-responses collected from participants, in an effort to evaluate the prospects of our experiential-learning model as a potential educational and outreach medium for engaging and recruiting K-12 students in computing-disciplines.
Look Who’s Talking: Mediums of Contact Among Mid-to Later-Life Siblings:

Adult siblings maintain contact and remain close to one another. The current study used participants recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk (n = 491) to conduct regression analyses examining five methods of contact (in person, telephone, email, texting, and social media) predicting sibling closeness and conflict. Further, two- and three-way interactions assessed the role of sibling dyad composition (e.g., women with a sister and women with a brother). Results suggested that as contact in person, through social media, the telephone, or email increased, sibling closeness increased, while increased contact through email indicated less conflict. Assessing sibling dyad composition suggested as telephone contact increased, sibling closeness increased for all sibling dyads, especially for women with a sister compared to men with a brother. In-person and texting contacts were beneficial for women with a brother. Even in mid- to later-life, siblings connect through synchronous and asynchronous mediums, and this contact appears beneficial for sisters.
Photonic ATM front-end processor

Abstract : In this work, we have built 3 control circuit boards running at 2.5 Gb/s. These include a cell delineation circuit board, a VCI over writing circuit board, and a cell synchronizer control circuit board, and a cell synchronizer control circuit board. We also design and fabricate a 1x2 semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) broadband space switch. Multiwavelength signal switching using the fabricated switches is demonstrated. We also build the VCI overwriting and cell synchronization optical systems using both LiNbO3 switches and the fabricated switches. We have completed the interfaces of the optical systems with the control circuit boards and finally demonstrated the proposed photonic ATM front end processor at 2.5 Gb/s.
Gradients of geochemical change in relic charcoal hearth soils, Northwestern Connecticut, USA

Abstract Relic charcoal hearths (RCHs) have produced distinct legacy effects in forest soils around the world. Recently, LiDAR imagery has revealed thousands of 18th–early 20th century RCHs in Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA; however, the effects of RCHs on a landscape-scale are not well-documented, particularly fine-scale heterogeneity within RCHs and surrounding soils. This study examines the long-term impacts of charcoal production by measuring RCH soil chemical and physical properties from three perspectives: (1) compared to adjacent reference sites (RSadj), (2) laterally at systematic distances away from the RCH center, and (3) vertically within the RCH soil profile. Mean charcoal abundance was greater in RCH sites than RSadj (p
The Influence of Emotion Dysregulation on the Relationship between Emotional Abuse and Self-concealment among Romantic Partners

The current study investigated the impact of emotional abuse on self-concealment in a sample of 126 college students currently in a romantic heterosexual relationship. This study also examined whet...
Predicting engineering students’ desire to address climate change in their careers: an exploratory study using responses from a U.S. National survey

More engineering students are needed to address climate change in their careers. These students are necessary because engineering includes designing and building machines, structures, and component...
Patient factors predictive of failure following high tibial osteotomy

Abstract Introduction The influence of patient demographic factors in predicting the success and failure of HTO remains largely unknown. Objectives To determine factors associated with success or failure after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for unicompartmental knee pain with varus deformity at a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Methods A prospectively collected HTO outcomes registry was queried for patients undergoing HTO. Demographic, preoperative, intraoperative, radiographic, and postoperative data were collected. Patient factors were analyzed for their association with HTO failure, which was defined as conversion to uni- or total knee arthroplasty. Results Seventy-five patients were identified (n = 58 males; n = 17 females) with a mean age of 37.3 ± 8.7 years at surgery and average follow-up of 5.5 ± 3.8 years. Forty-eight percent (n = 36) of patients underwent reoperation, 28% (n = 21) underwent hardware removal, and 17% (n = 13) converted to arthroplasty. Increased body mass index (BMI) (> 30 kg/m2) (P = .025) and age > 45 years (P = .020) were associated with HTO failure, while performance of concomitant procedures decreased failure probabilities (P = .008). Conclusion s: High tibial osteotomy is an effective procedure for symptomatic patients with varus deformity, associated with a significant improvement in PROs, a moderate complication rate, and a high survival rate. Reoperation rates remain common, while failure rates requiring conversion to arthroplasty necessitate HTO be performed in appropriately selected patients. Performance of concomitant joint preservation procedures at the time of HTO was protective against HTO failure, while greater patient age and BMI were associated with HTO failures. Level of Evidence Level 4, Case series
Differentiable biology: using deep learning for biophysics-based and data-driven modeling of molecular mechanisms

Deep learning using neural networks relies on a class of machine-learnable models constructed using 'differentiable programs'. These programs can combine mathematical equations specific to a particular domain of natural science with general-purpose, machine-learnable components trained on experimental data. Such programs are having a growing impact on molecular and cellular biology. In this Perspective, we describe an emerging 'differentiable biology' in which phenomena ranging from the small and specific (for example, one experimental assay) to the broad and complex (for example, protein folding) can be modeled effectively and efficiently, often by exploiting knowledge about basic natural phenomena to overcome the limitations of sparse, incomplete and noisy data. By distilling differentiable biology into a small set of conceptual primitives and illustrative vignettes, we show how it can help to address long-standing challenges in integrating multimodal data from diverse experiments across biological scales. This promises to benefit fields as diverse as biophysics and functional genomics.
High-Fidelity Simulation in Biomedical and Aerospace Engineering

Contents include the following: Introduction / Background. Modeling and Simulation Challenges in Aerospace Engineering. Modeling and Simulation Challenges in Biomedical Engineering. Digital Astronaut. Project Columbia. Summary and Discussion.
Detection of Tomato chlorosis virus and its vector Trialeurodes vaporariorum in greenhouse-grown tomato and sweet pepper in the Cartago province, Costa Rica

Whiteflies and whitefly-borne viruses are major constraints to the production of tomato and sweet pepper both in field and greenhouses settings. Limited data exist about the epidemiological factors related to these pests and pathogens for greenhouse production in Costa Rica. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and its vector Trialeurodes vaporariorum in tomato and sweet pepper grown in greenhouses in the Cartago province. Results showed that both vector and virus are widespread across all the greenhouses in the province. Detection of ToCV in several weeds shows its adaptation to this type of environment. Possible evidence for genetic differentiation between T. vaporariorum populations is presented.
Automating the ilp setup task: converting user advice about specific examples into general background knowledge

Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) provides an effective method of learning logical theories given a set of positive examples, a set of negative examples, a corpus of background knowledge, and specification of a search space (e.g., via mode definitions) from which to compose the theories. While specifying positive and negative examples is relatively straightforward, composing effective background knowledge and search-space definition requires detailed understanding of many aspects of the ILP process and limits the usability of ILP. We introduce two techniques to automate the use of ILP for a non-ILP expert. These techniques include automatic generation of background knowledge from user-supplied information in the form of a simple relevance language, used to describe important aspects of specific training examples, and an iterative-deepening-style search process.
Aβ solubility and deposition during AD progression and in APP × PS-1 knock-in mice

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) appears to be a very early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) is believed to be a possible substrate for AD, but little is currently known about Abeta alterations in MCI and how these changes compare to later stages of disease. In the present study Abeta was differentially extracted from the brains of age-matched control, MCI, and AD cases and compared with plaque counts. For comparison, APPxPS-1 knock-in mice were processed in parallel. We observed that Abeta42 was significantly elevated in MCI subjects, even though there was no significant alteration in the total amount of Abeta. Relative Abeta solubility within the different extractable pools was identical between AD and MCI subjects, with both significantly altered relative to controls. Temporal analysis of Abeta levels and solubility in a knock-in mouse model of Abeta pathogenesis recapitulated many of the salient features observed in AD. Characterization of the SDS fraction showed some similarities between aged knock-in mice and AD subjects. These data suggest that distinct changes in Abeta occur throughout the progression of AD, and that elevations in Abeta42 occur at an early, clinically defined stage.
Oxidation of molybdenum silicide thin film temperature sensors

Abstract The oxidation characteristics of molybdenum silicide (MoSi x ) thin films used in resistance-type temperature sensor applications were investigated. In the present study, the electrical resistance variation of sensor films as a function of temperature was measured as an indication of sensor oxidation characteristics. The oxidation resistance of MoSi x films was observed to depend significantly on their silicon content. For comparatively molybdenum-rich MoSi x (as against stoichiometric MoSi 2 ) sensor films, poor oxidation resistance was observed. Sensors of this category showed linear positive, i.e. metallic, temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) characteristics up to about 700°C, followed by sudden disarray of the electrical resistance due to intense oxidation. At the other extremity, relatively silicon-rich MoSi x sensor films, e.g. containing 92 at.% Si, exhibited non-linear and negative TCR characteristics, although good oxidation resistance could be obtained by the formation of a protective SiO 2 layer. In contrast, a near stoichiometric MoSi 2 sensor film showed relatively good oxidation resistance as sell as positive TCR values of (3.1–3.9) × 10 −3 K −1 up to 1450°C for at least five test cycles. This result indicates that a self-passivating SiO 2 layer forms effectively on the top surface of MoSi 2 sensors as expected, thus giving the desired sensor performance.
Use of a Volunteer Angler Survey for Assessing Length Distribution and Seasonal Catch Trends of Trophy Largemouth Bass

Abstract A volunteer angler survey was conducted from October 2004 to May 2006 at Fayette County Reservoir, Texas, to help determine the seasonal catch trends and length distribution of trophy (≥21 in long) largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. Although previous Texas Parks and Wildlife creel and electrofishing surveys had collected data on the reservoir's largemouth bass fishery, little information was obtained on trophy bass. Quarterly catch and length distribution data from a volunteer angler survey were compared with data collected concurrently during an agency-staffed creel survey as a means to validate the volunteered data. The costs associated with each survey method were also compared. Anglers voluntarily reported catches of 177 trophy largemouth bass during the 20-month survey period. The length distributions by inch-group 21 in or longer were not significantly different between survey methods, validating the fish lengths reported by volunteers. The quarterly catch trends over a 1-year period we...
On Nix's Theorem for Two Skew Dislocations in Anisotropic Elastic Half-Spaces and Bimaterials

In the earlier papers, the net interaction force F between two skew dislocations with Burgers vectors b, b separated by a distance h in an infinite anisotropic elastic space, in a half space, or in a dissimilar bimaterial has been presented. In this paper, the authors employ Green's functions to obtain new explicit expressions of F. The new solutions provide new physical interpretations. The authors show that, for the infinite space and the half-space with a traction-free surface, F is independent of b2, b2 and that F = 0 if b or b is along the x2-axis. F is independent of the skew angle Oif the projections of b, b on the plane X2 = 0 lie along a pair of conjugate radii of an ellipse. For other half-spaces and bimaterials, F(on b) = 0 when b and b x v are along the x2-axis where v is the axial vector of a skew-symmetric matrix. Hence b is arbitrary if v = 0, which is the case for the half-space with a slippery surface and for certain bimaterials. F(on b) is independent of 0 when b is along the x2-axis and...
Heme oxygenase: expression in human retina and modulation by stress agents in a human retinoblastoma cell model system.

PCR and Southern blot analyses demonstrate that mRNA for heme oxygenase (HO), a well known “stress protein” in a number of tissues, is present in human retina. Western and northern blots show that the protein and mRNA are also expressed in human Y-79 retinoblastoma cells in culture and that the HO enzyme is rapidly induced by its substrate, heme. Moreover, HO is also induced by two chemicals, sodium arsenite and menadione, that act as agents of oxidative stress. HO is the regulatory enzyme in the heme degradative pathway and an increase in its activity could lead to the accumulation of bilirubin, an antioxidant, in the cell at the expense of heme, a prooxidant. The HO pathway may thus be of importance in protecting the retina against oxidative stress in vivo. Moreover, the Y-79 culture system should provide an excellent model for use in examining stress mechanisms in retinal cells at a molecular level.
Reduced-dimensional systems: Probe for electronic dimensionality

The Nernst effect is increasingly used to characterize a material's electronic structure. The discovery of an unexpected Nernst response in graphite establishes the role of dimensionality on this effect, and provides a means of distinguishing bulk and surface contributions to it.
Dynamics and power prediction in fission bursts

This paper reports on large dynamic stresses that are induced in the fuel components of fast-burnt, or pulse, reactors because of rapid fission heating. These stresses increase more than linearly with burst energy yield and, at some yield, will cause fuel failure. Despite many attempts, no one has yet succeeded in predicting a fuel damage threshold with useful certainty in the reactor design stage, nor has the maximum fuel stress for a given power pulse in an operating reactor been calculated satisfactorily. Some analytic solutions for the burst dynamic behavior of typical fuel components that are consistent with available fuel displacement measurements are discussed. In particular, an analytic function is introduced for stress-vibration excitation of fuel components by the bell-shaped power pulse of a reactor burst. These solutions can be employed to determine fuel damage thresholds with useful certainty. Also, a new approach is presented for the analysis of prompt burst power transients by employing fuel displacement solutions to derive dynamic reactivity quench for use in power calculations.
Racial disparities in late survival after rectal cancer surgery.

Background African-American patients experience higher mortality than Caucasian patients after surgery for most common cancer types. Whether longterm survival after rectal cancer surgery varies by race is less clear. Study design Using 1992 to 2003 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data, we examined race and longterm survival among African-American and Caucasian rectal cancer patients undergoing resection. We identified racial differences in patient characteristics, structure, and processes of care. We then assessed mortality using a Cox proportional hazards model, sequentially adding variables to explore the extent to which they attenuated the association between race and mortality. Results African-American patients had a substantially poorer overall survival rate than Caucasian patients did. Five-year survival rates were 41% and 50%, respectively (p Conclusions Poorer longterm survival after rectal cancer surgery among African Americans is explained by measurable differences in processes of care and patient characteristics. These data suggest that outcomes disparities could be reduced by strategies targeting earlier diagnosis and increasing adjuvant therapy use among African-American patients.
The Metallurgical Interpretation of the Structures found in Meteoritic Irons

Two crystallographic mechanisms have been established for the transformation from the high-temperature, face-centered cubic lattice of γ-iron to the low-temperature, body-centered cubic lattice of α-iron. Published researches on meteorites were not adequate to establish which of these two mechanisms operated in the formation of the coarse Widmanstatten patterns found in meteorites. It was felt that a study of these patterns in meteoritic irons would contribute to the understanding of these mechanisms. An investigation of the macro-and micro-crystalline perfection of an Amalia Farm [= Bethany, Great Namaqualand], South Africa, and a Canyon Diablo, Arizona, meteorite established that the latter was far better suited for an X-ray study of the orientation relationships in the structure. In the course of the research it was established that one of the mechanisms operated at high transformation temperatures, while the other operated at much lower temperatures. The orientations in the Canyon Diablo sample corresponded to those predicted by the high-temperature mechanism. This, and other metallurgical evidence, is in accord with the theory that the Widmanstatten patterns in meteorites are formed by extremely slow cooling from high temperatures. Recent advances in physical metallurgy have developed very useful correlations between rates of solid reactions and the resultant structures (coarseness of pattern) and between speed and temperature of plastic deformation and the type of deformation which occurs (slip, twinning, and cleavage). The application of this knowledge, in conjunction with adequate experiments on alloys of meteoritic composition, would undoubtedly lead to definite knowledge concerning the origin and the history of meteorites.
Adiponectin Protects Against Hyperoxic Lung Injury and Vascular Leak

Adiponectin (Ad), an adipokine exclusively secreted by the adipose tissue, has emerged as a paracrine metabolic regulator as well as a protectant against oxidative stress. Pharmacological approaches of protecting against clinical hyperoxic lung injury during oxygen therapy/treatment are limited. We have previously reported that Ad inhibits the NADPH oxidase-catalyzed formation of superoxide from molecular oxygen in human neutrophils. Based on this premise, we conducted studies to determine whether (i) exogenous Ad would protect against the hyperoxia-induced barrier dysfunction in the lung endothelial cells (ECs) in vitro, and (ii) endogenously synthesized Ad would protect against hyperoxic lung injury in wild-type (WT) and Ad-overexpressing transgenic (AdTg) mice in vivo. The results demonstrated that exogenous Ad protected against the hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress, loss of glutathione (GSH), cytoskeletal reorganization, barrier dysfunction, and leak in the lung ECs in vitro. Furthermore, the hyperoxia-induced lung injury, vascular leak, and lipid peroxidation were significantly attenuated in AdTg mice in vivo. Also, AdTg mice exhibited elevated levels of total thiols and GSH in the lungs as compared with WT mice. For the first time, our studies demonstrated that Ad protected against the hyperoxia-induced lung damage apparently through attenuation of oxidative stress and modulation of thiol-redox status.
Heightened secretion by small and medium-sized luteinizing hormone (LH) gonadotropes late in the cycle suggests contributions to the LH surge or possible paracrine interactions.

LH secretion from pituitary cell fractions sepa- rated by centrifugal elutriation was compared to learn whether any contributed to the LH surge. After plating (1 h) and stimu- lation with O-10 nM (o-Lys')GnRH (4 h), some fractions se- creted levels that were out of proportion to their enrichment. Large cells from proestrous morning rats (3-fold enriched) se- creted 4.3 times more LH, and medium-sized fractions &&fold enriched) secreted 2-3.4 times more LH than unseparated cells during estrus or metestrus. Normalized data (nanograms per 20,000 cells) showed that basal levels reflected the enrichment in the fractions. Data were also normalized to nanograms of LH per 1,000 LH gonadotropes to focus on LH cell activity. Basal secretion in unseparated cultures (4-6 ng/ml/l,OOO LH cells) was lower than that in small or large LH cells during all stages except proestrus, when small gonadotropes became as active as those in unseparated cultures, and large gonadotropes secreted 2-3 times more LH. Basal secretion from medium-sized gona- dotropes was comparable to that in unseparated cultures. (D- Ly@)GnRH-mediated secretion from unseparated, small, and large LH cells was comparable during most stages. However, during proestrus, large gonadotropes secreted 2.2 times more LH than unseparated counterparts. Stimulated medium-sized LH cells were 1.3-2.3 times more active in most stages than those in unseparated cultures and 1.75-2.8 times more active than those in large cell fractions (from proestrous PM to metestrus). Whereas this enhanced secretion late in proestrus suggests that medium-sized LH cells may support the LH surge, it also may reflect the removal of regulatory factors from cells in other fractions. Studies of autocrine or paracrine interactions with gonadotropes are needed to test this hypothesis.
Active DNA demethylation: many roads lead to Rome

DNA methylation is one of the best-characterized epigenetic modifications and has been implicated in numerous biological processes, including transposable element silencing, genomic imprinting and X chromosome inactivation. Compared with other epigenetic modifications, DNA methylation is thought to be relatively stable. Despite its role in long-term silencing, DNA methylation is more dynamic than originally thought as active DNA demethylation has been observed during specific stages of development. In the past decade, many enzymes have been proposed to carry out active DNA demethylation and growing evidence suggests that, depending on the context, this process may be achieved by multiple mechanisms. Insight into how DNA methylation is dynamically regulated will broaden our understanding of epigenetic regulation and have great implications in somatic cell reprogramming and regenerative medicine.
KINDRED SHOWING CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF THE DERMAL RIDGES (FINGERPRINTS) AND ASSOCIATED ANOMALIES.

Complete absence of dermatoglyphics (finger, palm, and toe prints) in more than one member of a family has not been described previously. Various studies of 24 members in one kindred are reported here. The 13 affected members also show bilateral partial flexion contractures of the fingers and toes, bilateral webbing of the toes, and transient congenital milia.
Laser intensity modulation by nonabsorbing defects

Nonabsorbing bulk defects can initiate laser damage in transparent materials. Defects such as voids, microcracks and localized stress concentrations can serve as positive or negative lenses for the incident laser light. The resulting interference pattern between refracted and diffracted light can result in intensity increases on the order of a factor of 2 some distance away from a typical negative microlens, and even larger for a positive microlens. Thus, the initial damage site can be physically removed from the defect which initiates damage. The parameter that determines the strength of such lensing is (Ka){sup 2}{Delta}{epsilon}, where the wavenumber K is 2{pi}/{lambda} linear size of the defect and AF, is the difference in dielectric coefficient between matrix and scatterer. Thus, even a small change in refractive index results in a significant effect for a defect large compared to a wavelength. Geometry is also important. Three dimensional (eg. voids) as well as linear and planar (eg. cracks) microlenses can all have strong effects. The present paper evaluates the intensification due to spherical voids and high refractive index inclusions. We wish to particularly draw attention to the very large intensification that can occur at inclusions.
Cavitation erosion in vibratory and venturi facilities

Abstract Water cavitation erosion results from Venturi and vibratory tests of fully annealed commercially pure aluminum and annealed carbon steel are compared to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in these static and flowing tests. Significant differences between the initial pit characteristics were found, which were due primarily to the different bubble sizes and collapse pressures. The ratio of erosion rates from the two facilities was larger for the weaker material (aluminum). Results were also compared with pulse height spectra from individual bubble collapse in the Venturi tests.
Labelling patterns and object naming

We examined the effects of different labelling patterns on the generalization of object names. Two-year-olds, three-year-olds and adults were shown two ‘standard’ objects, which were named with the same label, or with two different labels, or with no label at all. Participants were then asked whether objects morphed to be intermediate to the standards belonged to one of the labelled categories or, in the No Label condition, were ‘like’ one of the standards. The Same Label condition showed generalization to all intermediates, whereas the Different Label and No Label conditions showed division of the intermediates into two separate categories, with somewhat sharper division under Different Label. These results suggest two possible mechanisms of lexical learning: ‘boosting’ the equivalence of different exemplars through label identity, and ‘differentiating’ the exemplars through differences in labelling. The studies provided strong evidence for boosting. Learners are sensitive to the distribution of labels across exemplars, and they hold powerful assumptions about the relationship between these distributions and the underlying naming space. These findings have implications for the early emergence of cross-linguistic differences in lexical learning.
Artificial Life VII: looking backward, looking forward (Editor's introduction to the special issue)

This issue contains highlights from the Artificial Life VII conference, held at Reed College in August 2000 [1]. A few authors who presented papers at the conference were invited to revise and expand their papers for publication in this special issue. Freed from the artificial space limits of conference proceedings, their papers provide additional details and situate their work in a broader context. One additional paper on open problems in artificial life grew out of discussion at the end of the conference. All the papers show the breadth and depth of the work presented at the conference. All address very deep questions about living systems, and most build bridges to concrete biological data and generate experimentally testable predictions. The origin of multicellularity is one of the major transitions in the evolution of life, and differentiated multicellular life has apparently evolved independently many times. The developmental processes which create these multicellular organizations share three notable features. First, development starts with a homogeneous cell (or set of cells) that are multipotent, that is, have the ability to differentiate into many different types of specialized cells. Second, the developmental process has an intrinsic arrow of time because the differentiated cells that result are not multipotent. Third, the developmental process is stable in the face of perturbations that destroy clusters of cells. In “Complex Organization in Multicellularity as a Necessity in Evolution,” Chikara Furusawa and Kunihiko Kaneko provide a minimal model of cellular dynamics that explains these universal features of multicellular differentiation. Furusawa and Kaneko numerically simulated a one-dimensional chain of cells governed by randomly generated biochemical reaction networks. They found that, while competition for resources prevents resources from flowing through chains of undifferentiated cells, cellular differentiation allows cells to share resources throughout the cellular chain. Thus, although individual cells taken from undifferentiated chains can grow more quickly than cells from differentiated chains, chains of differentiated cells can grow more quickly than chains of undifferentiated cells. These results lead to a number of experimentally testable predictions about multicellularity in biological organisms and provide a mechanism by which multicellularity inevitably arises in the evolution of cellular differentiation. The genetic code is a nearly universal feature of life on earth, although it does have a few exceptions such as mitochondrial DNA. It is difficult to understand at first how the genetic code could evolve at all; a mutation at a given codon might be a selective advantage, of course, but any change in the code would entail wholesale changes at a vast proportion of codons. How could this but be disastrous? Hiroaki Takagi, Kunihiko Kaneko, and Tetsuya Yomo propose a solution to this problem in
Searching for circles of pure proofs

When given a set of properties or conditions (say, three) that are claimed to be equivalent, the claim can be verified by supplying what we call acircle of proofs. In the case in point, one proves the second property or condition from the first, the third from the second, and the first from the third. If the proof that 1 implies 2 does not rely on 3, then we say that the proof is pure with respect to 3, or simply say theproof is pure. If one can renumber the three properties or conditions in such a way that one can find a circle of three pure proofs — technically, each proof pure with respect to the condition that is neither the hypothesis nor the conclusion — then we say that acircle of pure proofs has been found. Here we study the specific question of the existence of a circle of pure proofs for the thirteen shortest single axioms for equivalential calculus, subject to the requirement that condensed detachment be used as the rule of inference. For an indication of the difficulty of answering the question, we note that a single application of condensed detachment to the (shortest single) axiom known asP4 (also known asUM) with itself yields the (shortest single) axiomP5 (also known asXGF), and two applications of condensed detachment beginning withP5 as hypothesis yieldsP4. Therefore, except forP5, one cannot find a pure proof of any of the twelve shortest single axioms when usingP4 as hypothesis or axiom, for the first application of condensed detachment must focus on two copies ofP4, which results in the deduction ofP5, forcingP5 to be present in all proofs that useP4 as the only axiom. Further, the close proximity in the proof sense ofP4 when using as the only axiomP5 threatens to make impossible the discovery of a circle of pure proofs for the entire set of thirteen shortest single axioms. Perhaps more important than our study of pure proofs, and of a more general nature, we also present the methodology used to answer the cited specific question, a methodology that relies on various strategies and features offered by W. McCune's automated reasoning programOtter. The strategies and features ofOtter we discuss here offer researchers the needed power to answer deep questions and solve difficult problems. We close this article (in the last two sections) with some challenges and some topics for research and (in the Appendix) with a sample input file and some proofs for study.
Green functions of the anisotropic Heisenberg model

The Green functions of the anisotropic Heisenberg model are studied by a method which was applied previously to the reduced density matrices. Integral equations are used to prove the existence of the infinite volume limit of the Green functions, and some analyticity properties with respect to the fugacity (or magnetic field), the potentials, and the complex times.
Statin-associated memory loss: analysis of 60 case reports and review of the literature.

Objective. To review case reports of statin-associated memory loss as well as the available published evidence for and against such a link. Methods. We searched the MedWatch drug surveillance system of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from November 1997-February 2002 for reports of statin-associated memory loss. We also reviewed the published literature (using MEDLINE) and prescribing information for these drugs. Results. Of the 60 patients identified who had memory loss associated with statins, 36 received simvastatin, 23 atorvastatin, and 1 pravastatin. About 50% of the patients noted cognitive adverse effects within 2 months of therapy. Fourteen (56%) of 25 patients noted improvement when the statin was discontinued. Memory loss recurred in four patients who were rechallenged with the drug. None of the 60 reported cognitive test results. Two placebo-controlled trials found no benefits for statins on cognition or disability. One randomized controlled trial of simvastatin found no effects on cerebrospinal amyloid levels. In one small, randomized study, patients receiving statins showed a trend toward lower cognitive performance than those receiving placebo. Five observational studies found a lower risk of dementia among patients receiving statins. Conclusion. Current literature is conflicting with regard to the effects of statins on memory loss. Experimental studies support links between cholesterol intake and amyloid synthesis; observational studies indicate that patients receiving statins have a reduced risk of dementia. However, available prospective studies show no cognitive or antiamyloid benefits for any statin. In addition, case reports raise the possibility that statins, in rare cases, may be associated with cognitive impairment, though causality is not certain.
Morphogenic effects of halogenated thymidine analogues on Drosophila. I. Quantitative analysis of lesions induced by 5-bromodeoxyuridine and 5-fluorouracil.

When 5-fluorouracil (FU) is offered simultaneously with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) to Drosophila larvae, a variety of bristle modifications and hyperplastic growths are found on the wings of the adult flies. Administration of FU alone will not stimulate growth in Drosophila, while high concentrations of BUdR offered alone will induce a lower frequency of growth modifications than induced by BUdR plus FU. Comparison of the morphological response induced by sequential treatment with the two analogues and that by simultaneous treatment with the analogues at the same concentrations indicates that maximum response is achieved by the presence of both analogues at the same time. These observations suggest that BUdR may be the primary agent in upsetting morphogenesis in Drosophila, while FU plays a subsidiary role leading to intensification of the morphogenic effects when it is present during the treatment period. The incorporation of BUdR-H3 and FU-H3 in Drosophila tissues was demonstrated by autoradiography. BUdR-H3 was incorporated in nuclei of both larval and imaginal disc cells, and the isotopic label was removable by deoxyribonuclease. Following dietary administration of FU-H3, tritium was found in RNA, primarily in cytoplasmic regions. Since BUdR is a known mutagen, consideration was given to the hypothesis that the altered growth patterns in Drosophila wings are the result of somatic cell mutational events induced by BUdR. Validity of the argument that recessive mutations on the X chromosomes can be readily expressed in the somatic cells of the male with one X chromosome as opposed to the female with two X chromosomes was tested by comparing the frequency of the induced somatic cell lesions in male and female zygotes. The males showed a higher frequency of induced supernumeraries, while the icidence of bristle effects and total wings affected was the same in both sexes.
Methylene Blue and Sestamibi: Complementary Tools for Localizing Parathyroids

Objective: To determine the value and correlation between sestamibi scan and methylene blue staining for localization of parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Study Design: Nonrandomized convenience sample, followed prospectively. Methods: Twenty-three consecutive patients underwent 24 operations for primary hyperparathyroidism. All patients underwent preoperative technetium 99m-sestamibi planar scintigraphy, preoperative administration of 7.5 mg/kg methylene blue initiated within 60 minutes of surgical incision, and surgical neck exploration supervised by a single surgeon. Results: All patients were cured of hypercalcemia. Sensitivity for sestamibi and for methylene blue staining was 76% and 79%, respectively. Specificity for sestamibi and for methylene blue was 98% and 93%, respectively. Agreement between sestamibi and methylene blue was 96%. Conclusions: Sestamibi scanning and methylene blue staining are useful, complementary localizing tools for patients undergoing surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. When used together, these studies decrease operative time, justify unilateral exploration in patients with parathyroid adenoma, and increase the ease of identification of hyperplastic parathyroid glands.