cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Petrological monitoring of cyclical eruptive activity at Volcán Colima, Mexico

Abstract Major- and trace-element compositions and modes are reported for 53 andesitic lava and scoria samples from post-caldera eruptions at Volcan Colima. The data focus on products of the 3rd and 4th historical eruptive cycles (1818 to present). We divide the 400-year historical eruptive record at Volcan Colima into four cycles. Each cycle appears to have begun with a phase of crater dome ascent lasting 50 or more years, continued with a phase of equal duration dominated by intermittent eruptions of block lavas, and terminated with a powerful Pelean-type eruption. The andesitic block lavas of the last two eruptive cycles are very homogeous in composition, averaging 61 wt.% SiO2. In contrast, scoriae erupted during cycle-ending Pelean events (2nd cycle: 1818, 3rd cycle: 1913) are significantly more basic, with 57.9 to 59.2 wt.% SiO2. The 1913 scoriae show compositional zoning to more-basic compositions with time through the eruption. The 4th eruptive cycle has evolved through homogeneous andesitic block lava eruptions in 1961–62 and 1975–76. Beginning with the final stages of lava extrusion in 1976, and continuing through several crater domes, the small block lava flow of 1981–82, and the crater dome and associated explosive eruptions in 1988, andesitic compositions have become significantly more basic (to 58.9 wt.% SiO2). We interpret these trends to indicate that the explosive Pelean-type eruption that will end the 4th historical cycle is imminent. Complicating predictions of pending eruptive activity, however, are: (1) compositional subcycles, manifested by short-term, periodic reversals to more-evolved andesites, and (2) the fact that andesites of the 4th cycle have significantly lower hornblende contents and higher total crystal contents than compositionally similar andesites of the 3rd cycle, reflecting considerably lower magmatic water contents in the 4th-cycle andesites. Accordingly, the Pelean-type eruption of 1913, which sent pyroclastic flows 15 km down the southern flank of Volcan Colima and ash falls up to 720 km to the northeast, is viewed as a worst-case scenario for the anticipated eruption that will end the present cycle.
Relapsing polychondritis in association with Crohn's disease

(Editorial Comment: This article highlights the previously unreported relationship between relapsing polychondritis and Crohn’s disease, and parallel improvement of both on treatment. We are reminded of the differential diagnosis of cellulitis of the auricle.) Relapsing polychondritis is a well described rare autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. It is probably underdiagnosed, because in many cases, the disease has a mild or subtle presentation. Fulminant or progressively severe cases leading to death do occur, and a high index of suspicion is necessary when one is confronted with the management of an inflamed ear. In approximately 30% of cases, relapsing polychondritis is associated with another autoimmune disease. In this report, we describe the occurrence of polychondritis in a patient with Crohn’s disease. This association has not been reported before. CASE PRESENTATION
Genitourinary Resection at the Time of Cytoreductive Surgery and Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Is Not Associated with Increased Morbidity or Worsened Oncologic Outcomes: A Case-matched Study

Background Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has gained acceptance in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis with reported morbidity and mortality rates of 27–56 and 0–11 %, respectively. The safety and oncologic outcome of genitourinary repair at the time of CRS and HIPEC remains unclear.
Model Prediction on the Behavior of Cerium in Heavy Rail Steel

The thermodynamic model which quantificationally described the behavior of cerium in heavy rail steel was proposed. From the model, the effects of cerium on the composition, sequence and transformation condition of inclusions and the content of cerium dissolved in heavy rail steel were studied principally. When the cleanliness of heavy rail steel is low, the sequence of inclusions precipitation in heavy rail steel is Ce2O3, Ce2O2S, Ce2S3 and CeS. With increasing the cleanliness of steel, the sequence of inclusions precipitation is Ce2O2S and CeS. At 1783 K, the necessary condition of Ce2O3 precipitation in heavy rail steel is ao/as≥0.186, for Ce2S3 precipitation is ao/as≤0.394. The content of cerium dissolved in heavy rail steel is mainly affected by Ce2S3 inclusion. With the precipitations of all inclusions being stable, the curve between the dissolved cerium content and cerium addition becomes linear.
Structures and synthesis of some new antibacterial sesquiterpenoids from the gorgonian coral Pseudopterogorgia rigida

Abstract The antibacterial properties of extracts of the Caribbean gorgonian Pseudopterogorgia rigida have been shown to originate in three previously undescribed derivatives of the aromatic sesquiterpene α-curcumene. (−)-Curcuphenol, (−)-curcuquinone, and (−)-curcuhydroquinone were isolated in high yield (30% extract) and structurally defined by inter-conversion and by reduction of the mesylate derivatives to yield the parent hydrocarbon (−)α-curcumene. A high yielding synthesis (86% overall) of curcuphenol, the most active antibacterial metabolite, is described.
Random attractive electron-electron interactions in two-dimensional systems

Abstract A discussion is given of random attractive electron-electron interactions in two-dimensional systems. The effects on the Si inversion layer of negative U and/or reconstructing centers are explored and suggestions are made as to the role of these and associated states in producing changes in the device characteristics.
A MODEL AND ALGORITHM FOR MULTICRITERIA ROUTE-MODE CHOICE

Abstract Using an idea proposed independently by Quandt and Schneider, the paper declares mode choice to be a special instance of route choice. It describes a (non-logit) model which includes in its route-choice mechanism the decision variables traditionally associated with mode choice. With the assumption that each traveller selects the route which minimizes his own personal linear choice function, it is clear that the routes with a nonzero chance of being picked are only those not dominated by any other path (e.g. are not both costlier and longer than any other path). The precise probability of a route being chosen is just the integral over the appropriate portion of the probability density of the coefficients of the choice function. The integration limits are implied by the amount of each disutility on each of the undominated routes. An algorithm is given which is quite efficient in finding these paths in a large and complex multimodal network.
Material and design engineering of (Al)GaN for high-performance avalanche photodiodes and intersubband applications

Numerous applications in scientific, medical, and military areas demand robust, compact, sensitive, and fast ultraviolet (UV) detection. Our (Al)GaN photodiodes pose high avalanche gain and single-photon detection efficiency that can measure up to these requirements. Inherit advantage of back-illumination in our devices offers an easier integration and layout packaging via flip-chip hybridization for UV focal plane arrays that may find uses from space applications to hostile-agent detection. Thanks to the recent (Al)GaN material optimization, III-Nitrides, known to have fast carrier dynamics and short relaxation times, are employed in (Al)GaN based superlattices that absorb in near-infrared regime. In this work, we explain the origins of our high performance UV APDs, and employ our (Al)GaN material knowledge for intersubband applications. We also discuss the extension of this material engineering into the far infrared, and even the terahertz (THz) region.
Changes in long-term extension rates associated with the Morgan Hill and Loma Prieta earthquakes in California

Frequent measurements since mid-1981 of the distances from a geodetic monument located about 100 km south-southeast of San Francisco to three monuments 30 to 40 km distant provide an unusually complete record of the deformation before and after two nearby earthquakes, the 1984 Morgan Hill (ML = 6.2) and 1989 Loma Prieta (Ms = 7.1) earthquakes. Except possibly for the first few months postseismic, the extension rates indicated by these measurements appear to be steady over the four or five years both preceding and following those earthquakes. However, the preseismic and postseismic rates differ significantly for at least one of the baselines measured for each earthquake. The data over the four to five year postseismic records available are not adequate to demonstrate whether the postseismic rates are relaxing back to the preseismic rates.
Aberrant B cell receptor signaling from B29 (Igβ, CD79b) gene mutations of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B cells characteristically exhibit low or undetectable surface B cell receptor (BCR) and diminished responses to BCR-mediated signaling. These features suggest that CLL cells may have sustained mutations affecting one or more of the BCR proteins required for receptor surface assembly and signal transduction. Loss of expression and mutations in the critical BCR protein B29 (Igβ, CD79b), are prevalent in CLL and could produce the hallmark features of these leukemic B cells. Because patient CLL cells are intractable to manipulation, we developed a model system to analyze B29 mutations. Jurkat T cells stably expressing μ, κ, and mb1 efficiently assembled a functional BCR when infected with recombinant vaccinia virus bearing wild-type B29. In contrast, a B29 CLL mutant protein truncated in the transmembrane domain did not associate with μ or mb1 at the cell surface. Another B29 CLL mutant lacking the C-terminal immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motif tyrosine and distal residues brought the receptor to the surface as well as wild-type B29 but showed significant impairment in anti-IgM-stimulated signaling events including mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. These findings demonstrate that B29 mutations previously identified in CLL patients can affect BCR-dependent signaling and may contribute to the unresponsive B cell phenotype in CLL. Finally, the features of the B29 mutations in CLL predict that they may be generated by somatic hypermutation.
Late total occlusion after intracoronary brachytherapy for patients with in-stent restenosis.

OBJECTIVES The study sought to determine the incidence and predictors of late total occlusion (LTO, >30 days) in-patients with in-stent restenosis who were treated with intracoronary radiation. BACKGROUND Intracoronary radiation both with beta and gamma emitters has been shown to reduce recurrent in-stent restenosis. METHODS We reviewed the records of 473 patients who presented with in-stent restenosis and who were enrolled in various radiation protocols, whether randomized to placebo versus radiation or entered into registries. There were 165 placebo and 308 radiated patients, including both gamma and beta emitters. Maximum dose to the vessel wall was 30 to 55 Gy. Following radiation, all patients received antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and either ticlopidine or clopidogrel for one month. All patients completed at least six months of angiographic follow-up. RESULTS The LTO was documented in 28 patients (9.1%) from the irradiated group versus 2 placebo patients (1.2%), p < 0.0001. The LTO rates were similar across studies and emitters. In the irradiated group, LTO presented as acute myocardial infarction in 12 patients (43%), unstable angina in 14 (50%), and asymptotic in 2 (7%). Mean time to LTO was 5.4 ± 3.2 months in the irradiated group versus 4.5 ± 2.1 in placebo patients (p = NS). The overall rate of restenting for the entire study group at the time of radiation was 48.6%. Importantly, new stents were placed in 82% of the irradiated and in 100% of the placebo patients who presented with LTO. Multivariate analysis determined that new stenting was the main predictor of LTO. CONCLUSIONS Intracoronary radiation for patients with in-stent restenosis is associated with a high rate of LTO. Restenting may contribute late thrombosis. Prolonged antiplatelet therapy (up to six months) should be considered for these patients.
Effect of paricalcitol and cinacalcet on serum phosphate, FGF-23, and bone in rats with chronic kidney disease.

Calcimimetics activate the calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) and reduce parathyroid hormone (PTH) by increasing the sensitivity of the parathyroid CaR to ambient calcium. The calcimimetic, cinacalcet,...
Forecasting the term structures of Treasury and corporate yields using dynamic Nelson-Siegel models

Abstract We extend Diebold and Li’s dynamic Nelson-Siegel three-factor model to a broader empirical prospective by including the evaluation of the state space approach and by using nine different ratings for corporate bonds. We find that the dynamic Nelson-Siegel factor AR(1) model outperforms other competitors on the out-of-sample forecast accuracy, especially on the investment-grade bonds for the short-term forecast horizon and on the high-yield bonds for the long-term forecast horizon. The dynamic Nelson-Siegel factor state space model, however, becomes appealing on the high-yield bonds in the short-term forecast horizon, where the factor dynamics are more likely time-varying and parameter instability is more probable in the model specification.
Improving the performance of the Hopfield-Tank neural network through normalization and annealing

A simple formulation of the TSP energy function is described which, in combination with a normalized Hopfield-Tank neural network, eliminates the difficulty in finding valid tours. This technique is applicable to many other optimization problems involving n-way decisions (such as VLSI layout and resource allocation) and is easily implemented in a VLSI neural network. The solution quality is shown to be dependent on the formation of seed-points which are influenced by the constraint penalties and the temperature (i.e. the neural gain). Near-optimal tours are found by annealing the network down to a critical temperature at which a single seed-point is dominant. The seed-points and critical temperature (which also affect standard Hopfield network solutions to the TSP) can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. It is also shown that the annealing process is not necessary and good tours result if the network is allowed to converge solely at the critical temperature. The seed-points can be eliminated entirely by assigning different temperatures to groups of neurons such that the tour evolves uniformly throughout the cities. The resulting network finds the optimum tour in a 30-city example in 30% of the trials.
The Changing Demography of America's Families

The authors use data from a variety of sources to describe recent dramatic changes in the composition economic stability and diversity of American families. The declining prevalence of early marriage increasing level of marital dissolution and growing tendency to never marry especially among some racial and ethnic groups reflect changes in the relative economic prospects of men and women and support the conclusion that marriage is becoming less valued as a source of economic stability. These developments also imply that relatively more children are born outside of marriage spend at least part of their childhood in a single-parent household and endure multiple changes in family composition. Paralleling these trends have been sharp changes in the economic stability of families characterized most notably by a growing importance of womens income and increasing economic inequality among American families. (authors)
Gender differences in factors influencing students towards computing

This paper examines students' pre-college experience with computers. It finds significant gender differences in how students develop interest in computers; exposure to computers at home; availability of computers in high schools; and high-school preparations for college study in a computing field. The paper has a number of implications to improve the digital divide for women. It is based on 150 in-depth interviews of female and male undergraduate students, members of five major ethnic/racial groups (White, Afro-American, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American) from seven institutions in the USA.
Socialization versus selection factors as sources of student definitions of the nurse role.

OPINIONS differ concerning the role of nurse in the United States: what the role is and what it ought to be. Such diverse opinions are considered to impede nursing as a profession. (l) As a sociologist and a nurse I have a particular interest in the sources of such diverse definitions of the nurse role. As a sociologist I have studied the process of socialization into an occupation: the development of a role conception. As a nurse I have experienced the confusion resulting from role conflict and ambiguity. I thus became interested in socialization factors versus selection factors as possible sources of student definitions of the nurse role. In this vein, the first potential source for role definition by the nurse is type of nursing education that she experienced as a student. Learning the role through the educational process is termed ‘socialization’ into the nurse role. Nursing education in the United States today provides three types of programs for the high school graduate who wishes to prepare for nursing: the diploma program, the baccalaureate program, and the associate degree program. Each type of nursing program has the minimal goal of preparing students to become ‘registered nurses’. Beyond this minimal goal, however, each program has specific goals and research shows that students who are socialized in different types of nursing programs have differing definitions of the nurse role. Corwin, @) for example, and Corwin and Tavesc3) found that students in the three year diploma nursing program are more bureaucratically oriented and particularly loyal to the hospital in which they work while students who attend a four year (collegiate) program are more professionally oriented and loyal to nursing as a profession rather than a specific hospital. Also, Corwin(4) as well as Kramert5) found that baccalaureate students compared to diploma students see more discrepancy between their belief in what the nurse role ought to be and their perception of the nurse role as it is practiced in reality.
Fate of Pierce's Disease Strains of Xylella fastidiosa in Common Riparian Plants in California

The fate of strains of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa that cause Pierce's disease of grapevines was investigated in 33 species of mostly perennial plants common in riparian habitats in northern coastal California grape-growing regions. Plants were inoculated in the field with needle puncture using cultured cells of X. fastidiosa as inoculum or inoculated in the laboratory with infective insect vectors (Graphocephala atropunctata). Populations of X. fastidiosa were highest in most plant species within 3 to 6 weeks of inoculation, followed by declines in populations of viable bacteria over the next 3 to 4 months. Homogenates of petioles of California black walnut (Juglans hindsii) and coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica) inhibited in vitro growth of X. fas-tidiosa, precluding culture of the bacterium from these plants. Big leaf maple (Acer macrophyl-lum), California buckeye (Aesculus californica), California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), French broom (Genista monspessulanus), periwinkle (Vinca major), valley oak (Quercus lobata), and the grape root-stock Vitis rupestris supported systemic populations of X. fastidiosa that survived throughout the year outdoors in Napa Valley, California.
Continuing disability of patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteriograms

Abstract Forty-five patients with chest pain were evaluated for evidence of continuing disability an average of 3 1 2 years after having a normal coronary arteriogram. Despite lessening of chest pain in 66% of the patients, 79% (27 of 34) of those who were initially limited by cardiac symptoms continued to be limited to the same degree or greater at the time of follow-up. Thirty-seven patients (82%) continued to see a physician regularly because of cardiac complaints, and 25 (56%) were still taking cardiac medication. During the follow-up interval 30 patients made visits to emergency rooms because of chest pain, and 12 were admitted to hospitals to rule out myocardial infarction, an event which did not evolve in any instance. Four patients (9%) had undergone a second normal coronary arteriogram. We conclude that despite a tendency toward improvement in chest pain, a good prognosis for longevity, and the absence of subsequent infarction, these patients continue to have a remarkable amount of continuing disability. The medical, social and economic consequences of this condition are considerable, and further studies are needed to define the pathophysiology and optimal (including cost-benefit analysis) management of these patients.
E-wave generated intraventricular diastolic vortex to L-wave relation: model-based prediction with in vivo validation

The Doppler echocardiographic E-wave is generated when the left ventricle's suction pump attribute initiates transmitral flow. In some subjects E-waves are accompanied by L-waves, the occurrence of which has been correlated with diastolic dysfunction. The mechanisms for L-wave generation have not been fully elucidated. We propose that the recirculating diastolic intraventricular vortex ring generates L-waves and based on this mechanism, we predict the presence of L-waves in the right ventricle (RV). We imaged intraventricular flow using Doppler echocardiography and phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) in 10 healthy volunteers. L-waves were recorded in all subjects, with highest velocities measured typically 2 cm below the annulus. Fifty-five percent of cardiac cycles (189 of 345) had L-waves. Color M-mode images eliminated mid-diastolic transmitral flow as the cause of the observed L-waves. Three-dimensional intraventricular flow patterns were imaged via PC-MRI and independently validated our hypothesis. Additionally as predicted, L-waves were observed in the RV, by both echocardiography and PC-MRI. The re-entry of the E-wave-generated vortex ring flow through a suitably located echo sample volume can be imaged as the L-wave. These waves are a general feature and a direct consequence of LV and RV diastolic fluid mechanics.
Strict refinement for graphs and digraphs

Abstract We show that any two cartesian factorizations of a connected graph have a strict common refinement, improving on the unique factorization theorem of G. Sabidussi. (The cartesian product is the product wherein two vertices are adjacent when they are adjacent in one coordinate and equal in all other coordinates.) Among the applications, we can deduce the strict refinement theorem for chain-finite posets, and (using a cartesian factorization algorithm of P. Winkler) we give a polynomial-time algorithm for cardinal factorization of connected finite posets.
Factors influencing transmitral flow velocity in normal and hypertensive subjects

Abstract Transmitral flow velocity and its determinants were examined with Doppler echocardiography in 53 hypertensive and 32 age-matched healthy normotensive men. Early and late maximal transmitral velocity, and early and late flow velocity integral were evaluated. In comparison with normal subjects, hypertensive patients were characterized by decreased maximal early velocity (66.3 ± 12.3 versus 72.3 ± 11.5 cm/sec, p p p p
Compact cavity design in solid state resonators by way of volume Bragg gratings

Volume Bragg gratings (VBG) recorded in photo-thermo refractive glass (PTR) have high stability, and high damage threshold, allowing for many applications to the design of high power lasers. Gratings recorded in the transmitting geometry (TBG) have narrow angular selectivity, and can be used as a spatial filter in a resonator. Such gratings have previously been useful for improving the brightness of high power diodes, and increasing the beam quality in rod geometry solid state lasers. As the gratings have narrow angular selectivity, losses for higher order modes in the resonator no longer depend on the cavity length, allowing for the construction of short cavities with large mode areas. In this paper, we explore the design of short 1cm cavities using two TBGs as a spatial filter and no aperture in the cavity. The M 2 parameter as a function of pump size and angular selectivity of the TBG are explored, using pump diameters ranging from 800um to 2mm and angular selectivity ranging from 11mrad to 1.8mrad. An M 2 parameter of 1.05 is reported for an 800μm pump diameter, a 6.2mrad TBG, and a 1cm long cavity.
Echocardiographic Features of Cardiac Compression by Mediastinal Pancreatic Pseudocyst

Echocardiogram of a patient who had retrocardiac compression by pancreatic pseudocyst is described both before and after drainage. Mass of echoes behind the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve and its disappearance after drainage of a pseudocyst have not been described in available literature. These findings mimic left atrial myxoma, and we discuss their differentiation in this case report.
Sudden extinction of the dinosaurs: latest Cretaceous, upper Great Plains, USA.

Results of a three-year field study of family-level patterns of ecological diversity of dinosaurs in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana and North Dakota show no evidence (probability P
There is power in numbers--even/especially in genomic medicine.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a challenging global health problem that has proved difficult to treat and thus far impossible to prevent, due in part to our lack of a clear understanding of the numerous underlying mechanisms. While advanced age is the most common risk factor for AF, family history is also associated with significantly increased risk of AF. Heritability suggests a significant contribution of genetic influences to the incidence of AF, but very few monogenic causes of AF have been identified, and the number of individuals affected by monogenic forms of AF is small. Genomewide association studies (GWASs) have the potential to provide unbiased insights into novel genes and pathways that contribute to genetically determined disease risk. The first GWAS for AF, published in 2007, identified 2 independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 4q25 (rs2200733 and rs10033464) that were significantly associated with risk of AF in a discovery cohort of 550 Icelandic individuals with a history of AF, compared with 4476 unaffected individuals from the same population. The initial study internally replicated this observation in additional cohorts in Sweden, the United States, and Hong Kong. Since the original report, the association of rs2200733 with AF has been replicated in additional populations and has been associated with risk of stroke (likely due to silent AF), with recurrence of AF after radiofrequency ablation, and with occurrence of AF after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This is a robust association. The 4q25 locus is near a gene, PITX2, with more than plausible biologic relevance. PITX2 has been shown to be critical to development of pulmonary veins, where AF may initiate. Individuals with lone AF with the risk allele of rs2200733 have been shown to have a prolonged PR interval as an intermediate phenotype. While these studies document a robust association of rs2200733 with AF pathophysiology, fine mapping studies in larger numbers of individuals suggest that there are numerous additional SNPs in the 4q25 region that are also associated with AF risk. A GWAS of PR interval (in 28,517 individuals) has similarly identified SNPs in 5 additional loci that are associated with both PR interval and risk of AF (in
Replacing a failed implant adjacent to the implant-supported restoration in the anterior region after ridge augmentation procedure

doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2009.00361.x Replacing a failed implant adjacent to the implant-supported restoration in the anterior region after ridge augmentation procedure Background: Dental professionals will have to deal with more implant failure and related complications due to the increase in popularity of this form of therapy. Objectives: There have been only a few reports on replacing failed implants at the same sites. This report may provide more detailed information about the re-implantation procedure and the results to the operator and less motivated patient. Materials and methods: The implant failure occurred after a 3-year period of loading in the anterior region. next to an implant-supported prosthesis. Ridge augmentation was performed with staged placement of an implant. Results: The implant was re-installed after ridge augmentation with deproteinised bovine bone and absorbable membrane, with the implant-supported prosthesis functioning well up to the final evaluation. Conclusion: This case report shows the possibility of treating the failed implant in the older population using a staged approach and it may give more detailed information about the re-implantation procedure and results to the operator and less motivated patient. Further evaluations over longer periods are necessary to establish whether this procedure offers long-term benefits to patients.
The contribution of adhesion signaling to lactogenesis

The mammary gland undergoes hormonally controlled cycles of pubertal maturation, pregnancy, lactation, and involution, and these processes rely on complex signaling mechanisms, many of which are controlled by cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesion. The adhesion of epithelial cells to the extracellular matrix initiates signaling mechanisms that have an impact on cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation throughout lactation. The control of integrin expression on the mammary epithelial cells, the composition of the extracellular matrix and the presence of secreted matricellular proteins all contribute to essential adhesion signaling during lactogenesis. In vitro and in vivo studies, including the results from genetically engineered mice, have shed light on the regulation of these processes at the cell and tissue level and have led to increased understanding of the essential signaling components that are regulated in temporal and cell specific manner during lactogenesis. Recent studies suggest that a secreted matricellular protein, CTGF/CCN2, may play a role in lactogenic differentiation through binding to β1 integrin complexes, enhancing the production of extracellular matrix components and contributions to cell adhesion signaling.
Larger aftershocks happen farther away: nonseparability of magnitude and spatial distributions of aftershocks

Aftershocks may be driven by stress concentrations left by the main shock rupture or by elastic stress transfer to adjacent fault sections or strands. Aftershocks that occur within the initial rupture may be limited in size, because the scale of the stress concentrations should be smaller than the primary rupture itself. On the other hand, aftershocks that occur on adjacent fault segments outside the primary rupture may have no such size limitation. Here we use high-precision double-difference relocated earthquake catalogs to demonstrate that larger aftershocks occur farther away than smaller aftershocks, when measured from the centroid of early aftershock activity—a proxy for the initial rupture. Aftershocks as large as or larger than the initiating event nucleate almost exclusively in the outer regions of the aftershock zone. This observation is interpreted as a signature of elastic rebound in the earthquake catalog and can be used to improve forecasting of large aftershocks.
Combined infection by Moloney murine leukemia virus and a mink cell focus-forming virus recombinant induces cytopathic effects in fibroblasts or in long-term bone marrow cultures from preleukemic mice.

Abstract We described previously a preleukemic state in mice inoculated with Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) characterized by generalized hematopoietic hyperplasia in the spleen. To investigate this further, long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC) from preleukemic mice were established. Surprisingly, LTBMC from M-MuLV-inoculated preleukemic mice showed less hematopoiesis than LTBMC from control mice. This resulted from a quantitative defect in establishment of bone marrow stromal cells in the LTBMC. This phenomenon could also be observed in LTBMC from normal mice infected in vitro with a stock of M-MuLV containing a mink cell focus-forming virus (MCF) derivative (M-MCF), but not in LTBMC infected with M-MuLV alone. This implicated MCF derivatives in the reduction in bone marrow stromal cells. The phenomenon could also be detected in infected NIH 3T3 cells. Combined infection of M-MuLV plus M-MCF resulted in fewer cells, in comparison to uninfected cells or cells infected with either virus alone. Further studies indicated that this was predominantly due to an inhibition in cell growth rather than to cell lysis. The cytopathic effect did not appear to result from overreplication of viral DNA, as measured by Southern blots. Thus, combined infection with M-MuLV and an MCF derivative had cytostatic effects on cell growth. This phenomenon might also contribute to the leukemogenic process in vivo.
Efficient Flow Computation on Massive Grid Terrain Datasets

As detailed terrain data becomes available, GIS terrain applications target larger geographic areas at finer resolutions. Processing the massive datasets involved in such applications presents significant challenges to GIS systems and demands algorithms that are optimized for both data movement and computation. In this paper we present efficient algorithms for flow routing on massive grid terrain datasets, extending our previous work on flow accumulation. Our algorithms are developed in the framework of external memory algorithms and use I/O-techniques to achieve efficiency. We have implemented the algorithms in the Terraflow system, which is the first comprehensive terrain flow software system designed and optimized for massive data. We compare the performance of Terraflow with that of state-of-the-art commercial and open-source GIS systems. On large terrains, Terraflow outperforms existing systems by a factor of 2 to 1,000, and is capable of solving problems no system was previously able to solve.
Chromo- and Fluoroionophores Based on Diaza-Crown Ethers for Alkaline Earth Metal Ions

Abstract Two new metal-selective dyes were synthesized and used to develop methods for determining Ca2+ and Mg2+. A chromogenic diaza-18-crown-6 with an alizarin group at each crown nitrogen is a calcium-selective ionophore used for extraction-spectrophotometry. The detection limit for the technique is 1 × 10−5 M Ca2+. Fluorometric determination of Mg2+ is performed using a diaza-15-crown-5 derivatized with two methyiumbelliferone groups. This method allows for the one-phase determination of Mg2+ down to 7 × 10−6 M.
Histiocytose langerhansienne osseuse multifocale : place de la radiothérapie

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a non-malignant proliferative disease of unknown etiology that can affect one or more organs. This is a rare disease, 1 to 2/100,000, affecting mainly children with a male predominance. The osseous lesions are the most frequent (60 to 90%). There is however no consensus treatment for the management of these sites. We report the cases of two patients successfully treated with radiotherapy after primary chemotherapy, at doses of 15 Gy in ten sessions of 1.5 Gy for one patient and 18 Gy in ten fractions of 1.8 Gy for the other. Single or multifocal bone Langerhans cell histiocytosis without visceral involvement is a benign, self-limiting affection in most cases. Some bone lesions could be treated by radiotherapy alone. But the high variability of doses currently given in the literature does not allow determining the lowest effective dose limiting the risk of secondary neoplasia or impaired growth in children, in whom lower doses of 6 to 8 Gy are recommended. The decision of radiotherapy must be weighed against the risk of the disease. Caution should be the rule in this non-malignant tumour pathology.
Three-dimensional boundary element formulation of an incompressible viscoelastic layer of finite thickness applied to the rolling resistance of a rigid sphere

Abstract A three-dimensional boundary element formulation of an incompressible viscoelastic layer of finite thickness is proposed, in a moving frame of reference. The formulation is based on two-dimensional Fourier series expansions of relevant mechanical fields in the continuum of the layer. The linear viscoelastic material is characterized, in the most general way, by its frequency-domain master curves. The presented methodology results in a compliance matrix for the layer’s upper boundary, which includes the effects of steady-state motion and can be used in any contact problem-solving strategy. The proposed formulation is used, in combination with a contact solver, to build a full three-dimensional model for the steady-state rolling/sliding resistance incurred by a rigid sphere on the layer. Energy losses include viscoelastic damping and surface friction. The model is tested and its results are found to be consistent with existing solutions in limiting cases. An example is explored and the corresponding results are used to illustrate the influence of different parameters on the rolling resistance. General aspects of previously-described dependences are confirmed.
Comparisons of Mutants Lacking the Golgi UDP-Galactose or GDP-Mannose Transporters Establish that Phosphoglycans Are Important for Promastigote but Not Amastigote Virulence in Leishmania major

Abundant surface Leishmania phosphoglycans (PGs) containing [Gal(β1,4)Man(α1-PO4)]-derived repeating units are important at several points in the infectious cycle of this protozoan parasite. PG synthesis requires transport of activated nucleotide-sugar precursors from the cytoplasm to the Golgi apparatus. Correspondingly, null mutants of the L. major GDP-mannose transporter LPG2 lack PGs and are severely compromised in macrophage survival and induction of acute pathology in susceptible mice, yet they are able to persist indefinitely and induce protective immunity. However, lpg2− L. mexicana amastigotes similarly lacking PGs but otherwise normal in known glycoconjugates remain able to induce acute pathology. To explore this further, we tested the infectivity of a new PG-null L. major mutant, which is inactivated in the two UDP-galactose transporter genes LPG5A and LPG5B. Surprisingly this mutant did not recapitulate the phenotype of L. major lpg2−, instead resembling the L. major lipophosphoglycan-deficient lpg1− mutant. Metacyclic lpg5A−/lpg5B− promastigotes showed strong defects in the initial steps of macrophage infection and survival. However, after a modest delay, the lpg5A−/lpg5B− mutant induced lesion pathology in infected mice, which thereafter progressed normally. Amastigotes recovered from these lesions were fully infective in mice and in macrophages despite the continued absence of PGs. This suggests that another LPG2-dependent metabolite is responsible for the L. major amastigote virulence defect, although further studies ruled out cytoplasmic mannans. These data thus resolve the distinct phenotypes seen among lpg2− Leishmania species by emphasizing the role of glycoconjugates other than PGs in amastigote virulence, while providing further support for the role of PGs in metacyclic promastigote virulence.
Developing a cosmic ray muon sampling capability for muon tomography and monitoring applications

Abstract In this study, a cosmic ray muon sampling capability using a phenomenological model that captures the main characteristics of the experimentally measured spectrum coupled with a set of statistical algorithms is developed. The “muon generator” produces muons with zenith angles in the range 0–90° and energies in the range 1–100 GeV and is suitable for Monte Carlo simulations with emphasis on muon tomographic and monitoring applications. The muon energy distribution is described by the Smith and Duller (1959) [35] phenomenological model. Statistical algorithms are then employed for generating random samples. The inverse transform provides a means to generate samples from the muon angular distribution, whereas the Acceptance–Rejection and Metropolis–Hastings algorithms are employed to provide the energy component. The predictions for muon energies 1–60 GeV and zenith angles 0–90° are validated with a series of actual spectrum measurements and with estimates from the software library CRY. The results confirm the validity of the phenomenological model and the applicability of the statistical algorithms to generate polyenergetic–polydirectional muons. The response of the algorithms and the impact of critical parameters on computation time and computed results were investigated. Final output from the proposed “muon generator” is a look-up table that contains the sampled muon angles and energies and can be easily integrated into Monte Carlo particle simulation codes such as Geant4 and MCNP.
White collar computing: a field study using automated logging

A field study of computer use by executives, managers, professionals, and secretaries at the IBM corporate headquarters is described. The study uses automated logging to observe directly the users interaction with their computers. The study population uses computers an average of about 80 min/day. Both the amount of use and particular facilities used vary with organizational position. Variety and patterns of computer use are also seen to reflect the kinds of work generally associated with each position. Analytical workers are found to use systems more than verbal and managerial workers (106 vs. 57 min/day). The profiles of various groups of users suggests that their use echoes the general allocation of their time. >
Face recognition experiments with random projection

There has been a strong trend lately in face processing research away from geometric models towards appearance models. Appearance-based methods employ dimensionality reduction to represent faces more compactly in a low-dimensional subspace which is found by optimizing certain criteria. The most popular appearance-based method is the method of eigenfaces that uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to represent faces in a low-dimensional subspace spanned by the eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of the data corresponding to the largest eigenvalues (i.e., directions of maximum variance). Recently, Random Projection (RP) has emerged as a powerful method for dimensionality reduction. It represents a computationally simple and efficient method that preserves the structure of the data without introducing significant distortion. Despite its simplicity, RP has promising theoretical properties that make it an attractive tool for dimensionality reduction. Our focus in this paper is on investigating the feasibility of RP for face recognition. In this context, we have performed a large number of experiments using three popular face databases and comparisons using PCA. Our experimental results illustrate that although RP represents faces in a random, low-dimensional subspace, its overall performance is comparable to that of PCA while having lower computational requirements and being data independent.
PHOTOSYNTHETIC CYTOCHROMES c IN CYANOBACTERIA, ALGAE, AND PLANTS.

▪ Abstract The cytochromes that function in photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plants have, like the other photosynthetic catalysts, been largely conserved in their structure and function during evolution. Cyanobacteria and algae contain cytochrome c6, which is not found in higher plants and which may enhance survival in their planktonic mode of life. Cyanobacteria and algae contain another cytochrome, low-potential c549, which is not found in higher plants. This cytochrome has a structural role in PSII and may contribute to anaerobic survival. There is a third unique cytochrome, cytochrome M, in the planktonic photosynthesizers, and its function is unknown. New evidence is appearing to indicate evolution of cytochrome interaction mechanisms during the evolution of photosynthesis. The ease of cytochrome gene manipulation in cyanobacteria and in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii now provides great advantages in understanding of photosynthesis. The solution of tertiary and quaternary structures of c...
Synaptic microcircuit dysfunction in genetic models of neurodevelopmental disorders: Focus on Mecp2 and Met

Recent findings in the genetics of neurodevelopmental syndromes have ushered in an exciting era of discovery in which substrates of neurologic dysfunction are being identified at the synaptic and microcircuit levels in mouse models of these disorders. We review recent progress in this area, focusing on two examples of mouse models of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs): Mecp2 models of Rett syndrome, and a Met-knockout model of non-syndromic forms of autism. In both cases, a dominant theme is changes in synaptic strength, associated with hyper-connectivity or hypo-connectivity in specific microcircuits. Alterations in intrinsic neuronal excitability are also found, but do not appear to be as common. The microcircuit-specific nature of synaptic changes observed in these ASD models indicates that it will be necessary to define mechanisms of circuit dysfunction on a case-by-case basis, not only in neocortex but also in brainstem and other sub-cortical areas. Thus, functional microcircuit analysis is emerging as an important line of investigation, highly complementary to neurogenetic and molecular strategies, and holds promise for generating models of the underlying pathophysiology and for guiding development of novel therapeutic strategies.
A frequency domain analysis for damped space structures

A method is presented for the analysis of damped structural systems in which the structural components are represented by impedance models and analyzed in the frequency domain. Methods are presented to assemble and condense system impedance matrices, and then to identify approximate mass, stiffness, and damping matrices for systems whose impedances are complicated functions of frequency. Formulas are derived for determination of approximate values for system natural frequencies and damping using frequency domain quantities. The sensitivities of these approximate values to system parameter changes are analyzed. The implementation of these analysis tools is discussed and applied to a simple mechanical system.