cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptation of a Microwave Ablation System for Wireless Medical Applications

An emerging technique for medical telemetry using implantable medical devices is 3D printing antennas constructed of a biocompatible polymer directly into the body. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a 10 GHz floating sleeve dipole antenna, designed for the ablation of tumors, for heating and solidifying biopolymer materials. Experiments in egg white and the proposed biopolymer indicate a sustained heating area of 1 cm can be produced. In addition, solidification of the biopolymer is achieved by applying 15 W for 15 min.
Warming promotes the use of organic matter as an electron acceptor in a peatland

Abstract Peatlands store approximately one-half of terrestrial soil organic carbon (C) and the future of this C in the face of ongoing global change remains a key question in global biogeochemistry. Particularly pressing is the need to understand if this C will remain in peatland soils or be returned to the atmosphere as the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH4) in response to warming. Past work has demonstrated that the microbial reduction of organic matter (OM) as an alternative terminal electron acceptor (TEA) under anaerobic conditions can suppress CH4 production and is a key mechanistic control of peatland CH4 dynamics. Here we show that warming directly enhances rates of potential OM reduction in peatland soils, enhancing acetate availability and allowing for a faster onset of CH4 production. Using soils collected from the ecosystem-scale Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment, we also show that while there were no indirect effects of 2 years of soil warming on potential OM reduction through changes in soil quality, warming-mediated lowering of the water table increased the volume of oxidized OM which will suppress CH4 production following rewetting events.
Introduction To Case Study Development And Use For Engaged Learning

Location: JC Room B Case studies can be a powerful and effective means by which to engage students through the process of learning towards a goal or goals. Case studies provide an instructional method that further allows students to incorporate material from different parts of a course into a practical application. For some disciplines, there a large repository of cases that teachers can use. However, sometimes they are not ideal for the specific objectives of a course or, in the case of some disciplines, there is a dearth of existing case studies. The development of case studies for a course allows the teacher to focus and align material with the needs and experiences of his/her/their students, and utilization of case studies that rely on freely accessible material reduce barriers to access. Case studies in the classroom can be adapted in ways that are useful in Active Learning Classrooms or take advantage of technology. The objectives of this proposed workshop are to provide teachers with foundational knowledge about the development and use of different types of case studies in the classroom and to provide participants with an opportunity apply this knowledge to their own material. The session is suitable for teachers of undergraduate and graduate students for in-person or on-line formats that are new to developing case studies. The proposed workshop will be divided into four components: 1) theoretical foundations; 2) application; 3) discussion; and, 4) implementation. In the theoretical foundations component, the facilitator will provide an overview of different types of case studies and research-backed information about when and for whom they are most effective. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and the facilitator will be lead a discussion with examples. In the application stage, participants will have a period of time for independent work, following a guided worksheet, to develop an outline and strategy for developing a case study for their own course. In the discussion stage, participants will work in pairs or small groups to share their ideas and provide peer feedback. In the implementation component, participants will return to the full group to hear about tips and tricks for utilizing Blackboard to move cases into an on-line format, which can be useful for assignments or in the instruction of hybrid or fully on-line courses. As the end of the session, participants will leave with an idea and plan for incorporating a case study into one of their courses and know where they can seek additional information and resources for developing and implementing case studies. The proposed facilitator for the session has participated in case study development workshops, completed on-line course development certification, and recently re-designed GCH 762 Environmental Epidemiology with newly developed case studies to target student learning towards specific skill development and knowledge utilization. The workshop will draw upon these experiences and provide participants with theoretical foundation and practical application towards their own teaching.
Passive Control of Thermo-Acoustic Instability in Different Length Combustors Using a High-Strength Metallic Porous Insert

Although lean premixed combustion (LPM) is very clean and basically soot-free, it has one serious drawback, i.e., tendency to develop thermo-acoustic instabilities. These instabilities can be very violent, at the least causing unwanted noise and vibration, and in more serious cases, complete engine failure. Current research has shown methods to address such instabilities using passive and active mitigation techniques. In this study, thermo-acoustic instabilities in a swirl-stabilized LPM combustion system are mitigated using a high-strength metallic porous insert fabricated by a 3D additive manufacturing technique. Although the technique has been demonstrated in our previous studies, the present focus is to utilize a given porous insert geometry to mitigate thermo-acoustic instabilities in different length combustion chambers producing different resonant frequencies, to overcome the typical limitation of passive techniques. For each combustor length, experiments are conducted over a range of equivalence ratios and reactant flow rates. In all cases, porous insert was effective in significantly reducing the sound pressure level (SPL) at the frequency of the instability, with reductions of 20 dB and higher. Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements are acquired to describe flow and turbulence fields in the combustor without and with porous insert. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis is used to quantify the energy content of turbulent modes, and harmonic reconstruction is performed to illustrate the dramatic changes in the oscillatory flow field when the porous insert is used. The ability of the porous insert to adjust to different geometric and operating conditions of the combustor is a unique capability, inherent to its fundamental operating principle.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The Four Ages

That was when the rings had become truly golden By being remembered dimly and made bright in The Great Fable that was itself the age, the age That was not the poor first but the rich harvesting Of cold grain smitten in the wind by early stones. The light of dawn was all eaten up in hunger For beginning again, when the vivid eye lived At subsistence level; it was only later On in the day when we saw what shining was all About, and when we could afford comparisons Of this with that and then and now, and time And space lay all about us waiting to be used. We remember the first age now only to give The lie, which is its great truth, to this later one.
Genetic variation in the estrogen receptor-alpha gene (ESR1), estrogen exposure, and risk of endometrial cancer.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5404 Previous studies have demonstrated that genetic polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor-alpha ESR1 gene are associated with altered risk of breast cancer. Given that ESR1 is an important mediator of hormonal responses in the endometrium, and that estrogen exposure is the prevailing risk factor for endometrial cancer, we hypothesized that genetic variations in the ESR1 gene may modulate the effects of estrogen exposure and thus alter endometrial cancer risk. We tested this hypothesis using data from a large population-based case-control study of endometrial cancer conducted in Shanghai, China, from 1997-2003. Included in this analysis were 1039 cases and 1026 age-matched community controls who had completed an in-person interview and donated a blood or exfoliated buccal cell sample to the study. Genotyping of ESR1 polymorphisms XbaI (rs9340799), and PvuII (rs2234693) in intron 1, and C →G Pro in codon 325 (rs1801132) were performed using the TaqMan method. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate associations between genetic variations of the ESR1 gene and endometrial cancer risk. In addition, ESR1 gene polymorphisms were evaluated for their role in modifying endogenous and exogenous estrogen exposures. Overall, no apparent association between endometrial cancer and the XbaI, PvuII, or Pro325 polymorphism was found. Similarly, haplotype analyses also did not reveal any associations that were statistically significant. Furthermore, we did not find that variants at these sites modify the risk of endometrial cancer associated with various estrogen exposures as measured by menopausal status, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, age at menarche and menopause, years of menstruation, history of physical activity, oral contraceptive use, and soy protein intake. Taken together, these data, from one of the largest population-based case-control studies of endometrial cancer, do not suggest a major role of the XbaI , PvuII , and 325Pro polymorphisms in the ESR1 gene in the risk of endometrial cancer.
Indigenous Peoples' Environmental Rights: Evolving Common Law Perspectives in Canada, Australia, and the United States

Common law decisions on the environment-related interests of indigenous peoples that have emerged from the high courts of Canada, Australia, and the United States over the past several decades show a spectrum of approaches to fundamental issues. These issues include the questions of whether sovereign nations should acknowledge such environmental interests as legal rights and, if so, how they may do so in a manner that is both fair to indigenous peoples and achievable in the face of competing nonindigenous interests. In tracing the development of common law on indigenous peoples’ environmental rights in the three nations, this Article offers a discussion of key cases that establish the three high courts’ perspectives on matters such as the sovereign obligation of nations toward indigenous persons, the judiciary’s duty to embrace a tribal perspective on land and natural resources, and the difaculties inherent in translating indigenous peoples’ environmentrelated historical traditions into nonindigenous forms of evidence and other proof requirements. * Professor of Law, New England School of Law. J.D., Cornell University, 1987; B.A., Dartmouth College, 1980. The author thanks the Board of Trustees and Dean John F. O’Brien of New England School of Law for the research stipend that encouraged the writing of this Article. Thanks also to Lisa Paciello for her able assistance as a research assistant.
Theoretical investigation of the ultrathin Si-SiO/sub 2/ heterojunction and the role of nitrogen at the Si-SiO/sub 2/ interface

The International Technology Road Map for Semiconductors states that the usual scaling of CMOS devices will stop about the year 2012. The main reason for this is not the lithography scaling problems as was previously thought, but rather the leakage through the silicon dioxide gate with a thickness below 4 nm. The modification of the oxide layer to improve the dielectric constant coupled with the understanding of the microscopic nature of the leakage may extend the current materials technology for a few device generations, before we will ultimately have to switch to a high-k gate dielectric.
MS3‐based quantitative proteomics using pulsed‐Q dissociation

Rationale Isobaric tagging reagents, such as tandem mass tags (TMT) and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ), are high-throughput methods that allow the analysis of multiple samples simultaneously, which reduces instrument time and error. Accuracy and precision of isobaric tags are limited, however, in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) acquisition due to co-isolation and co-fragmentation of neighboring peptide peaks in precursor scans. Here we present a MS3 method using pulsed-Q dissociation (PQD) in ion trap and Orbitrap instrumentation as a means to improve ratio distortion and maintain high numbers of identified and quantified proteins. Methods Mouse brain protein digests were labeled with TMT-128, 129, 130, 131 reagents, mixed in the following molar ratios 1:1:2:5, respectively, and analyzed using HCD-MS3 and PQD-MS3 methods. The most intense fragment ion (termed as HCD-MS3-top ion or PQD-MS3-top ion) or y1 ion (i.e., lysine-TMT tag ion; termed as HCD-MS3-y1 or PQD-MS3-y1) in collision-induced dissociation (CID) MS/MS was selected for MS3. Results Calculated protein ratios obtained in HCD-MS3-top ion and PQD-MS3-top ion, HCD-MS3-y1, and PQD-MS3-y1 are accurate and PQD-MS3 methods resulted in higher numbers of identified and quantified peptide spectral counts and proteins. Conclusions PQD-MS3 methods increase the amount of MS/MS spectra collected and number of quantified proteins and are accessible to those researchers with not only an orbitrap but also an ion trap mass spectrometer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of Scales to Measure Provider Attitudes Toward Expanded Duty Dental Auxiliaries

Factor analysis was used to define four independent dimensions of the larger construct ; attitudes toward the utilization of expanded duty dental auxiliaries and scales were developed to measure each dimension. Examination of differences in attitudes between and within dental provider groups showed that with one exception there was no discernible pattern of differences between these groups.
Cathode drop in arc discharges

There is no general agreement among physicists concerning the mechanism which produces a Iqw cathode drop with the correspondingly high current density which is characteristic of an electric arc. Herewith is presented a review of prevalent theories regarding this phenomenon, and results of some experiments on arc and glow discharges.
Use of Two Singing Modes By Hooded Warblers as Adaptations for Signalling

Hooded warblers Wilsonia citrina use two modes of singing, repeat mode (one pattern sung repeatedly) and mixed mode (2-4 other patterns sung in irregular sequence). Intensive focal-individual sampling of 14 males documented the use of these modes of singing throughout the nesting cycle. Males of different ages (first breeding season or later) did not differ in use of the two modes. Time spent singing in repeat mode decreased markedly after acquiring a mate, but time spent singing mixed mode did not change significantly across stages of the nesting cycle. Males sang more when their neighbors sang at a distance of 25 m or more. Repeat mode increased in this situation before a male acquired a mate, while mixed mode increased afterwards. Near a neighbor (within 25 m), males avoided use of repeat mode. Nearby females before the onset of incubation evoked increased use of repeat mode. More distant, calling females elicited little response before incubation, but thereafter calling females tended to suppress all singing. Males used mixed mode proportionately more in locations nearer neighbors. There were no indications that variation in singing influenced the dates on which males acquired mates. Unmated males late in the breeding season sang persistently in repeat mode, even more than eventually mated males had early in the season before they acquired mates. These results provide support, with some reservations, for three hypotheses for the evolution of distinct modes of singing: (1) specializations for male and female listeners; (2) specializations for indicating conditional behavioral tendencies; and (3) specializations for communication in low- and high-noise situations. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, and all three in combination might offer the strongest explanation for the evolution of distinct singing modes in this species and other paruline warblers.
Indices of Orbitofrontal and Prefrontal Function in Cluster B and Cluster C Personality Disorders

Neuropsychological studies implicate disruption of frontal systems in personality disorders. Few studies have examined the performance of Cluster B and Cluster C personality disorder patients on tests of orbitofrontal (OFC) and prefrontal (PFC) cortex function. Patients carrying diagnoses of either Cluster B (n = 56) or Cluster C (n = 19) personality disorders were compared with healthy control subjects (n = 61) on the Iowa Gambling Task and University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. They also completed the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence as a control for general intellectual ability. On the gambling task, Cluster B and Cluster C patients made more disadvantageous decisions during certain portions of the task but overall did not differ from healthy controls. Whereas no appreciable differences in olfactory identification performances were detected between patient and healthy control groups, IQ was higher for controls and was related to Cluster B patients' lower educational levels. Overall, there was limited evidence for neurocognitive inefficiency for personality disorder groups on tests sensitive to OFC and PFC function. The present study is among the first to report neurocognitive findings for the full range of Cluster B personality disorders and any Cluster C personality disorder.
Transition alumina structures studied using HREM

Abstract High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) has been used to study thin films of transition aluminas. The forms of Al 2 O 3 studied were γ-Al 2 O 3 , δ-Al 2 O 3 , and θ-Al 2 O 3 . Acomparison of information obtained using selected-area diffraction (SAD) and HREM is made, and HREM is shown to be a necessary part of the analysis of these forms of alumina.
Autophagy as a mechanism of radiation sensitization in breast tumor cells.

Current studies to define the mechanism by which vitamin D3 and analogs of vitamin D3 enhance the response to ionizing radiation in breast tumor cells suggest that these effects are mediated, in large part, through the promotion of autophagic cell death. The residual surviving cell population remains in a senescent, growth arrested state, with minimal recovery of proliferative capacity. It is becoming evident that pathways other than or in addition to apoptosis, including senescence arrest, mitotic catastrophe and autophagy, contribute to loss of self-renewal capacity in tumor cells exposed to chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation. How and why the cell chooses a particular growth arrest and/or cell death pathway remains a puzzle to be solved.Addendum to:Potentiation of Radiation Sensitivity in Breast Tumor Cells by the Vitamin D3 Analog, EB 1089 through Promotion of Autophagy and Interference with Proliferative RecoveryG. DeMasters, X. Di, R. Shiu, I. Newsham and D.A. GewirtzMol Cancer Ther 2006; ...
Metastasis of an intracranial germinoma through a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: Recurrence as a yolk-sac tumor

Extraneural metastases of intracranial germinomas, although infrequent, are associated with a generally poor prognosis despite the high radiosensitivity of localized primary tumors. Ventriculoperitoneal shunts have been implicated in facilitating metastatic spread of primary intracranial germinomas. We present a case of a successfully irradiated suprasellar germinoma recurring after 13 months as an intra-abdominal yolk-sac tumor in a young man. The tumor was eradicated with a combination of systemic chemotherapy and local irradiation, with no residual viable tumor cells confirmed at final surgical extirpation. The role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts in metastases, mixed germ-cell tumor histology, and tumor markers in recurrences as well as radiation doses and volumes for treating primary tumors are discussed. Systemic chemotherapy may be utilized as prophylaxis against shunt metastases when CSF drainage is necessary.
Tracking performance of upgraded “polished panel” optical receiver on NASA's 34 meter research antenna

There has been considerable interest in developing and demonstrating a hybrid “polished panel” optical receiver concept that would replace the microwave panels on the Deep Space Network's (DSN) 34 meter antennas with highly polished aluminum panels, thus enabling simultaneous optical and microwave reception1. A test setup has been installed on the 34 meter research antenna at DSS-13 (Deep Space Station 13) at NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California in order to assess the feasibility of this concept. Here we describe the results of a recent effort to dramatically reduce the dimensions of the point-spread function (PSF) generated by a custom polished panel, thus enabling improved optical communications performance. The latest results are compared to the previous configuration in terms of quantifiable PSF improvement. In addition, the performance of acquisition and tracking algorithms designed specifically for the polished panel PSF are evaluated and compared, based on data obtained from real-time tracking of planets and bright stars with the 34 meter research antenna at DSS-13.
Persuasion-Bargaining and Institutions in an Organized Anarchy: Clinton Administration Decisions on China, 1993-1994

A key debate in the study of the American presidency concerns the determinants of presidential decisions. Traditionally, decisions were seen as the result of persuasion-bargaining. President-centered factors, such as the preferences of the man who occupies the office and the relationships between his senior advisors determined presidential decisions. Recently, the field has made a transition to institution-based models, in which each president and his advisers are rational actors responding to the political and legal forces that frame the office. This essay suggests a research agenda that incorporates both approaches. The Garbage Can model of decision is used to illustrate how the foreign policy process is an organized anarchy; decision making is the intersection of four streams–choice opportunities, problems, solutions, and participants. The model helps identify both institutional and persuasion-bargaining variables and highlights their interactions as streams are connected to produce policy. Clinton adm...
Monitoring physical and chemical properties of freshly harvested field‐grown Aloe vera leaves. A preliminary report

The content of total solids was obtained using the homogenate of mesophyll tissue of field-grown Aloe vera leaves. Filtered gel was used to determine the acidity (pH), content of total reducing sugars and amount of filterable solids. Additional cellulase-digested and filtered gel was used to determine optical density (for estimating aloin level) and concentrations of calcium and magnesium, as well as for HPLC analysis. There was a considerable variation in leaf size among different production fields. Acidity of the sap was rather consistent, ranging between 4.45 and 4.50. Fibre content, although small, varied by as much as 75%. Profiles of HPLC analyses showed two relatively stable and consistent peaks in nearly all samples that may be used to verify the presence of Aloe extract in an end product, provided these compounds are stable during processing of the Aloe gel
The Visible Imaging System (VIS) for the Polar Spacecraft

The Visible Imaging System (VIS) is a set of three low-light-level cameras to be flown on the POLAR spacecraft of the Global Geospace Science (GGS) program which is an element of the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) campaign. Two of these cameras share primary and some secondary optics and are designed to provide images of the nighttime auroral oval at visible wavelengths. A third camera is used to monitor the directions of the fields-of-view of these sensitive auroral cameras with respect to sunlit Earth. The auroral emissions of interest include those from N+2 at 391.4 nm, 0 I at 557.7 and 630.0 nm, H I at 656.3 nm, and 0 II at 732.0 nm. The two auroral cameras have different spatial resolutions. These resolutions are about 10 and 20 km from a spacecraft altitude of 8 R(sub e). The time to acquire and telemeter a 256 x 256-pixel image is about 12 s. The primary scientific objectives of this imaging instrumentation, together with the in-situ observations from the ensemble of ISTP spacecraft, are (1) quantitative assessment of the dissipation of magnetospheric energy into the auroral ionosphere, (2) an instantaneous reference system for the in-situ measurements, (3) development of a substantial model for energy flow within the magnetosphere, (4) investigation of the topology of the magnetosphere, and (5) delineation of the responses of the magnetosphere to substorms and variable solar wind conditions.
Stochastic Representation and Recognition of High-Level Group Activities

This paper describes a stochastic methodology for the recognition of various types of high-level group activities. Our system maintains a probabilistic representation of a group activity, describing how individual activities of its group members must be organized temporally, spatially, and logically. In order to recognize each of the represented group activities, our system searches for a set of group members that has the maximum posterior probability of satisfying its representation. A hierarchical recognition algorithm utilizing a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)-based probability distribution sampling has been designed, detecting group activities and finding the acting groups simultaneously. The system has been tested to recognize complex activities such as `a group of thieves stealing an object from another group' and `a group assaulting a person'. Videos downloaded from YouTube as well as videos that we have taken are tested. Experimental results show that our system recognizes a wide range of group activities more reliably and accurately, as compared to previous approaches.
Thermal and Low-Energy Electron-Driven Chemistry of Biacetyl on Ag(111)

The thermal and electron-induced chemistry of biacetyl (CH3COCOCH3) on Ag(111) has been studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ultraviolet phot...
A compact multi‐band meanderline antenna for wireless communications applications

This study presents a compact, multi-band, and single-feed microstrip antenna for wireless communications applications. The proposed antenna consists of microstrip feedline, two step power coupler, rectangular loop, and meander line. The meander line is shorted in specific positions with the loop. All these components together provide multi-paths for the current resulting in providing multiple resonances. The meander line is used to lengthen the electrical paths while maintaining a compact size. The simulation and measurements of this design will be presented. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 1117–1121, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23303
Determination of the location of the groundwater divide and nature of groundwater flow paths within a region of active stream capture; the New River watershed, Virginia, USA

The relatively rapid stream capture of the New River basin by the Roanoke River basin provides a unique example of topographic change within a tectonically inactive environment. A previous investigation of abandoned river deposits has shown the capture of ~225 km2 of New River basin area, which has caused approximately 250 m of incision by the Roanoke River. Difference in base level elevations between the lower Roanoke to the higher New River could be the source of potential energy driving rapid incision. Significant incongruities in base level elevations at the boundaries of an aquifer can steepen the gradient and shift the groundwater divide further toward the higher elevation. If a steep groundwater gradient and expanded groundwater basin exists beneath the Roanoke River tributaries, this would suggest a groundwater control on incision and capture. This investigation incorporates average total head, measured from 18 domestic wells, and constant-head river boundary conditions into numerical models to calculate water levels and gradients between the rivers. Thermal patterns and particle tracking of spring locations were utilized to better understand flow paths in the region. Our results show the groundwater divide is shifted toward the higher elevation boundary, indicating that the groundwater basin is captured prior to surface capture. Flow pathways utilized by groundwater capture can be either diffuse or conduits; however, further work should be done to better understand travel times and flow depths.
THEORY OF A FLOATING RANDOM-WALK ALGORITHM FOR SOLVING THE STEADY-STATE HEAT EQUATION IN COMPLEX, MATERIALLY INHOMOGENEOUS RECTILINEAR DOMAINS

Abstract We present the theory and preliminary numerical results for a new random-walk algorithm algorithm solves the steady-state heat equation subject to Dirichlet boundary conditions. Our emphasis is the analysis of geometrically complex domains made up of piecewise-rectilinear boundaries and material interfaces. This work is principally motivated by the semiconductor industry, specifically, their aggressive development of so-called multichip module (MCM) technology. We give a mathematical derivation of the surface Green's function for Laplace's equation over a square region. From it, we obtain an infinite multiple-integral series expansion yielding temperature at any space point in the actual heat-equation problem domain. A stochastic floating random-walk algorithm is then deduced from the integral series expansion. To determine the volumetric thermal distribution within the domain, we introduce a unique linear, bilinear, and trigonometric splining procedure. A numerical-verification study employing t...
Oxygen cost of breathing. Changes dependent upon mode of mechanical ventilation.

We describe a patient with respiratory failure who demonstrated marked increases in O2 consumption (Vo2) when breathing with synchronized intermittent mandatory mechanical ventilation (SIMV). When the mode of ventilation was changed to facilitate inspiratory gas flow (pressure-support) during spontaneous breathing, O2 consumption decreased 27 percent. Several important factors contributing to the increased O2 cost of breathing in patients requiring mechanical ventilation are reviewed, including the high internal resistance of demand-flow SIMV systems.
Multiple pathways of DNA repair in bacteria and their roles in mutagenesis.

Abstract— In bacteria, three processes of DNA repair are known: photoreactivation, excision repair, and postreplication repair. Photoreactivation, the enzymatic splitting of cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers in situ, is mediated by exposure of the enzyme-dimer complex to near-UV and visible light. This repair process appears to be error free. The excision repair of UV-induced DNA base damage has been divided into two major pathways on the basis of both physiological requirements and genetic control. The major pathway requires a functional pol A gene, does not require complete growth medium. and appears to be largely error-free and to produce short patches during repair. The second pathway requires complete growth medium and functional recA, recB, recC, lexA, uvrD, and polC genes, and appears to be mutagenic and to produce long patches during repair. There exists a second type of excision repair in which the modified base is removed by an N-glycosidase, and the chain is then nicked by an apurinic (apyrimidinic) acid endonuclease. Subsequent events are presumed to be similar to the above excision repair process. The postreplication repair system has been divided into at least four separate pathways. Three of these are dependent upon functional recB, lexA, and uvrD genes, respectively, and appear to be error free. A fourth pathway depends upon the above gene products, but is blocked by postirradiation treatment with chloramphenicol, and may be the UV-inducible, errorprone, mutagenic pathway of repair (“SOS repair”). A possible fifth pathway depends upon a functional recF gene, and is independent of the recB+-dependent pathway. Mutagenesis appears to be the result of error-prone DNA repair, and there is growing evidence that carcinogenesis is also the result of error-prone DNA repair.
How first-generation students learn to navigate education systems: A case study of First Graduate

Students from underrepresented groups who seek to become the first in their family to attend college confront economically and racially stratified education systems. This article reports findings from an evaluation of First Graduate, an organization that offers college advising, mentoring, tutoring, and case management to first-generation students starting in seventh grade. We highlight three systems that youth say they encountered on their pathway to college: open enrollment, course taking, and college admissions. We describe how youth navigated these systems and the roles that adults played in support. Our conclusion discusses implications for how after-school programs can support first-generation students.
Predictive Value of Weight‐for‐Age to Identify Overweight Children

Objective: The objective was to assess the predictive value of weight-for-age to identify overweight children and adolescents in the unusual research or public health situations where height is not available to calculate BMI. Research Methods and Procedures: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999 to 2004 were used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of selected weight-for-age cut-off points to identify overweight children and adolescents (as defined by BMI ≥95th percentile). Positive and negative predictive values are dependent on prevalence and are reported here for this study population only. Results: The 50th and 75th weight-for-age percentiles had good sensitivity (100% and 99.6%, respectively), but poor positive predictive value (23.7% and 37.0%, respectively), while the 95th and 97th percentiles had reasonable positive predictive value (80.3% and 91.5%, respectively), but limited sensitivity (82.0% and 66.7%, respectively) to identify overweight subjects. The properties of weight-for-age percentiles to identify overweight subjects differed between sex, age, and race/ethnicity but remain within a relatively narrow range. Discussion: No single weight-for-age cut-off point was found to identify overweight children and adolescents with acceptable values for all properties and, therefore, cannot be used in the clinical setting. Furthermore, the positive predictive values reported here may be lower in populations with a lower prevalence of obesity. However, in unusual research or public health situations where height is not available, such as existing databases, weight-for-age percentiles may be useful to target limited resources to groups more likely to include overweight children and adolescents than the general population.
Calcifying aponeurotic fibroma with bone islands exhibiting hematopoiesis: a case report and review of the literature

Aponeurotic fibroma (AF) was originally described by Keasbey in 1953 as juvenile aponeurotic fibroma, most commonly occurring in the distal extremities. Initially described in children and adolescents, AF is now recognized to occur over a wide age range and at various anatomic sites. A variant of this lesion, termed calcifying aponeurotic fibroma (CAF) has been described. CAF is a slow-growing, solitary, and painless nodule often adherent to tendon, fascia, or periosteum. We report a patient who presented with a firm lobulated mass, portions of which were fixed to the left ascending mandibular ramus. The lesion represented a CAF arising juxtacortical to the mandible, with the calcified component composed of mature bone exhibiting focal areas of hematopoiesis. Additional reports of CAF occurring in the head and neck region are reviewed.
Weight congruences for p-ary cyclic codes

We identify the largest integer @l such that all weights in a p-ary cyclic code C are divisible by p^@l, and give a congruence for the weights mod p^@l^+^1. @l turns out to be @w(p-1) - 1, where @w is the smallest multiple of p-1 such that there is an equation of the form 1 = @q"[email protected]"[email protected]"@w, each @q"i being a root of the check polynomial of C. Several related results are presented.
On the Evolution of Competitive Balance: The Impact of an Increasing Global Search

The Coase theorem maintains that where free-market precepts exist, the allocation of property rights does not impact the distribution of resources. An application to Major League Baseball suggests that institutions such as free agency and the reverse-order amateur draft would not impact player distributions and therefore would not impact competitive balance. The present study finds that the distribution of wins is generally consistent with the precepts of the Coase theorem and therefore suggests a course for those who wish to alter the level of competitive balance: Major League Baseball should increase its focus on expanding the size of its labor pool. (JEL O15, L83, C22)
DP1 phosphorylation in multimeric complexes: weaker interaction with cyclin A through the E2F1 cyclin A binding domain leads to more efficient phosphorylation than stronger interaction through the p107 cyclin A binding domain.

Stable enzyme-substrate interaction has been recognized as a major mechanism underlying the substrate preferences of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). To learn the relationship between stability of physical association and efficiency of phosphorylation, we studied DP1 phosphorylation by cyclin A-Cdk2 in multiprotein complexes. When DP1 was connected to cyclin A-Cdk2 through E2F4 and p107, its phosphorylation was very inefficient, although its association with cyclin A-Cdk2 was stable. In contrast, DP1 was efficiently phosphorylated when weakly connected to cyclin A-Cdk2 via E2F1 or E2F4 with a fused cyclin A binding domain of E2F1. The transactivation activity of E2F4-DP1 heterodimers was reduced when DP1 was phosphorylated, while a phosphorylation deficient mutant of DP1 resisted this down-regulation. Phosphorylation and functional regulation of DP1 were not due to nuclear localization. Thus, stronger physical association between the kinase and the substrate does not necessarily lead to more efficient phosphorylation than weaker interaction does.
A Synchronous Detector Using a Harmonic Pair Switching Wave

A synchronous detector is described in which the nonlinear element generates its own reference carrier from a pair of adjacent harmonics. This design is shown to offer many advantages, especially in triode circuits.
MO‐E‐L100F‐02: Vibro‐Acoustography: Speckle Free Ultrasonic Imaging

In this paper, we describe the principles of an imaging technique that produces a map of the mechanical response of an object to a force applied at each point. The method uses ultrasound radiation force to remotely exert a localized oscillating stress field at a desired frequency within (or on the surface of) an object. Harmonic radiation force is produced by mixing two ultrasound beams of different frequencies at their focal point. The resulting radiation force occurs at the difference and the sum of the two frequencies. In response to this force, a part of the object vibrates. The size of this part and the motion pattern depend on object viscoelastic and reflection characteristics. The acoustic field resulting from object vibration at the difference frequency, which we refer to as “acoustic emissions,” is detected by a sensitive hydrophone and used to form the image of the object that represents magnitude or phase or frequency content of the signal at each point over a raster scanned region. This method benefits from the high spatial definition of ultrasound radiation force and high motion‐detection sensitivity offered by the hydrophone. The images have no speckle and are of high contrast. We call this technique ultrasound‐stimulated vibroacoustography (USVA). The method has been applied to imaging lesions in breast, detection of calcification in vessels, detection of brachytherapy seeds in prostate, and modal vibration of vessels. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand radiation pressure. 2. Understand vibro‐acoustography. 3. Understand possible applications of vibro‐acoustography in Medical Imaging.
Choosing a Path for Doctoral Studies in Educational Leadership: A Look at the Online Format

Current indications U.S. Department of Education, 2003; Zandberg & Lewis, 2008; Picciano & Seaman, 2009 are that distance learning, in particular online learning, will continue to expand into the foreseeable future. There are some completely online doctoral programs presently operating, but many students continue to flock to the non-traditional executive type leadership cohort-based, on-ground programs at colleges and universities. However, this trend may change. Erickson, Howard, Borland, and Baker 2004 have noted the advent of the virtual university has actually changed the expectations of doctoral students. The focus of this study is to examine the perceptions of doctoral students at a small, private university toward the online format. The findings of this study indicated a less than favorable support among doctoral students to a completely online format for the non-traditional executive management/leadership doctoral program. However, there was support given to a hybrid model for the program.
Underground Siting of Small Modular Reactors in Bedrock: Rationale, Concepts, and Applications

Small modular reactors (SMRs) sited 100 to 300 meters deep in underground chambers constructed in bedrock having favorable geotechnical properties could be both cost effective and provide superior levels of safety and physical security. The bedrock adjacent to and enclosing the reactor chamber would become the functional equivalent of a conventional containment structure, but one with increased margins of safety for design-basis accidents, reduced risks for beyond-design-basis accidents, and a high level of inherent physical protection against external threats. In addition, seismic safety could be enhanced at lower cost because seismic waves are generally attenuated with depth in bedrock. Nominal steel and concrete around the reactor would be required as would sealing of tunnels and other penetrations into the reactor chamber. Nonetheless, the net result in capital cost savings could potentially more than offset the cost of underground excavation. For a hypothetical granitic bedrock site with SMRs at a nominal depth of 100 meters, preliminary excavation cost estimates for single- and four-unit installations constructed by drill-and-blast range from around $90 million to $45 million per reactor, respectively, and for a twelve-unit installation constructed by tunnel boring machine from $25 to $15 million per reactor. Specialized applications for bedrock-sited SMRs include collocation at underground hydropower stations, test and demonstration facility for prototype SMR designs, and deployments in regions at risk of terrorist or military attack.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Greater than expected prevalence of pseudotumor cerebri: a prospective study

Abstract Background The overall incidence of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) has been estimated at 1 per 100,000 in the general population, with an increase to 19 per 100,000 among overweight patients. About 25% of affected patients are asymptomatic until they present with vision loss. We hypothesized that PTC would be highly prevalent among obese patients seeking bariatric surgery. The setting of our study was a university hospital. Methods During a 2-year period, clinical data were collected from candidates for bariatric surgery. A group of the study population was concurrently screened for papilledema using fundus imaging. All images were reviewed by a single neuro-ophthalmologist. All patients with abnormal images were referred for neuro-ophthalmic evaluation. Results The imaging group (78% women) had a mean age of 45.4 ± 10.7 years, and the mean body mass index of 47.8 ± 8.7 kg/m 2 . High definition nonmydriatic fundus imaging was normal in 489 patients (91.9%) and abnormal in 43 patients (8.9%). The subsequent evaluation by the neuro-ophthalmologist revealed ocular abnormalities other than optic disc edema in 27 patients (5.1%) and normal findings in 7 patients (1.3%). Five patients (.9%) declined additional evaluation. Four patients (.8%) had confirmed optic disc edema and normal brain magnetic resonance imaging findings. Of these patients, 3 underwent lumbar puncture, which confirmed the diagnosis of PTC. Conclusion We identified a greater prevalence of PTC overall (.65%) and in the imaging group (.9%) than previously reported or would have been predicted from the current data. Although routine funduscopic examination is of limited utility, these findings warrant additional investigation into the utility of, and optimal method for, screening morbidly obese patients for this co-morbidity.
Dioxin exposure reduces the steroidogenic capacity of mouse antral follicles mainly at the level of HSD17B1 without altering atresia

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent ovarian toxicant. Previously, we demonstrated that in vitro TCDD (1nM) exposure decreases production/secretion of the sex steroid hormones progesterone (P4), androstenedione (A4), testosterone (T), and 17β-estradiol (E2) in mouse antral follicles. The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanism by which TCDD inhibits steroidogenesis. Specifically, we examined the effects of TCDD on the steroidogenic enzymes, atresia, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) protein. TCDD exposure for 48h increased levels of A4, without changing HSD3B1 protein, HSD17B1 protein, estrone (E1), T or E2 levels. Further, TCDD did not alter atresia ratings compared to vehicle at 48h. TCDD, however, did down regulate the AHR protein at 48h. TCDD exposure for 96h decreased transcript levels for Cyp11a1, Cyp17a1, Hsd17b1, and Cyp19a1, but increased Hsd3b1 transcript. TCDD exposure particularly lowered both Hsd17b1 transcript and HSD17B1 protein. However, TCDD exposure did not affect levels of E1 in the media nor atresia ratings at 96h. TCDD, however, decreased levels of the proapoptotic factor Bax. Collectively, these data suggest that TCDD exposure causes a major block in the steroidogenic enzyme conversion of A4 to T and E1 to E2 and that it regulates apoptotic pathways, favoring survival over death in antral follicles. Finally, the down-regulation of the AHR protein in TCDD exposed follicles persisted at 96h, indicating that the activation and proteasomal degradation of this receptor likely plays a central role in the impaired steroidogenic capacity and altered apoptotic pathway of exposed antral follicles.
Optimized Local Trigonometric Bases

Abstract This paper generalizes Malvar–Coifman–Meyer (MCM) wavelets by extending the choice of bell functions. We dispense with the orthonormality of MCM wavelets to produce a family of smooth local trigonometric bases that efficiently compress trigonometric functions. Any such basis is, in general, not orthogonal, but any element of the dual basis differs from the corresponding element of the original basis only by the shape of the bell. Furthermore, in our scheme the bell functions are bounded by 1 and the dual bell functions are bounded by (2 1/2 + 1)/2 ≈1.2. These bounds ensure the numerical stability of the forward and the inverse transformations in these bases. Numerical examples demonstrate that in many cases the proposed bases provide substantially better (up to a factor of two) compression than the standard MCM wavelets.