cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Succession Effects on Mammal and Inverterbrate Communities 26 Years After the 1988 huckleberry Mountain Fire

Fires are an important and increasingly common driver of habitat structure in the intermountain West. Through an ongoing study of burned and adjacent unburned areas along the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, we examine the long-term effects of the 1988 fire season on community assembly, succession, and ecological processes. We collected mark/recapture data on rodents, removal data for insectivorous mammals and invertebrates, and habitat measurements on four grids in 2014 and combined these results with previous survey data. In 2014, 4,800 trap nights yielded 13 species of small mammals, comprising 618 individuals. Macroarthropod abundance was higher on burned grids, but diversity was higher on unburned grids. In contrast, springtail (Collembola) diversity was higher on burned grids, but abundance was highest in unburned grids. Since the beginning of this long-term study, the total number of mammal species has increased across all sites, and relative abundance in burned areas has shifted from early successional species (Peromyscus maniculatus) to those more associated with old growth forests (such as Myodes gapperi). Other than in 1991, the burned grids have harbored more diverse small mammal communities than the unburned control grids. Significant, long-term differences in vegetation based upon burn history were observed, including different ground cover, less canopy cover, and more coarse woody debris in burned sites. This work provides a unique long-term picture of the interrelationships of small mammal and invertebrate communities and correlated habitat variables as these ecosystems undergo post-fire succession.
Recent advances in nonviral vectors for gene delivery

Gene therapy has long been regarded a promising treatment for many diseases, whether acquired (such as AIDS or cancer) or inherited through a genetic disorder. A drug based on a nucleic acid, however, must be delivered to the interior of the target cell while surviving an array of biological defenses honed by evolution. Successful gene therapy is thus dependent on the development of an efficient delivery vector.Researchers have pursued two major vehicles for gene delivery: viral and nonviral (synthetic) vectors. Although viral vectors currently offer greater efficiency, nonviral vectors, which are typically based on cationic lipids or polymers, are preferred because of safety concerns with viral vectors. So far, nonviral vectors can readily transfect cells in culture, but efficient nanomedicines remain far removed from the clinic. Overcoming the obstacles associated with nonviral vectors to improve the delivery efficiency and therapeutic effect of nucleic acids is thus an active area of current research. ...
Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Family Violence

On the occasion of the death of J. M. Charcot, Sigmund Freud wrote an essay eulogizing this great French neurologist (Freud, 1893). He reported that Charcot was heard to say that, “the greatest satisfaction man can experience is to see something new, that is, to recognize it as new.” Charcot wondered how it happened that, in the practice of medicine, men could only see what they had already been taught to see. Throughout his life he remained open to new experiences; he acknowledged the need to order these experiences into a frame of reference, a theoretical formulation if you will, in order to enhance understanding and predictability. He valued theoretical medicine, but felt it was essential that one not be blinded by theoretical limitations. One day, when challenged by a group of students regarding the apparent conflict between a clinical innovation and the theoretical formulations of Young-Helmholtz, he replied, “La Theorie, c’est bon, mais ca n’empeche pas d’exister.” And so it is, with Monsieur Charcot’ s words alive in our minds, that we dare approach phenomena as complex as family violence from a psychoanalytic perspective.
Animal Models in Biomedical Research

Diagnostic power needs to be matched to prognostic accuracy. To accomplish this, we need robust animal models that incorporate the same level of genetic and genomic variation as highly diverse human populations. A key goal of biomedical research is to provide clinicians with sufficient knowledge to predict disease risk and choose effective treatment. We are on the cusp of having complete genome data for each patient. However, our current understanding of complex biological systems and individual differences does not allow us to predict effects of novel interventions and drugs. Animal models provide precise genetic and experimental control, and they also provide a route to more rapid discovery and validation of disease prevention and treatment. But the successful application of experimental results to diverse humans requires that models accurately represent both the underlying disease process and the impact of human genetic variation on treatment and outcome.
The Ballistocardiogram After a Heavy Meal Diagnostic Value in Patients with Suspected Coronary Artery Disease

A NGINA PECTORIS due to coronary artery disease is one of the most difficult of all heart diagnoses to make. Despite a suggestive or even a typical history, graphic objective proof is desirable. The electrocardiogram is usually normal in 50 per cent of cases of coronary artery disease. The ECG exercise tolerance test is positive in 10 to 15 per cent of the cases with normal resting electrocardiograms. Because of these facts, it was decided to turn to ballistocardiography as a possible means of making a more accurate clinical diagnosis. The results of previous ballistocardiographic studies were : (1) Normal people under 45 usually had normal ballistocardiograms.’ (2) As age increased, the tendency to abnormal ballistocardiograms in apparently normal people increased. (3) Only 15 per cent of apparently normal people over 70 had normal ballistocardiograms. This may mean that those people over 45 who have abnormal ballistocardiograms and who are apparently normal, may not be.2 These people may have asymptomatic coronary artery disease. The recording of the ballistocardiogram after a heavy meal has been considered a more accurate test in patients suspected of having coronary disease.3 This paper presents a preliminary report of our results with this ballistocardiographic method as a test of coronary insufficiency.
The Surprising Effect of Body Mass Index on Elective Orthopedic Surgeries

Elective orthopedic surgeries are often deferred or declined due to concern about the patient's elevated body mass index (BMI). The study team conducted a literature review of studies focusing on the relationship between BMI and outcomes of elective orthopedic surgical procedures. The literature review found that overweight and obese patients have similar gains in function and pain reduction as do patients with normal weight, with adverse perioperative outcomes more evident in the higher levels of obesity. These data suggest a need to review the current policies concerning surgical eligibility based on BMI. These data suggest that restrictions of surgical procedures based on BMI may be too restrictive and should be revised based on the current literature.
Effect of nutritional and physiological factors on the reaction between lActobacillus, plantarum and muramidase

Abstract The muramidase sensitivity of L. , plantarum varies markedly with physiological age and is enhanced by a pantothenic acid deficiency. The sensitivity to lysis of pantothenate-deficient cells, but not of early exponential phase cells, correlates with a marked decline in cell wall O-acyl content. Muramidase-sensitive cells also bind this enzyme when exposed to high concentrations of muramidase, suggesting that the distribution of charges at the cell surface can be altered by these nutritional and physiological factors.
Innovations in Modeling Social Good: A Demonstration With Juvenile Justice Intervention:

Objectives:Using agent-based modeling (ABM) within a complexity theory framework provides an alternative and promising method for significantly advancing the study of social good. Complexity theory...
Dynamic Thermal Management Of Silicon Interconnect Fabric Using Flash Cooling

Silicon interconnect fabric (Si-IF) is a promising packaging technology for system scaling. The direct attachment of heterogeneous dies on the Si-IF with compact die placement provides various improvements in electrical system performance. However, the high density of active silicon area leads to intense heat fluxes, and the resulting temperature distribution can cause significant performance degradation and system reliability issues. In this work, an efficient and dynamic cooling architecture is demonstrated for cooling of the Si-IF using thermally conductive terminal blocks that also deliver current. Flash cooling has been adopted, which is a new dynamic, high-heat flux cooling technique to mitigate temperature spikes due to episodic heat pulses in electronic components. A dynamically controlled flow loop for flash cooling is reported that is designed to be flexible and robust at various conditions to quantify and benchmark flash cooling. Results for a single terminal block bonded to a silicon die are presented for a single flash cooling pulse and a constant heat load condition with repeated flash cooling cycles.
Dorsal Horn PKCγ Interneurons Mediate Mechanical Allodynia through 5-HT2AR-Dependent Structural Reorganization

Nociceptors function to protect tissue from potential damage by thermal, mechanical, and chemical stimuli. The central terminals of primary nociceptive mechanical and thermal afferents (C/Aδ fibers) converge in superficial laminae I and II in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Nociceptive
Thrombospondin interaction with plasminogen. Evidence for binding to a specific region of the kringle structure of plasminogen

Platelet thrombospondin interacts with plasminogen in a specific and saturable manner. Thrombospondin was found to specifically bind to plasminogen and the nonenzyme chain of plasmin. Preincubation of 125I-labeled thrombospondin with 30 mmol/L lysine was without effect in the binding of thrombospondin to immobilized plasminogen; preincubation of 125I-labeled plasminogen with 30 mmol/L lysine, on the other hand, significantly reduced the binding of plasminogen to immobilized thrombospondin, suggesting that the interaction of thrombospondin with plasminogen is not the direct result of the lysine binding sites of plasminogen. Arginine and benzamidine, ligands known to specifically bind to the kringle 5 domain of plasminogen, blocked the binding of thrombospondin to plasminogen. Limited elastase proteolysis of plasminogen and plasmin resulted in the generation of two distinct thrombospondin binding domains, one of which was retained on lysine-agarose. The isolation and amino-terminal analysis of these domains following elastase proteolysis of plasminogen identified them, respectively, as a domain containing kringle structures 4 and 5 and plasmin and the other domain consisting of kringle 5-plasmin. A 16-residue synthetic peptide, which represents the amino acids linking kringle 4 to kringle 5 (residues 435-450 of native plasminogen), was without effect in either binding to thrombospondin or blocking the binding of thrombospondin to plasminogen. Plasminogen, therefore, possesses a single thrombospondin interactive site that is independent of, but influenced by, the lysine binding site containing kringle structures and most likely is located within the kringle 5 domain.
Социальный портрет читателя Липецкой областной универсальной научной библиотеки (по материалам исследования)

Off-hour preferences, values and confessions of readers of Lipetsk Regional Universal Research Library are considered. The influence on the choice of reading by not only sex, age, education, professional status, but also by marital status, economic conditions, kind of business in which respondents are engaged, is shown.
X-ray crystal structure of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase sigma70 holoenzyme

Abstract Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the most studied bacterial RNAP and has been used as the model RNAP for screening and evaluating potential RNAP-targeting antibiotics. However, the X-ray crystal structure of E. coli RNAP has been limited to individual domains. Here, I report the X-ray structure of the E. coli RNAP sigma70 holoenzyme, which shows the sigma region 1.1 (s1.1) and alpha subunit C-terminal domain (aCTD) for the first time in the context of an intact RNAP. The s1.1 is positioned at the RNAP DNA binding channel and completely blocks DNA entry to the RNAP active site. The structure reveals that the s1.1 contains a basic patch on its surface, which may play an important role in DNA interaction to facilitate the open promoter complex formation. The aCTD is positioned next to sigma domain 4 (s4) with a fully-stretched linker between the N- and C-terminal domains. E. coli RNAP crystals can be prepared from a convenient overexpression system allowing further structural studies of bacterial RNAP mutants including functionally-deficient and antibiotic resistant RNAPs.
Out of sight, out of mind: global connection, environmental discourse and the emerging field of sustainability education

How might we understand the complex nature of our existence in the world, and what are the implications of such examination? Moreover, how might we go about engaging others in this practice and what are the complications of such an endeavor? Expanding on Quigley, Dogbey, Che and Hallo’s findings, I consider the implications of human-environment connections and examine the difficulty of articulating such connections via photovoice methods in particular places. Further, I use a Foucauldian discourse lens to situate this connective process to larger political and social dynamics at work in their paper, and in environmental education in general. Implications for sustainability and sustainability education are then developed, along with suggestions for future research in this emerging field.
Effect of Cr additions on a γ-γ’ microstructure and creep behavior of a Co-based superalloy with low W content

Abstract Nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys derive their excellent oxidation and corrosion resistance from the surface oxidation of Al and Cr, which form protective oxide layers. Starting from an existing Cr-free cobalt-based superalloy (Co–30Ni–7Al–4Ti–3Mo–2W–1Nb–1Ta-0.1B at. %) with a γ-γ′ microstructure, we create three alloys with 4, 8 and 12 at. % Cr additions. Chromium lowers the γ′ solvus temperature (from 1129 °C for 0% Cr to 1075 °C for 12 at. % Cr) and alters the γ′ precipitate morphology (from cuboidal-to-spherical), but does not affect the coarsening kinetics (which follow the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner model). The alloys with 8 and 12 at. % Cr exhibit minor amounts of a Mo-rich intermetallic phase at grain boundaries after homogenization, and the 12 at. % Cr alloy displays an additional ~3 vol % intragranular refractory-rich secondary precipitates upon aging at 850 °C for 168 h. Atom-probe tomography reveals that Cr partitions strongly to the γ-matrix, with a partitioning coefficient of κ γ'/γ = 0.33 and 0.26 for Cr additions of 4 and 8%, respectively. These additions halve the creep rate of the original alloy at stresses between 275 and 400 MPa, reflecting significant changes in γ’ precipitate composition, volume fraction, morphology, and rafting tendency.
Competitive forces affecting capacity decisions of South Dakota feedlot operations

A strategic management framework for the analysis of small and medium size firm behavior within a fragmented industry structure is developed. This literature predicts falling profits in the long run will drive out less efficient firms as the industry consolidates. This literature also predicts successful firms will engage in value‐added production and/or adopt a cost reduction strategy to gain a competitive advantage through the development of niche markets. This framework is applied to the feedlot industry in South Dakota. A survey was conducted to collect feedlot operator responses on future capacity decisions. Empirical analysis identified linkages between future capacity decisions and competitive forces hypothesized in the agricultural management literature, which are responsible for driving consolidation in the U.S. feedlot industry. The survey also collected information on value‐added production and management practices. These data were used to test the “niche market” hypotheses discussed in the strategic management literature. The analysis provides evidence that firms that engage in value‐added practices have a lower probability of indicating they will decrease the capacity of their feedlot.
Mechanisms of Mid- to Outer-Shelf Transport of Shoreline-Released Tracers

Author(s): Wu, Xiaodong; Feddersen, Falk; Giddings, Sarah N; Kumar, Nirnimesh; Gopalakrishnan, Ganesh | Abstract: AbstractTransport of shoreline-released tracer from the surfzone across the shelf can be affected by a variety of physical processes from wind-driven to submesoscale, with implications for shoreline contaminant dilution and larval dispersion. Here, a high-resolution wave–current coupled model that resolves the surfzone and receives realistic oceanic and atmospheric forcing is used to simulate dye representing shoreline-released untreated wastewater in the San Diego–Tijuana region. Surfzone and shelf alongshore dye transports are primarily driven by obliquely incident wave breaking and alongshore pressure gradients, respectively. At the midshelf to outer-shelf (MS–OS) boundary (25-m depth), defined as a mean streamline, along-boundary density gradients are persistent, dye is surface enhanced and time and alongshelf patchy. Using baroclinic and along-boundary perturbation dye transports, two cross-shore dye exchange velocities are estimated and related to physical processes. Barotropic and baroclinic tides cannot explain the modeled cross-shore transport. The baroclinic exchange velocity is consistent with the wind-driven Ekman transport. The perturbation exchange velocity is elevated for alongshore dye and cross-shore velocity length scales l 1 km (within the submesoscale) and stronger alongshore density gradient ∂ρ/∂y variability, indicating that alongfront geostrophic flows induce offshore transport. This elevated ∂ρ/∂y is linked to convergent northward surface along-shelf currents (likely due to regional bathymetry), suggesting deformation frontogenesis. Both surfzone and shelf processes influence offshore transport of shoreline-released tracers with key parameters of surfzone and shelf alongcoast currents and alongshelf winds.
Multi-analytic characterization of colorants in two impressions of an Utagawa Toyoharu perspective print

Abstract Two impressions of an Utagawa Toyoharu (1735–1814) perspective print were used to develop an analytical protocol for investigating traditional Edo period Japanese ink colorants. Characterization of these often sensitive colorants can help guide policies regarding the preservation of Edo period Japanese prints. As there are some visual similarities and notable differences in the colors in the two impressions, another goal of the study was to determine the correlation of the color palettes used in both impressions. This study compares the colorants in the prints to reference samples using accessible non-invasive techniques, focusing on multimodal imaging and reflectance spectroscopy. XRF and Raman spectroscopy are used to supplement analyses. Results indicate that the color palettes in the two impressions are similar and the visual differences are due to a coating on one of the prints and differing preservation histories. The study details a successful approach for the characterization of Edo period print colorants using primarily multimodal imaging and reflectance spectroscopy, while showing their limitations.
Deep Learning-Based Cross-Machine Health Identification Method for Vacuum Pumps with Domain Adaptation

Abstract Intelligent data-driven machinery health identification has been attracting increasing attention in the manufacturing industries, due to reduced maintenance cost and enhanced operation safety. Despite the successful development, the main limitation of most existing methods lies in the assumption that the training and testing data are collected from the same distribution, i.e. the same machine under identical condition. However, this assumption is difficult to be met in the real industries, since the diagnostic model is generally expected to be applied on new machines. In order to address this issue, a deep learning-based cross-machine health identification method is proposed for industrial vacuum pumps, which are of great importance in the manufacturing industry but have received far less research attention in the literature. Generalized diagnostic features can be learnt using the proposed domain adaptation technique with maximum mean discrepancy metric. The health identification model learnt from the training machines can be well applied on new machines. Experiments on a real-world vacuum pump dataset validate the proposed method, which is promising for industrial applications.
Impacts of global NO x inversions on NO 2 and ozone simulations

Abstract. Tropospheric NO2 and ozone simulations have large uncertainties, but their biases, seasonality, and trends can be improved with NO2 assimilations. We perform global top-down estimates of monthly NOx emissions using two Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) NO2 retrievals (NASAv3 and DOMINOv2) from 2005 to 2016 through a hybrid 4D-Var/mass balance inversion. Discrepancy in NO2 retrieval products is a major source of uncertainties in the top-down NOx emission estimates. The different vertical sensitivities in the two NO2 retrievals affect both magnitude and seasonal variations of top-down NOx emissions. The 12-year averages of regional NOx budgets from the NASA posterior emissions are 37 % to 53 % smaller than the DOMINO posterior emissions. Consequently, the DOMINO posterior surface NO2 simulations greatly reduced the negative biases in China (by 15 %) and the US (by 22 %) compared to surface NO2 measurements. Posterior NOx emissions show consistent trends over China, the US, India, and Mexico constrained by the two retrievals. Emission trends are less robust over South America, Australia, western Europe, and Africa, where the two retrievals show less consistency. NO2 trends have more consistent decreases (by 26 %) with the measurements (by 32 %) in the US from 2006 to 2016 when using the NASA posterior emissions. The performance of posterior ozone simulations has spatial heterogeneities from region to region. On a global scale, ozone simulations using NASA-based emissions alleviate the double peak in the prior simulation of global ozone seasonality. The higher abundances of NO2 from the DOMINO posterior simulations increase the global background ozone concentrations and therefore reduce the negative biases more than the NASA posterior simulations using GEOS-Chem v12 at remote sites. Compared to surface ozone measurements, posterior simulations have more consistent magnitude and interannual variations than the prior estimates, but the performance from the NASA-based and DOMINO-based emissions varies across ozone metrics. The limited availability of remote-sensing data and the use of prior NOx diurnal variations hinder improvement of ozone diurnal variations from the assimilation, and therefore have mixed performance on improving different ozone metrics. Additional improvements in posterior NO2 and ozone simulations require more precise and consistent NO2 retrieval products, more accurate diurnal variations of NOx and VOC emissions, and improved simulations of ozone chemistry and depositions.
The Fifth Circuit Gets It Wrong in Compaq v. Commissioner

This report argues that the recent decision of the Fifth Circuit in Compaq v. Commissioner is seriously misguided and may have adverse consequences for the tax system if not reversed either by the Supreme Court or legislatively. In particular, it criticizes the Fifth Circuit's discussion of the pre-tax profit and business purpose requirements, and argues that these requirements should be interpreted in light of the purpose that antiabuse doctrines serve, which is to filter out tax arbitrage transactions that appear likely to be socially undesirable.
Consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the perinatal period.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an update on the consequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 infection on the health and perinatal outcomes of pregnant women and their infants. RECENT FINDINGS: The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is greater in pregnant compared to nonpregnant women as measured by rates of admission to intensive care units, mechanical ventilation, mortality, and morbidities including myocardial infarction, venous thromboembolic and other thrombotic events, preeclampsia, preterm labor, and preterm birth. The risk of transmission from mother-to-infant is relatively low (1.5-5%) as quantitated by neonatal SARS-CoV-2 testing. Infants appear to be at higher risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 if the mother has tested positive within 1 week of delivery or is herself symptomatic at the time of maternity admission. The rate of positivity is not higher in infants who room in with the mother compared to infants who are initially separated and cared for in a SARS-CoV-2-free environment. Infants who test positive in the hospital have no or mild signs of disease, most of which may be attributable to prematurity, and rarely require readmission for clinical signs consistent with COVID-19. SUMMARY: Pregnant women should take precautions to avoid infection with SARS-CoV-2. Infants born to mothers who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 can receive normal neonatal care in-hospital with their mothers if mother and staff adhere to recommended infection control practices.
Forum Selection Clauses, Non-Signatories, and Personal Jurisdiction

Who is bound by a forum selection clause? At first glance, the answer to this question may seem obvious. It is black-letter law that a person cannot be bound to an agreement without her consent. In recent years, however, courts have not followed this rule with respect to forum selection clauses. Instead, they routinely enforce these clauses against individuals who never signed the contract containing the clause. Courts justify this practice on the grounds that it promotes litigation efficiency by bringing all of the litigants together in the chosen forum. There are, however, problems with enforcing forum selection clauses against non-signatories. First, there is the unfairness of binding a litigant to a contract without her consent. Second, there is the danger that relying on a forum selection clause to assert personal jurisdiction over a non-signatory may be inconsistent with due process. This Article critiques the rules that determine whether a non-signatory is bound by a forum selection clause. It first documents the emergence of a new doctrine — the closely-related-and-foreseeable test — that the courts have created to facilitate this practice. It then argues that the test serves as a portal to a parallel due process universe in which casual contacts and breezy assertions of foreseeability can connect a defendant to a forum selection clause in a way that would be, at best, highly scrutinized were they construed as potential minimum contacts with the forum. In a world of ever-tightening personal jurisdiction standards, courts have created a bubble of nearly unlimited jurisdiction for parties in close proximity to forum selection clauses. To address this problem, the Article proposes reforms that would provide more robust protections to non-signatory defendants and, as importantly, impose a degree of order on an increasingly fractured due process landscape.
3-D Imaging Using Millimeter-Wave 5G Signal Reflections

Emerging 5G millimeter-wave (mm-wave) networks use electronic beamforming and beamsteering and support signal bandwidths on the order of hundreds of MHz. Given these characteristics, opportunities exist to develop 3-D sensing applications that leverage 5G mm-wave communications infrastructure. In this context, this work introduces a signal processing pipeline that can: 1) accurately extract the Time of Flight (ToF) of reflected orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communications signals and 2) enhance range resolution by coherently aggregating the reflection information from separate frequency bands. In combination with precise beamsteering, the proposed signal processing techniques enable high-resolution 3-D radar imaging without affecting communications protocols . An experimental system demonstrating this concept has been implemented and is described. This system consists of two software-defined phased array radios (SDPARs), one configured as a prototype 5G base station TX, and one as an auxiliary prototype 5G RX. Each SDPAR primarily consists of a Si-based 28-GHz, 64-element, phased array transceiver module and software-defined radio. Simulation and benchmark results show that our coherent bandwidth stitching enables accurate OFDM-based ranging with 15-cm resolution. Measurement results show 3-D radar images of indoor scenes with 2° angular and 15-cm ranging resolution, created by processing reflected 5G-like communication waveforms at 28 GHz. The produced 3-D radar images effectively depict the location of objects in the scene, and these locations are in close agreement with the ground truth.
Physician Network Connections Associated With Faster De-Adoption of Dronedarone for Permanent Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Physicians’ professional networks are an important source of new medical information and have been shown to influence the adoption of new treatments, but it is unknown how physician net...
Phase field based nonlocal anisotropic damage mechanics model

Abstract A nonlocal anisotropic damage theory is developed in this work through the phase field method to address the anisotropic damage evolution in materials. The anisotropic damage is discussed and appropriate nonconserved order parameters in three mutually perpendicular directions are defined to find the growth of the components of a second order diagonal damage tensor corresponding to the principal directions of a general second order damage tensor. In contrast to the previous models, two new tensors are proposed to act as interpolation and potential functions along with the Allen–Cahn equation in order to obtain the evolution of the order parameters, which is the basis of the definition of the damage rate. The tensor formulation of the growth of the components of the damage tensor is proposed for the first time. It is shown that, by introducing a set of material parameters including a length scale parameter due to damage, there is a robust and simplified way to model the nonlocal behavior of damage and predict the corresponding material behavior as components of a second order diagonal damage tensor.
Vector quantization of speech parameters in the time-frequency domain

We investigate a time-frequency domain vector quantization approach for low bit rate speech coding. The well known CELP standard provides an efficient representation of a speech signal in units of a frame length (30 ms) using an all-pole speech model. For most efficient speech compression, inter and intraframe correlations of speech parameters should be exploited. This observation previously lead to multiframe coding with interpolation, or LSP prediction. But such linear modeling approaches suffer from the nonlinear speech parameter dynamics. The proposed approach eliminates such problems while exploiting intra and interframe correlations. Computer simulations demonstrate significantly improved compression performance (1.5-2 bits/frame) under a given spectral distortion. >
Nonlinear localized excitations and the dynamics of H-bonds in DNA

The functioning of biomolecules has been a field of very extensive research in modern biology. One of the interesting questions e.g. is the understanding of transcription and copying of DNA molecules. In this contribution we apply recent results we obtained for vibrational energy localization in (arbitrary) nonlinear Hamiltonian lattices to models which might reflect parts of the dynamics of H-bonds in DNA molecules. We show using an abstract level of analysis that there exist generic features of whole classes of models with respect to the existence of (very) localized vibrational excitations. By analyzing the properties of energy (heat) flows in the presence of these localized vibrations we show the localized vibrations to control the heat flow, and thus can define functioning on the level of these physical models. Let us however at the beginning spend a few paragraphs in order to express our views on the advantages and limitations of theoretical physics approaches to the initial problem of functioning in biomolecules.
Voice onset time in Parkinson disease.

Abstract Research has found that speaking rate has an effect on voice onset time (VOT). Given that Parkinson disease (PD) affects speaking rate, the purpose of this study was to examine VOT with the effect of rate removed (VOT ratio), along with the traditional VOT measure, in individuals with PD. VOT and VOT ratio were examined in 9 individuals with PD (before and after taking medication), along with 9 matched controls. Place of articulation and vowel height had significant effects on VOT and VOT ratio for all groups, and there were no PD versus control differences. PD medication had a greater effect on VOT than VOT ratio, reflecting a rate-related VOT change rather than a pure VOT change. These data support the usefulness of examining both VOT and VOT ratio with individuals with PD, as this allows for dissociation between rate-related VOT changes and true VOT changes. Learning outcomes: The reader will be able to understand and describe: (1) voice onset time (VOT) and VOT ratio; (2) how VOT and VOT ratio are affected in individuals with Parkinson disease; and (3) the effect of medication on VOT and VOT ratio.
The effects of ultracentrifugation on the mammalian erythrocyte

Pieces of rat spleen were subjected in an air turbine ultracentrifuge to a force of approximately 400,000 times gravity for periods varying from one-half to one hour. They were immediately fixed for study with both the light and electron microscopes. Stained preparations show a displacement and stratification of materials within the erythrocytes. The stratified layers are probably components of the stroma which differ in their relative specific gravities and staining reactions. The chemical nature of the different layers has not been determined, but their relative volumes are indicated by the dimensions of the layers. Electron micrographs show some effects of the ultracentrifugation such as stretching and the concentration of more dense material in the centrifugal halves of the cells, but a clear cut demonstration of the three stratified layers observed in Mallory's triple stained preparations is not evident. Except for the plasma membrane and a finely granular interior of the erythrocyte, little other structure is revealed within it, especially concerning the nature and distribution of the stroma.
World Health Organization and International Society of Urological Pathology classification and Two-number grading system of bladder tumors

In 1973, Dr. F. K. Mostofi proposed a three-tiered system (World Health Organization [WHO] Grades 1, 2, and 3) to grade urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Grading was based on the degree of anaplasia of tumor cells, which was defined as increased cellularity, nuclear crowding, disturbance of cellular polarity, failure of differentiation from the base to the surface, polymorphism, irregularity in cell size, variations of shape and chromatin pattern of the nuclei, displaced or abnormal mitotic figures, and giant cells. The presence of any degree of anaplasia (such as increased cellularity) in any papillary lesions (except papillary cystitis) should lead to a diagnosis of carcinoma. Grade 1 urothelial carcinoma was defined as tumors that have the least degree of cellular anaplasia; Grade 3 carcinoma has the most severe degrees of cellular anaplasia; and Grade 2 carcinoma lies in between. By definition, papilloma was a papillary tumor with a delicate fibrovascular stroma lined by cytologically and architecturally normal urothelium without increased cellularity or mitotic figures. The diagnosis of carcinoma may have a significant bearing on the patients and the society. Some pathologists are concerned about labeling a low grade noninvasive tumor as carcinoma. The term “papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (LMP)” was introduced in the 1998 World Health Organization and International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) classification. Recognizing that high levels of interand intraobserver variability of histologic grading exist, the definition and histologic criteria for grading (LMP, low grade, and high grade) were further refined and described 1513
High-speed spectral imager for imaging transient fluorescence phenomena

We describe fluorescence spectral-imaging results with the microscope computed-tomography imaging spectrometer ((mu) CTIS). This imaging spectrometer is capable of recording spatial and spectral data simultaneously. Consequently, (mu) CTIS can be used to image dynamic phenomena. The results presented in this paper consist of imaging results using static targets consisting of 1 micrometers and 6 micrometers fluorescing microspheres. The emission spectra were sampled at a 10-nm interval between 430 nm and 710 nm. The smallest spatial sampling interval presented in this paper is 1.7 micrometers . Image data were collected in integration times of 16 msec.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The effects of seascape pattern on algal patch structure, sea urchin barrens, and ecological processes

Abstract Seascapes are the marine analog of terrestrial landscapes, and their importance for ecological processes in marine ecosystems is generally poorly known. This is especially true for giant kelp ( Macrocystis pyrifera ) forests for which the acquisition of high resolution acoustic terrain data is problematic due to canopy cover. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of geologically forced seascape structure on algal patch structure, and to address the potential for seascape pattern to affect higher order ecological processes within giant kelp forests. The difficulty of terrain data acquisition within giant kelp forests was overcome using a narrow single beam sonar system and the development of processing algorithms that resulted in high resolution (10 m) models of bathymetry and algal patch structure. Algal patch structure was determined for the canopy kelps Macrocystis pyrifera and Pelagophycus porra , and pooled understory algal species. The analysis also enabled estimation of the spatial distribution of a large (> 2 ha) persistent sea urchin barrens. The results highlight the importance of bottom topography and bottom depth distributions on algal distributions, algal patch structure, and the dynamics of the sea urchin barren. Large scale topographic features (ca. 500 m), depth, and their interaction are significantly related to canopy and understory distributions among the forests and known patterns of algal resiliency and persistence. Canopy is preferentially distributed toward large scale topographic highs, whereas understory is preferentially distributed towards topographic lows. Pelagophycus porra , however, does not exhibit a distributional preference among hard bottom topographic features. Large scale topography clearly controls algal patch structure. Greater algal patch density and complexity are associated with topographic highs and lows, whereas patches in planar areas exhibit large core areas with less edge habitat and less interspersion with different canopy guilds. Comparisons of the joint probability distributions of bottom and algal depth distributions among forests indicates that density dependent positive feedback processes potentially reinforce the predominance of their differential canopy guild composition. Seascape structure (1) controls and interacts with algal patch structure to define edge habitat structure and potentially foraging and migration pathways, and (2) defines the margins of the large persistent sea urchin barrens and likely the dynamics of sea urchin feeding and movement. The results reinforce the need for adequate sampling design and replication for probability based benthic assessments when high resolution habitat structure is not available, or the utilization of model based purposive sampling strategies when habitats are known.
The retention index system; Its utilization for substance identification and liquid phase characterization

Today, more and more laboratories are using the retention index system. It is generally accepted that this is the best way for the identification of individual compounds; also, the characterization of liquid phases using values derived from retention indices is gaining ground. However, in spite of this growing use, the principles of the system and particularly the various possibilities for its utilization are still not fully understood by many.
Subcutaneous urinary diversion utilizing a nephrovesical stent: A superior alternative to long-term external drainage?

Abstract Objectives The use of external percutaneous nephrostomy drainage in patients with end-stage ureteral obstruction in whom ureteral stenting has failed presents significant compromises in the patient's quality of life. Toward this end, we present the initial experience in the United States with an intracorporeal nephrovesical stent. Methods We performed successful subcutaneous urinary diversion in 2 patients with malignant, metastatic periureteral obstruction. Both patients had previously been managed with a chronic percutaneous nephrostomy that was both painful and inconvenient. The nephrovesical stent was inserted utilizing percutaneous access to both the kidney and bladder followed by creation of a subcutaneous tunnel between the two sites. Results The nephrovesical stents are patent at 6 and 9 weeks postoperatively and both patients have had their nephrostomy tubes removed. Both patients have noted a marked improvement in their overall comfort and quality of life since the stent has been in place. Conclusions Subcutaneous urinary diversion with a nephrovesical stent provides effective urinary drainage and may improve the quality of life of patients with malignant metastatic ureteral obstruction. Further long-term studies are needed.
The influence of family history on breast cancer risk in women with biopsy-confirmed benign breast disease: results from the Nurses' Health Study.

BACKGROUND An association between histologic category of benign breast disease (BBD) and breast cancer risk has been well documented. However, the influence of a positive family history (FH) on breast cancer risk among women with biopsy-confirmed BBD is less certain. METHODS The authors conducted a nested case–control study of BBD and breast cancer risk among 2005 women who were enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study. Cases were women with breast cancer who had a previous benign breast biopsy (n = 395 women). Controls were women who also had previous biopsy-confirmed BBD but were free from breast cancer at the time the corresponding case was diagnosed (n = 1610 women). BBD slides were reviewed and categorized as either nonproliferative lesions, proliferative lesions without atypia, or atypical hyperplasia (AH). RESULTS Compared with women who had nonproliferative lesions and no FH, women who had proliferative lesions without atypia and a positive FH had a higher breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR], 2.45; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.61–3.70) than women with no FH (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.12–2.06; P = .07). Among women who had AH, the OR for the development of breast cancer was 4.38 (95% CI, 2.93–6.55) for those with no FH and 5.37 (95% CI, 3.01–9.58) for those with a positive FH (P = .57). There was no significant interaction between the type of BBD and FH (P = .74). CONCLUSIONS A positive FH of breast cancer slightly increased the breast cancer risk among women who had proliferative lesions without atypia. The increase in risk of breast cancer associated with FH was not significant among women who had AH. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Tuning the strength of a bacterial N-end rule degradation signal.

The N-end rule is a degradation pathway conserved from bacteria to mammals that links a protein's stability in vivo to the identity of its N-terminal residue. In Escherichia coli, the components of this pathway directly responsible for protein degradation are the ClpAP protease and its adaptor ClpS. We recently demonstrated that ClpAP is able to recognize N-end motifs in the absence of ClpS although with significantly reduced substrate affinity. In this study, a systematic sequence analysis reveals new features of N-end rule degradation signals. To achieve specificity, recognition of an N-end motif by the protease-adaptor complex uses both the identity of the N-terminal residue and a free α-amino group. Acidic residues near the first residue decrease substrate affinity, demonstrating that the identity of adjacent residues can affect recognition although significant flexibility is tolerated. However, shortening the distance between the N-end residue and the stably folded portion of a protein prevents degradation entirely, indicating that an N-end signal alone is not always sufficient for degradation. Together, these data define in vitro the sequence and structural requirements for the function of bacterial N-end signals.
Roads to survival: insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathways in cardiac muscle.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays a role in the regulation of myocardial structure and function. IGF-1 is capable of improving cardiac muscle survival, growth, calcium signaling, and differentiation.1 Among various actions of IGF-1 on heart, the ability of IGF-1 to counteract apoptosis of cardiomyocytes has drawn significant attention in recent years. IGF-1 suppresses myocardial apoptosis and improves myocardial function in various models of experimental cardiomyopathy.2 3 4 5 Compared with other growth factors, the survival effect of IGF-1 on myocardium is rather unique. Using an ex vivo model of perfused heart isolated from IGF-1 overexpressing transgenic mice, the study by Yamashita et al6 in this issue of Circulation Research demonstrated that disrupting the activation of Akt abolished the antiapoptotic effects of autocrine/paracrine IGF-1 during ischemia/reperfusion injury. Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase has been previously implicated in myocardial injury during ischemia/reperfusion. These investigators confirmed previous studies that blocking p38 MAP kinase reduced myocardial apoptosis in wild-type heart. However, in this study, inhibiting p38 MAP kinase activation was accompanied by significant suppression of Akt activation during ischemia/reperfusion and increased apoptosis in the IGF-1 transgenic heart. The authors concluded that, on inhibiting p38 MAP kinase activation, the reduction of Akt activation in the transgenic myocardium disrupted the spatial balance between p38 MAP kinase and Akt activation and thus triggered more apoptosis during ischemia/reperfusion. In this study, inhibition of p38 MAP kinase was achieved with chemical inhibitor SB203580. One may argue that chemical inhibitors are not impeccably specific; thus the attenuation of Akt activation by SB203580 might have been attributable to cross-inhibition. Furthermore, we cannot …