cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The risk of sinusitis in children with allergic rhinitis.

ABSTRACT It is said that bacterial sinusitis occurs often in patients with allergic rhinitis, but this correlation has not yet been determined. We studied this issue for 5 years in 413 children, of whom 215 had perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) and 198 had seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). The prevalence of sinusitis in patients with PAR compared with those with SAR was determined with respect to the following factors: age, season, and sensitivity to airborne aller­gens. We found that the prevalence of sinusitis was significantly higher among patients with PAR than among those with SAR regardless of age or season. When the risk of sinusitis was com­pared between patients with PAR and SAR, patients with mold allergy PAR had a higher risk than those with non-mold allergy (PAR relative risk 2.49 versus 1.50, respectively). We conclude that mold allergy is an important risk factor for sinusitis, and that its management may help to reduce the occurrence of sinusitis. (Allergy and Asthma Proc 21:85-88, 2000)
Characterizing immune evasion in FFPE tissue sections - a new method for measuring cellular interactions via multiplexed phenotype mapping and spatial point patterns

Meeting abstracts Full realization of the potential of immunotherapy will require biomarkers that capture immuno-tumor interactions. This will most effectively be achieved by phenotyping cells in-situ in intact tissue sections. Such methods will potentially predict response to drugs and monitor
Direct synthesis and NMR spectra of [(C6H5)2PCH2]2CuB5H8: comments on the solution structure of 2,3-μ-metallopentaboranes

Abstract The species [(C6H5)2PCH2]2CuB5H8 has been prepared directly from [(C6H5)2PCH2]2CuI and K[B5H8]. NMR spectra unequivocally indicate that the species has a static structure in solution and an argument is presented that all 2,3-,μ-metallopentaboranes have similarly static solution structures.
Journals Have Obligations, Too: Commentary on "Confirmational Response Bias"

In response to increasing attention to problems of research misconduct, the Institute of Medicine initiated a project in 1987. It appointed a 17-member committee that held a workshop and developed recommendations to assist relevant institutions and organizations to formulate "policies and procedures to improve the integrity and quality of biomedical research." (Institute of Medicine 1989, v) Its report, The Responsible Conduct of Research in the Health Sciences, contains 16 recommendations. It limits its recommendation on scientific journals to the following:
Nuclear cooling and the quadrupole interaction of indium

Indium has a number of properties that make it an attractive material for nuclear cooling. A small test refrigerator of indium has been constructed and has cooled melting /sup 3/He to 0.9 mK. Its performance demonstrates the favorable comparison of indium with PrNi/sub 5/ for two-stage refrigerators. From specific heat measurements between 1 and 10 mK, the quadrupole interaction has been determined. A value of e/sup 2/qQ/h = -47.8 MHz is obtained for the quadrupole coupling, with a negative electric field gradient.
Estimation of relative dispersion parameters from atmospheric turbulence spectra

Abstract A practical method for estimating relative dispersion parameters from observed atmospheric turbulence spectra is presented and discussed. This method is based on the association of the relative dispersion and meandering processes with appropriately defined time scales, allowing the computation of dispersion parameters from the filtered Lagrangian turbulent velocity spectra. The parameters for the appropriate high-pass filter functions, required for the calculation of properties relevant to in-plume phenomena, are not assumed a priori but are determined through an iterative integral technique. Comparison with field data confirms the validity of the method and shows it appropriate for application in conjuction with various spectral functions.
Synthesis of type III collagen by cultured kidney epithelial cells.

Studies have been performed to evaluate both the relative amounts and molecular forms of the collagens synthesized by an established line of cultured rat kidney epithelial (clone NRK52E) cells. The collagens secreted into the culture medium and extracted from the cell layers of cultured NRK52E cells were isolated after limited pepsin digestion and differential salt fractionation. Greater than 95% of the collagenous proteins synthesized by NRK52E cells were found to be associated with the cells and not secreted. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions of the NRK52E cell collagens indicated the presence of components exhibiting properties corresponding to those of the chains present in types I, III, IV and V collagen. Analysis of each fraction by carboxymethyl-trisacryl chromatography revealed that ∼two-thirds of the total collagen synthesized by NRK52E cells was type III. Of the remaining collagen types I, IV and V molecules represented 20%, 4% and 10% respectively, of the total prod...
Sporozoite-Induced Infections of Plasmodium berghei Administered by the Oral Route

Administration of suspensions of Plasmodium berghei sporozoites by the oral route to groups of susceptible animals (A/J mice, young rats, hamsters, and Thamnomys) resulted in high rates of infection (66 to 100 percent).Control animals each given a suspension of 200,000 to 500,000 erythrocytes infected with P. berghei by the same oral route did not develop parasitemia. Direct intubation of sporozoite suspensions into the stomach failed to produce parasitemia. In vitro studies showed that sporozoites kept in medium M 199 acidified to pH 3.6 (the acid environment of the rat stomach) for 5 to 15 mtinutes lost their viability and infectivity. We believe that sporozoites of P. berghei find their way to the bloodstream during their brief sojourn in the esophagus.
Rapid microwave synthesis of the iron arsenides NdFeAsO and NdFe0.9Co0.1AsO

Abstract The future of iron pnictide superconductors in technology is still undecided. While these materials are now known to possess relatively high critical temperatures and critical magnetic fields, processing methods for these superconductors are still in the development stage. Recently we have been investigating possible ways to speed up the synthetic process for obtaining polycrystalline iron arsenide superconductors and other transition metal pnictides. Here we report the synthesis of NdFeAsO and NdFe 0.9 Co 0.1 AsO in less than 1 h total exposure to microwave radiation using an additional microwave susceptor to surround the reaction ampoule. Structure and property measurements reveal the samples to be of high quality and superconducting when Co doped.
A Brief Survey of Intermodulation Due to Microwave Transmission Components

The phenomenon of intermodulation product generation in coaxial connectors, circulators, and waveguide joints is discussed.Annotated referrals are made to prior experimental works. Anomalies encountered by the various researchers are presented.
Characterization of silane-modified immobilized gold colloids as a substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Immobilized gold colloid particles coated with a C-18 alkylsilane layer have been characterized as a substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of adsorption onto hydrophobic surfaces. Atomic force microscopy images, optical extinction spectra, and SERS measurements are reported as a function of accumulation of gold colloid on glass. As the metal particles become increasingly aggregated on the surface, the SERS enhancement increases until the plasmon resonance shifts to wavelengths longer than the excitation laser. The gold colloid substrates are stable and exhibit reproducible SERS enhancement. When octadecyltrimethoxysilane is self-assembled over the gold, the metal surface is protected from exposure to solution-phase species, as evidenced by the inhibition of chemisorption of a disulfide reagent to the overcoated gold surface. The results show that interactions with gold can be blocked by a silane layer so as not to significantly influence physisorption of molecules at the C-18/solu...
Global non-rigid alignment of 3-D scans

A key challenge in reconstructing high-quality 3D scans is registering data from different viewpoints. Existing global (multiview) alignment algorithms are restricted to rigid-body transformations, and cannot adequately handle non-rigid warps frequently present in real-world datasets. Moreover, algorithms that can compensate for such warps between pairs of scans do not easily generalize to the multiview case. We present an algorithm for obtaining a globally optimal alignment of multiple overlapping datasets in the presence of low-frequency non-rigid deformations, such as those caused by device nonlinearities or calibration error. The process first obtains sparse correspondences between views using a locally weighted, stability-guaranteeing variant of iterative closest points (ICP). Global positions for feature points are found using a relaxation method, and the scans are warped to their final positions using thin-plate splines. Our framework efficiently handles large datasets---thousands of scans comprising hundreds of millions of samples---for both rigid and non-rigid alignment, with the non-rigid case requiring little overhead beyond rigid-body alignment. We demonstrate that, relative to rigid-body registration, it improves the quality of alignment and better preserves detail in 3D datasets from a variety of scanners exhibiting non-rigid distortion.
Are students' impressions of improved learning through active learning methods reflected by improved test scores?

Summary Purpose To report the transformation from lecture to more active learning methods in a maternity nursing course and to evaluate whether student perception of improved learning through active-learning methods is supported by improved test scores. Methods The process of transforming a course into an active-learning model of teaching is described. A voluntary mid-semester survey for student acceptance of the new teaching method was conducted. Course examination results, from both a standardized exam and a cumulative final exam, among students who received lecture in the classroom and students who had active learning activities in the classroom were compared. Results Active learning activities were very acceptable to students. The majority of students reported learning more from having active-learning activities in the classroom rather than lecture-only and this belief was supported by improved test scores. Students who had active learning activities in the classroom scored significantly higher on a standardized assessment test than students who received lecture only. Implications The findings support the use of student reflection to evaluate the effectiveness of active-learning methods and help validate the use of student reflection of improved learning in other research projects.
The impact of electronic imaging in intraoperative biliary endoscopy (choledochoscopy)

In the last decade, choledochoscopy has become an essential tool for biliary surgery. It is widely accepted, but it is not employed by every surgeon who performs choledocholithotomies. The reason is the limited experience of surgeons performing 30–40 cholecystectomies per year. A survey of 150 hospitals clearly showed that common bile duct exploration is performed in 10%–15% of these cases. General surgeons are not endoscopists. A new video choledochoscope that displays the image in a large format via the TV monitor was developed, which can be viewed with both eyes and an assistant's help; this expedites and coordinates the procedure. The entire process is videotaped and can be used for further analysis and during consultation. It has become the method of choice for teaching. Most importantly, the learning curve of general surgeons has become significantly shorter. The procedure is taught and the surgeon can learn it easily. Its use will contribute to a decrease in the incidence of retained stones and will improve patient care.
Evaluation of large deuterated scintillators for fast neutron detection (E=0.5-20 MeV) using the D(d,n) 3 He, 13 C(d,n) and 27 Al(d,n) reactions

Abstract The response of large deuterated liquid scintillators (up to 10 cm diameter by 15 cm) to neutrons 0.5–20 MeV has been studied using the 2.5 MeV neutron generator at the University of Michigan, and the d(d,n), 13C(d,n), 27Al(d,n) and other reactions at the University of Notre Dame FN tandem accelerator. The latter utilize 9 and 16 MeV deuteron beams including a pulsed beam, which permitted time-of-flight measurements. Combining pulse-shape discrimination and time-of-flight allows gating on specific neutron energy groups to determine the detector response to specific neutron energies. This will permit accurate simulation of the detector response functions for applications of these detectors in nuclear research and homeland security applications.
THE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL (ND) OUTCOME OF THE EXTREMELY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANT(ELBW) REMAINS PRECARIOUS IN THE 1990's. † 1633

With improved survival of the ELBW (BW≤1000g, GA≤29wks) there is a need to learn more about these infant's health, growth and ND outcome. 121 ELBW born between Jan 1992 and Dec 1994, discharged from the NICU were enrolled for follow-up; 15 infants (12%) failed the appointments and 1 (0.8%) died (SIDS). According to protocol our study group (N=105) was monitored neurologically, developmentally, and for growth, health and ROP. At 6 mos. they were evaluated with the Gesell Schedule and at 1 yr with the Bayley Scale of Infant Development. All ages were corrected for prematurity. Although this is an ongoing project we are reporting our first year findings. The mean BW was 782g (sd 156, range 440-1000); 30% were SGA; mean GA was 27 wks (sd 2.1, range 22-33); 53% female; 86% Hispanic. For analysis the study infants were divided in three groups according to BW.
The Land of Israel in Jewish-Christian-Muslim Relations

Before conveying my views on Israel – people, land, and state – I want to share a bit of my personal journey, so that the reader will appreciate the perspective that I bring to the subject. I was born in Santiago de Chile in 1949, the child of Austrian Jewish refugees who managed to flee Vienna in time in March, 1938. Some of my cousins were not so fortunate and perished in the Shoah. After my family moved to New York, I attended public schools, then went to college and divinity school at Harvard, pursuing studies in psychology, theology, and education. Krister Stendahl, then the dean of Harvard Divinity School, became my mentor in New Testament studies, my “Christian rebbe.” Two years after completing my MTS program, and then working in the administration of Bard College in upstate New York, I flew to Israel for the first time on April 5, 1978. I was the last member of my immediate family to visit Israel, and the only one who stayed. I lived and worked in Jerusalem for twenty-four years, became an Israeli citizen, and fathered a son who now serves in the Israeli Defense Forces. All of these choices were motivated by my religious convictions. My Judaism includes both a Zionist commitment to the security and wellbeing of Israel as a Jewish state, along with a spiritual commitment to justice and peace for all peoples.
Gallium-arsenide deep-center laser

In a novel approach to “thresholdless” lasers, we have developed a new growth technique for self-assembled deep centers in the technologically important semiconductor gallium-arsenide. Here we demonstrate the first gallium-arsenide deep-center laser. These lasers, which intentionally utilize gallium-arsenide deep-center transitions, exhibit a threshold of less than 2 A/cm2 in continuous-wave mode at room temperature at the important 1.54 μm fiber-optic wavelength. This threshold is much lower than for bandgap transitions in conventional bulk semiconductors. It is significant that this first demonstration of broad-area laser action was accomplished with electrical injection, and not merely optical pumping, as is usual for a new material.
A high-performance thermal module for computer packaging

A thermal module was designed to transfer heat efficiently from high power dissipation chips to a liquid coolant via forced convection. Turbulent and laminar flow regimes were investigated. Channel geometries for deep channels (1000 μm deep, and used for turbulent flow), and shallow channels (100 μm deep, and used for laminar flow) were optimized for high heat transfer coefficient, ease of fabrication, and better structural rigidity of the module. A 4″ x 4″ module, made out of Cu, was tested using a 4″ Si “thermal” wafer as a heat generating source as well as a temperature sensor. Wafer scale integration and high energy ion implantation were employed to obtain nine l x l cm heat sources, and temperature sensing diodes embedded within the thermal wafer. For the deep channel design, the maximum device temperature rise on the module was 18° C for a power dissipation of 42 W/chip, and a flow rate of 126 cc/sec. For the shallow channel design, the temperature rise was 19° C for a flow rate of 19 cc/sec, and a power dissipation level of 42 W/chip. With all nine chips on the thermal module powered to 42 W/chip, the maximum chip to chip temperature variations were found to be 2 and 8° C for deep and shallow channel designs, respectively.
Values interpretation: a new model for hospital ministry.

The importance of values in clinical settings is a topic of increasing discussion in the medical literature, but the nature of values and the process of interpreting them have received little attention. The hospital chaplain or religious professional is an underused resource in addressing values issues. This paper summarizes the current models of the hospital chaplaincy in historical context, and then develops a new model drawn from the disciplines of pastoral care and clinical medical ethics in order to address problems involving values in clinical settings. The model construes the chaplain as values interpreter who provides both consultation and liaison functions in clinical situations. We present a clinical case to illustrate the role of the values interpreter. We conclude that the religious professional can make an important contribution to both clinical decision making and medical education through such a model.
A polynomial invariant of graphs in 3-manifolds

IN THE last few years there has been a great deal of interest in new polynomial invariants for links in S’, inspired by the work of Vaughan Jones. His paper [8], introducing a new link polynomial, led to the definition of several other new polynomials for links. It is interesting to attempt to generalize these to obtain a polynomial invariant of graphs in S3. This has been done (for example, see [9]) to some extent, but thus far !he polynomial invariants for graphs in S3 have placed strong restrictions on either the type of graph considered or the type of isotopy under which the polynomial is invariant. In contrast to the situation for graphs imbedded in S’, there are very satisfactory polynomials for abstract graphs, such as the Tutte polynomial [l 11. These give detailed information about the intrinsic properties of the graphs. The philosophy behind these polynomials is that very little information about a graph G is lost if one considers, instead of G, the simpler graphs G/e and G e, where e is some edge of G, G/e is obtained from G by identifying e to a point, and G e is obtained from G by removing e from G. Given a graph G imbedded in S3, one can try a direct application of this approach. Certainly if e is an edge of G with distinct endpoints, it seems that most of the information about G and its imbedding in S3 is retained if we instead consider the graphs G/e and G e. However there arises the question of how to interpret G/e when the edge e has both endpoints on the same vertex of G. In this paper we suggest a solution to this difficulty. We thus obtain a polynomial associated to any finite graph in S3, invariant under any isotopy of S3. In $1 we define a polynomial invariant for pairs (M, A) where M is a 3-manifold and A is a finite set {a,, . . . , a,} of disjoint arcs properly imbedded in M. This suggests many possible polynomial invariants for graphs in the 3-sphere. In $2 we choose one of these and explore some of its properties. In $3 we give an example of another polynomial invariant for graphs in S3 to illustrate the range of possibilities available.
Conditions for coexistence of freshwater mussel species via partitioning of fish host resources

Abstract Riverine freshwater mussel species can be found in highly diverse communities where many similar species coexist. Mussel species potentially compete for food and space as adults, and for fish host resources during the larval (glochidial) stage. Resource partitioning at the larval stage may promote coexistence. A model of resource utilization was developed for two mussel species and analyzed to determine conditions for coexistence. Mussel species were predicted to coexist when they differed in terms of their success in contacting different fish host species; very similar strategies offered limited possibilities for coexistence. Differences in the mussel species’ maximum infestation loads on the fish hosts that coincided with differences in their fish host contact success promoted coexistence. Mussel species with a given set of trade-offs in fish host use were predicted to coexist only for a subset of relative fish host abundances, so a shift in relative fish host abundances could result in the loss of a mussel species. An understanding of the conditions for freshwater mussel species coexistence can help explain high mussel diversity in rivers and guide ongoing conservation activities.
Delay asymptotics for a priority queueing system

In this paper, we study discrete-time priority queueing systems fed by a large number of arrival streams. We first provide bounds on the actual delay asymptote in terms of the virtual delay asymptote. Then, under suitable assumptions on the arrival process to the queue, we show that these asymptotes are the same. We then consider a priority queueing system with two queues. Using the earlier result, we derive an upper bound on the tail probability of the delay. Under certain assumptions on the rate function of the arrival process, we show that the upper bound is tight. We then consider a system with Markovian arrivals and numerically evaluate the delay tail probability and validate these results with simulations.
Comparing Adolescent Only Children with Those Who Have Siblings on Academic Related Outcomes and Psychosocial Adjustment

This study uses a large and representative sample of adolescents to test the theoretically informed hypotheses comparing adolescent singletons with those who have siblings. The results found that, for academic related outcomes (educational expectations, time spent on homework, and self-reported grades), there are no differences between singletons and firstborns who have any number of younger siblings. Singletons are also not different from laterborns from two-child families. In contrast, singletons are more advantageous compared to laterborns who have two or more siblings on educational expectations and grades. Singletons also spend more time on homework than laterborns who have three or more siblings. For psychosocial outcomes (psychological distress, susceptibility to negative peer pressure, and problem behaviors), singletons are not different from both firstborns and laterborns with any number of siblings. The findings suggest that singletons are not at any disadvantage compared to their peers who have siblings and they enjoy some advantages over laterborns from medium to large families on academic related outcomes.
Probing Minor Groove Hydrogen Bonding Interactions between RB69 DNA Polymerase and DNA

Minor groove hydrogen bonding (HB) interactions between DNA polymerases (pols) and N3 of purines or O2 of pyrimidines have been proposed to be essential for DNA synthesis from results obtained using various nucleoside analogues lacking the N3 or O2 contacts that interfered with primer extension. Because there has been no direct structural evidence to support this proposal, we decided to evaluate the contribution of minor groove HB interactions with family B pols. We have used RB69 DNA pol and 3-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosine (3DA), an analogue of 2-deoxyadenosine, which has the same HB pattern opposite T but with N3 replaced with a carbon atom. We then determined pre-steady-state kinetic parameters for the insertion of dAMP opposite dT using primer/templates (P/T)-containing 3DA. We also determined three structures of ternary complexes with 3DA at various positions in the duplex DNA substrate. We found that the incorporation efficiency of dAMP opposite dT decreased 102–103-fold even when only one minor groove HB...
Endotoxin-Induced Regional Circulatory Changes in the Unanesthetized Monkey

Endotoxin in eight unanesthetized monkeys produced a small decrease in cardiac output, a marked fall in blood pressure, and a decrease in total peripheral vascular resistance. The distribution of cardiac output was measured by injecting nuclide-labeled radioactive microspheres (50µ in diameter) into the left ventricle, and blood flow and vascular resistance were calculated for each organ. All vascular beds except that of the spleen reacted with variable degrees of vasodilation, and the most pronounced decreases in resistance were observed in the coronary, gastrointestinal, and adrenal vasculature. Cerebral flow was reduced, but flow was maintained in the brain stem and cerebellum. In contrast to studies in other species, both the gastrointestinal tract and the kidneys showed vasodilation and no significant decrease in flow during the early phase of endotoxemia. There is some similar evidence in humans of decreased total systemic peripheral resistance without abnormal myocardial function or pooling of bloo...
Amino acid residues involved in inactivation of the Escherichia coli multidrug resistance repressor MarR by salicylate, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and plumbagin

MarR is the dedicated autorepressor of the marRAB operon found in seven genera of the Enterobacteraceae. The MarA transcriptional regulator directly activates numerous genes involved in multidrug resistance and other environmental responses. MarR is inactivated by certain phenolic ligands, such as salicylate, by an unknown mechanism. Our recent work has shown that several amino acid residues of Escherichia coli MarR affecting ligand binding are located between the dimerization and DNA-binding domains. To further characterize the ligand-binding region of MarR, we have now examined 7 point mutants generated by random mutagenesis and 11 site-directed alanine replacement mutants for inactivation by three ligands: salicylate, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and plumbagin. Inactivation of MarR was quantitated in intact cells by loss of MarR-mediated repression of a chromosomal mar-lacZ transcriptional fusion. The results showed that most of the residues important for ligand effectiveness lay in the α1 and α2 helices of MarR, between the putative DNA-binding domain and the dimerization domain of MarR, reinforcing our earlier findings. Moreover, the three ligands had different, but overlapping, sets of residues impacting their effects on MarR.
Pentecostal Theology as a Discursive Site for the Weight of Blackness in Nigeria

Blackness has become the discursive site for assessing, negotiating, and appropriating the meaning of spirituality as socioeconomic dislocations of Nigeria mingle with an increasing awareness of the “lowly lot of black humanity.” The discourse began with disciplining the body but quickly moved on to the normalization of a nation chosen by God to spearhead the final evangelization of the world and to lead the black race into global technological and economic supremacy. Here I want to trace a line from the ways the body is disciplined to the protocols of race and discourse of sovereignty. In other words, I want to map the movement of pentecostal thought from spirituality that focuses on the purity of the body to spirituality that focuses on the purity of the body politic. Unlike the Duke School, I place the belief in chosenness that permeates the Abrahamic religions at the core of the emerging pentecostal “racial theology.”
Fermi Surface and Some Simple Equilibrium Properties of a System of Interacting Fermions

It is shown that certain analytical properties of the propagators of many-fermion systems lead rigorously to the existence of sharp discontinuities of the momentum distribution at absolute zero. This discontinuity in the momentum distribution is used to define a Fermi surface for a system of interacting fermions. It is shown that the volume of this surface in momentum space is unaffected by the interaction. The same analytic properties are shown to lead, by direct statistical mechanical arguments, to simple expressions for the low-temperature heat capacity, the spin paramagnetism, and the compressibility of the system. These expressions are very analogous to the corresponding expressions for noninteracting particles. Finally, it is shown how the whole formalism may be generalized when an external periodic potential is present (band case).
The cardinality of maximal nilpotent subsets of nil rings

Abstract The conditions on a ring R that will force subsets of R that are maximal with respect to certain properties (e.g., the commutative property) to have large cardinality are examined. Although these investigations were brought about by the study of groups, the only result concerning groups is that the adjoint group G of an infinite nil ring has an abelian subgroup A such that 2 ¦A¦ ⩾ ¦G¦ .
Meet me in Shanghai: melodrama and the cinematic production of space in 1930s Shanghai leftist films

AbstractWhen modernity arrives in China, does it come to be situated in certain locations, and is its presence spatialized in specific ways? How is the spatialization of modernity cinematized and, conversely, how is that cinematic modernity spatialized? This article focuses on the ways in which the cinema produces space in the context of 1930s Shanghai leftist films and illustrates how various competing elements and their spatial meanings are organized, paying close attention to cinema's spatial manifestation of modernity and coloniality. By examining how Shanghai 1930s leftist cinema intervenes and wrestles with an urban-rural, or, better, west-east, course of influence from the colonial and the imperialist forces, I show a corresponding rural-urban movement in the group of urban melodramas analyzed. Finally, I propose a notion of the spatial Now that characterizes the construction of the filmic diegesis that reaches beyond its screen space.
Treatment delay period: The case of arsenicosis in rural Bangladesh

Arsenic concentrations of tubewell water that exceed acceptable limits poses a serious health problem in Bangladesh. Many Bangladeshis are now suffering from arsenic-related diseases. The objectives of this paper are to examine the extent of delay in seeking medical treatment by victims of arsenic poisoning and to identify factors contributing to this delay. Questionnaire survey successfully administered to 663 victims living in two rural areas of Bangladesh provided the major data source for this study. Analysis of survey data reveal that median delay period was 12 months, but the delay period ranged from 1 month to 18 years. Because of this extremely large range, the mean delay period was about 22 months. The study identified time of identification of symptoms of arsenicosis as the most significant determinant of treatment delay followed by treatment sought from members of mobile medical teams, perceived threat, and level of education. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that the Bangladesh government and NGOs involved in arsenic mitigation and prevention efforts should educate individuals at risk for arsenic poisoning about the benefits of seeking early treatment. This study also recommends to continue to dispatch mobile medical teams to the arsenic-impacted areas.
Sperm-activated currents in ascidian oocytes.

Abstract Using patch electrodes and the whole-cell recording technique to study fertilization currents in ascidian oocytes under voltage clamp, this paper shows that between −85 and 0 mV the currents are inward with an initial peak ranging from 50 to 600 pA. Voltages more positive than 0 mV inhibit initiation of the fertilization current, but by allowing the oocyte to return briefly to its resting potential fertilization occurs and fertilization currents are outward at positive potentials. By comparison with previous single-channel work, a fertilizing spermatozoon opens about 300 large-conductance channels with zero reversal potential.
ARTIFICIAL MAINTENANCE MEDIA FOR CELL AND ORGAN CULTIVATION : II. THE CULTIVATION OF ORGANS IN ARTIFICIAL MEDIA.

Experiments have been described in which organs cultivated in the Lindbergh apparatus have been kept alive in artificial media for periods ranging from 3 days to 3 weeks, with life continuing in portions of some glands for from 35 to 62 days. The media used varied in composition from very simple and inexpensive ones in which some serum was used to a rather complex medium containing only that negligible amount of serum that is necessary as a solvent for vitamin A. The experiments performed demonstrate that artificial media can be used for organ cultivation, thus making it possible to study the behavior of human organs; to control the composition of the media at will; and to reduce the cost of experimentation.
ACGT-a comparative genomics tool.

Summary: ACGT (a comparative genomics tool) is a genomic DNA sequence comparison viewer and analyzer. It can read a pair of DNA sequences in GenBank, Embl or Fasta formats, with or without a comparison file, and provide users with many options to view and analyze the similarities between the input sequences. It is written in Java and can be run on Unix, Linux and Windows platforms. Availability: The ACGT program is freely available with documentation and examples at website: http://db.systemsbiology.net/projects/local/mhc/acgt/. Contact: txie@systemsbiology.org
Polygonal approximation of flows

Abstract The analysis of the qualitative behavior of flows generated by ordinary differential equations often requires quantitative information beyond numerical simulation which can be difficult to obtain analytically. In this paper we present a computational scheme designed to capture qualitative information using ideas from the Conley index theory. Specifically we design an combinatorial multivalued approximation from a simplicial decomposition of the phase space, which can be used to extract isolating blocks for isolated invariant sets. These isolating blocks can be computed rigorously to provide computer-assisted proofs. We also obtain local conditions on the underlying simplicial approximation that guarantees that the chain recurrent set can be well-approximated.
Automated behaviour recognition in mobile robots using symbolic dynamic filtering

This paper introduces a dynamic data-driven method for signature detection in mobile robots. The core concept of the paper is built upon the principles of symbolic dynamic filtering (SDF) that can be used to extract relevant information in complex dynamical systems. The objective here is to identify the robot behaviour in real time as accurately as possible. The proposed method is validated by experimentation on a networked robotics test bed to detect and identify the type and motion profile of the robots under consideration.
Design optimization and implementation of a microgravity capacitive HARPSS accelerometer

This paper reports on the design optimization and implementation of a lateral capacitive accelerometer with high sensitivity and micro-g resolution, fabricated through the high-aspect ratio polysilicon and single-crystal silicon process on regular silicon wafers. A new implementation of vertical corrugation in silicon electrodes is developed to reduce the mechanical noise equivalent acceleration of the sensor. The predicted effect of corrugation on thermomechanical noise and also on static sensitivity is verified using ANSYS steady-state thermal simulation and FEMLAB linear stationary electrostatics analysis, respectively. The number of corrugated electrodes and the sense gap spacing is optimized to minimize the system (sensor + circuit) noise floor, while satisfying process and electronics limits. The open-loop differential sensitivity of a 60-/spl mu/m-thick prototype accelerometer is measured to be 0.25 V/g equivalent to 4.5 pF/g over a 1-g range. The estimated total noise equivalent acceleration of the system (sensor + circuit) is 0.95 /spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz in atmosphere.
${\cal L}_{1}$ Adaptive Controller for Uncertain Nonlinear Multi-Input Multi-Output Systems With Input Quantization

We study the merits of the adaptive controller for nonlinear uncertain Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) systems in the presence of significant unmodeled dynamics and input quantization. We show that with both logarithmic quantization and uniform quantization, if the quantization is sufficiently dense, the adaptive controller ensures that the output of the MIMO system follows a desired reference signal with uniform transient and steady-state performance bounds. Compared with the same feedback architecture without quantization, the uniform performance bounds have an additional positive additive term, linear in the quantization constant, which can be reduced by increasing the quantization density. Simulations illustrate the performance of the adaptive controller in the presence of quantization.
Effect of Citric and Ascorbic Acids on Performance and Intestinal pH of Chicks

Abstract An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of one percent dietary citric and ascorbic acid additions on performance and intestinal pH of young chicks. The citric and ascorbic acid additions did not affect chick performance or pH of the duodenal lumen contents. Also, pH of the duodenal lumen contents was not affected by 1:2 to 1:8 dilutions with distilled water.
Biomarker responses and disease susceptibility in juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss fed a high molecular weight PAH mixture

Juvenile rainbow trout were fed a diet containing an environmentally relevant mixture of 10 high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at a dose of 0.66 or 7.82 µg PAH · g fish(-1) · d(-1). At 3, 7, 14, and 28 d, biomarkers of aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation (AHR), hepatic microsomal ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, and cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A)-associated staining increased 14- to 26-fold and 6- to 14-fold, respectively, in fish fed 7.82 µg PAH · g fish (-1) · d(-1). Cytochrome P4501A-associated staining increased 2- to 9-fold on days 3, 7, and 28 in fish fed 0.66 µg PAH · g fish(-1) · d(-1). Bile fluorescent aromatic compounds served as a biomarker of exposure and confirmed that PAH exposure was consistent over 50 d. DNA damage in blood cells, protein oxidation, and lipid peroxidation in the kidney were biomarkers of oxidative stress and all increased in fish fed 7.82 µg PAH · g fish(-1) · d(-1). Fish fed 0.66 µg PAH · g fish(-1) · d(-1) had elevated DNA damage in blood cells but increased protein oxidation or lipid peroxidation in the kidney were not observed. Challenge with Aeromonas salmonicida, at lethal concentration (LC) 20, decreased survival in fish previously fed either 0.66 µg PAH · g fish(-1) · d(-1) or 7.82 µg PAH · g fish(-1) · d(-1) relative to fish fed the control diet. In general, biomarkers of both AHR activation and oxidative stress peaked at 3 to 14 d then declined at 28 to 50 d of PAH exposure and an increase in susceptibility to disease was observed at 50 d. These results link PAH exposure to biomarker responses that may be useful as early indicators of population level responses, such as mortality resulting from an increase in disease susceptibility.
Pedagogy of fear: toward a Fanonian theory of ‘safety’ in race dialogue

In education, it is common to put the condition of ‘safety’ around public race dialogue. The authors argue that this procedural rule maintains white comfort zones and becomes a symbolic form of violence experienced by people of color. In other words, they ask, ‘Safety for whom?’ A subtle but fundamental violence is enacted in safe discourses on race, which must be challenged through a pedagogy of disruption, itself a form of violence but a humanizing, rather than repressive, version. For this, the authors turn to Frantz Fanon's theory of violence, most clearly outlined in The Wretched of the Earth. First, the article outlines the basic assumptions of Fanon's theory of revolutionary, as opposed to repressive, violence. Second, we analyze the surrounding myths that an actual safe space exists for people of color when it concerns public race dialogue. Third, we critique the intellectualization of racism as part of the concrete violence lived by people of color in the academy, which whites continually reduce ...
Transitions from Formal Education to the Workplace.

This chapter frames the transition to adulthood in the context of the moving from formal educational settings to the often less-structured learning that occurs in workplace settings. Although schooling may end, learning continues.
Effects of an off-centered tool on dipole and quadrupole logging

An acoustic logging tool in inclined or horizontal boreholes may be placed apart from the center and produce additional complicated wavefields. We investigate the effects of an off-centered tool on monopole, dipole, and quadrupole logs due to off-centering of the tool. In recent logging tools, monopole, dipole, and quadrupole logs can be obtained by adding or subtracting responses at four monopole (pressure) receiver arrays at right angles. We examine the responses of the four monopole receiver array system for three directions of eccentricity: inline direction of the dipole source (Off 0° case), crossline direction (Off 90° case), and 45° to the dipole source (Off 45° case). To simulate responses at each receiver array, we use the discrete wavenumber method. In a dipole tool positioned on the borehole axis, the inline receiver arrays have only the flexural wave while the cross receiver arrays have zero response. However, an off-centered dipole source produces nondipole modes as well as the dipole mode. For all cases with a dipole source, the dipole mode was enhanced by subtracting responses at one of the inline receiver arrays from those of the other receiver array, and we could extract the formation shear velocity. Similar to the dipole source, an off-centered quadrupole source introduces additional nonquadrupole modes. The quadrupole mode was enhanced by subtracting the sum of responses at receiver arrays below negative poles of a quadrupole source from the sum of responses at receiver arrays below positive poles for all cases. In addition, the formation shear velocity was obtained from the time semblance calculation.
Aromatase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Estradiol, the most potent endogenous estrogen, is biosynthesized from androgens by the cytochrome P450 enzyme complex called aromatase. Aromatase is present in breast tissue, and intratumoral aromatase is the source of local estrogen production in breast cancer tissues. Inhibition of aromatase is an important approach for reducing growth-stimulatory effects of estrogens in estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Steroidal inhibitors that have been developed to date build upon the basic androstenedione nucleus and incorporate chemical substituents at varying positions on the steroid. Nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors can be divided into three classes: aminoglutethimide-like molecules, imidazole/triazole derivatives, and flavonoid analogs. Mechanism-based aromatase inhibitors are steroidal inhibitors that mimic the substrate, are converted by the enzyme to a reactive intermediate, and result in the inactivation of aromatase. Both steroidal and nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors have shown clinical efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer. The potent and selective third-generation aromatase inhibitors, anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane, were introduced into the market as endocrine therapy in postmenopausal patients failing antiestrogen therapy alone or multiple hormonal therapies. These agents are currently approved as first-line therapy for the treatment of postmenopausal women with metastatic estrogen-dependent breast cancer. Several clinical studies of aromatase inhibitors are currently focusing on the use of these agents in the adjuvant setting for the treatment of early breast cancer. Use of an aromatase inhibitor as initial therapy or after treatment with tamoxifen is now recommended as adjuvant hormonal therapy for a postmenopausal woman with hormone-dependent breast cancer.
Strain evolution in non-stoichiometric heteroepitaxial thin-film perovskites

Epitaxial strain has been extensively used to control and induce new properties in complex oxide thin films. Understanding strain evolution and how to manipulate it are essential to the continued development of strain-induced effects in materials. The chemical complexity that underlies the diverse functionality of such oxide materials can have complex and unexpected effects on strain evolution and the breakdown of classic models of strain relaxation (e.g., misfit dislocation formation). We explore the connection between the growth process and the diverse and extensive range of point and volumetric defects that can be generated and accommodated in oxide systems and how this ultimately impacts strain evolution. Pulsed-laser deposition was used to produce thin films of the prototypical perovskite oxide SrTiO3 with chemical compositions ranging from 4% Sr-deficiency to 4% Sr-excess. Small variations in film composition are found to give rise to three distinct modes of strain relaxation, critical thicknesses for relaxation that vary from 60 to 300 nm, and have a notable impact on interfacial intermixing. Atomic-scale scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopic studies provide information on defect structures, how the defect formations are connected to the epitaxial strain relaxation, and reveal that the presence of defect structures generally leads to a local chemical broadening of the interface.
Performance of high intensity /spl gamma/-rays source driven by the Duke storage ring FEL

In this paper we report the status of the High Intensity /spl gamma/-ray Source facility (HI/spl gamma/S) based on intra-cavity Compton back-scattering inside the OK-4/Duke storage ring FEL (SR FEL). The HI/spl gamma/S is generating beams of /spl gamma/-rays with tuneable energy from 1.8 MeV to 58 MeV and total average flux up to 510/sup 8/ /spl gamma/-rays per second. The /spl gamma/-ray beam is mono-chromatized by on-axis collimator to energy spread as low as 0.2% RMS. The HI/spl gamma/S facility generated in excess of 2,000 hours of the /spl gamma/-ray beam time for nuclear physics user program. We discuss the incoming up-grades of the facility in next five years including the installation of the OK-5 FEL with controllable polarisation and the full-energy booster-injector.