cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth of high quality CdTe and ZnTe on Si substrates using organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

Epitaxial (100) CdTe and ZnTe layers with high crystalline quality have been grown on Si substrates by atmospheric pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE). A thin Ge interfacial layer grown at low temperature was used as a buffer layer prior to ZnTe and CdTe growth. The layers were characterized by Nomarski optical microscopy and double crystal x-ray diffraction. Double crystal rocking curves with full width at half maximum of about 110 and 250 arc-sec have been obtained for a 7 μm thick ZnTe layer and a 4 μm thick CdTe layer, respectively. The results presented demonstrate a novel method ofin-situ Si cleaning step without a high temperature deoxidation process to grow high quality CdTe and ZnTe on Si in a single OMVPE reactor.
Physical Organic Chemistry of Transition Metal Carbene Complexes. 23.1 Kinetic and Thermodynamic Acidities of Cationic Benzothienyl- and Selenylcarbene Complexes of Rhenium in Aqueous Acetonitrile

The pKa values of a cationic selenyl- (5H+) and a benzothienylcarbene complex (6H+) and rate constants for the reversible deprotonation of these complexes by water, carboxylate ions, primary aliphatic amines, secondary alicyclic amines (5H+ only), and OH- (5H+ only) were determined in 50% MeCN−50% water (v/v) at 25 °C. In comparison with neutral Fischer-type carbene complexes such as 1H, the cationic complexes 5H+ and 6H+ are much more acidic, and the intrinsic barriers to proton transfer are substantially higher. This paper discusses a variety of factors that contribute to these differences, with the most important ones being that 5H+ and 6H+ are cationic, which makes the C5H5(NO)(PPh3)Re moiety a stronger π-acceptor than the (CO)5M moieties, coupled with the fact that the deprotonated forms of 5H+ and 6H+ are aromatic molecules.
Transient Facial Nerve Palsy After Occipital Nerve Block: A Case Report

Occipital nerve blocks are commonly performed to treat a variety of headache syndromes and are generally believed to be safe and well tolerated. We report the case of an otherwise healthy 24-year-old woman with left side-locked occipital, parietal, and temporal pain who was diagnosed with probable occipital neuralgia. She developed complete left facial nerve palsy within minutes of blockade of the left greater and lesser occipital nerves with a solution of bupivicaine and triamcinolone. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain with gadolinium contrast showed no abnormalities, and symptoms had completely resolved 4-5 hours later. Unintended spread of the anesthetic solution along tissue planes seems the most likely explanation for this adverse event. An aberrant course of the facial nerve or connections between the facial and occipital nerves also might have played a role, along with the patient's prone position and the use of a relatively large injection volume of a potent anesthetic. Clinicians should be aware that temporary facial nerve palsy is a possible complication of occipital nerve block.
Compressive Sampling Coupled OFDM Technique for Testing Continuous Wave Radar

Testing continuous wave (CW) radar circuitry is a challenging and time consuming process that requires characterizing system response over a wide range of frequencies. Step frequency continuous wave (SFCW) functional test is widely adopted for CW radar through a large number of frequency tones generation and characterization. For an ultra-wideband radar system, SFCW testing can be very time consuming. In this paper, we propose a new approach to increase test speed at low cost and low design overhead by combining OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) in conjunction with compressive sampling (CS) algorithm. In the test, OFDM is applied for multi-tone signal generation while compressive sampling is for frequency tone reduction. To show equivalent test performance, SFCW test and OFDM-CS test are both performed to characterize a sample ground penetrating radar (GPR). Simulation results are presented for validations.
Postoperative infection may influence survival in patients with glioblastoma: simply a myth?

Background It is a prevalent myth that a postoperative infection may actually confer a survival advantage in patients with malignant glioma. This contention is based largely on anecdotal reports. Recently, a single-center study showed there was no survival advantage in those patients who had glioblastoma with postoperative infection. Objective To examine the impact of postoperative infections on outcome in patients with glioblastoma treated at our center. Methods This study included 197 patients with newly diagnosed primary glioblastoma treated from January 2001 to January 2008. Of the 197 patients, 10 (5.08%) had postoperative bacterial infection. The Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Breslow test were used in the univariate approach; Cox regression was used in the multivariable approach. Results The median survival was 16 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 14-18 mo). The infection group had a significant advantage in the median survival: 30 months (95% CI, 21-39) vs 15 months (95% CI, 13-17) for patients without postoperative infection. This advantage was also confirmed by Cox regression; in fact, patients not developing a postoperative infection showed an adjusted hazard ratio for death of 2.3 (95% CI, 1-5.3). Conclusion The association between infection and prolonged survival is not definitive; we acknowledge the considerable difficulties in undertaking this type of study in a retrospective manner. Our results can instead stimulate further multicentric studies (to increase the number of patients) or experimental studies using genetically modified bacteria for treatment of glioblastoma.
Portable Compact Multifunction IR Calibrator

New infrared calibration test facilities are required to provide for the calibration of sensors that exhibit resolution in the microradian range and that utilize a large number of detectors in linear and area arrays. Simple collimators with low divergent beams are typically physically large, costly to cool, and provide only a partial calibration. Other capabilities such as multiple point sources, bar patterns and an extended-area source are needed. A compact portable multifunction calibrator is designed for future sensor systems that enables a linearity calibration for all detectors simultaneously using a near small area source ( Jones source), a high resolution mapping of the focal plane with 10 prad setability and with a blur of less than 100 prad, system spectral response calibration (radiometer) using a Michelson interferometer source, relative spectral response (spectrometer) using high-temperature external commercial blackbody simulators, and an absolute calibration using an internal low-temperature extended-area source. In addition, a scatter plate is available to provide a diffuse full-field and full-aperture but attenuated high-temperature radiation source, bar pattern reticles to provide direct evaluation of modulation transfer function and and bandpass filters to provide system parameter evaluation at selected wavelengths. The portable system is made compact through the use of a folded Gregorian collimator design and includes an extended-area source, scatter plate, and Jones source which are stowed in the system and can be switched into the beam.
Justice Between Age Groups: An Objection to the Prudential Lifespan Approach

Societal aging raises challenging ethical questions regarding the just distribution of health care between young and old. This article considers a proposal for age-based rationing of health care, which is based on the prudential life span account of justice between age groups. While important objections have been raised against the prudential life span account, it continues to dominate scholarly debates. This article introduces a new objection, one that develops out of the well-established disability critique of social contract theories. I show the implications of this critique for the prudential life span account and for the special case of age-group justice. The result is that age-based rationing based on the prudential life span approach is not supported, and that the prudential life span approach itself is not the best way to think about allocating health care between age groups. I propose an alternative approach that avoids the disability objection, and consider its implications for specific proposals for age-based rationing of health care.
Hypocaloric compared with eucaloric nutritional support and its effect on infection rates in a surgical intensive care unit: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Proper caloric intake goals in critically ill surgical patients are unclear. It is possible that overnutrition can lead to hyperglycemia and an increased risk of infection. Objective: This study was conducted to determine whether surgical infection outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU) could be improved with the use of hypocaloric nutritional support. Design: Eighty-three critically ill patients were randomly allocated to receive either the standard calculated daily caloric requirement of 25–30 kcal · kg–1 · d–1 (eucaloric) or 50% of that value (hypocaloric) via enteral tube feeds or parenteral nutrition, with an equal protein allocation in each group (1.5 g · kg–1 · d–1). Results: There were 82 infections in the hypocaloric group and 66 in the eucaloric group, with no significant difference in the mean (±SE) number of infections per patient (2.0 ± 0.6 and 1.6 ± 0.2, respectively; P = 0.50), percentage of patients acquiring infection [70.7% (29 of 41) and 76.2% (32 of 42), respectively; P = 0.57], mean ICU length of stay (16.7 ± 2.7 and 13.5 ± 1.1 d, respectively; P = 0.28), mean hospital length of stay (35.2 ± 4.9 and 31.0 ± 2.5 d, respectively; P = 0.45), mean 0600 glucose concentration (132 ± 2.9 and 135 ± 3.1 mg/dL, respectively; P = 0.63), or number of mortalities [3 (7.3%) and 4 (9.5%), respectively; P = 0.72]. Further analyses revealed no differences when analyzed by sex, admission diagnosis, site of infection, or causative organism. Conclusions: Among critically ill surgical patients, caloric provision across a wide acceptable range does not appear to be associated with major outcomes, including infectious complications. The optimum target for caloric provision remains elusive.
Laser Therapy in Patients with Primary Lung Cancer

Twenty-eight therapeutic bronchoscopic procedures with laser were carried out on 20 patients with primary lung cancer. Indications for laser bronchoscopic study were nonresectable, endoscopically visible tumor in patients who had any of the following complications after chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy: increasing dyspnea, postobstructive pneumonia, atelectasis, or hemoptysis from an endoscopically visible site. Symptomatic benefit was noted by 15 of 20 patients after laser therapy. There were two procedure-related deaths. Our conclusions regarding selection of patients for laser therapy of endotracheal and endobronchial lesions are given.
Unexpected retention and concomitant loss of subtelomeric regions in balanced chromosome anomalies by FISH

Florescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using subtelomeric probes has been useful in detecting cryptic telomeric chromosomal rearrangements. We report, for the first time, that cytogenetically visible chromosome rearrangements can occur between the subtelomeric and telomeric region in clinically normal individuals with balanced chromosome anomalies in which one of the breakpoints involves a terminal band region. Using FISH with subtelomeric probes, we observed in three cases with a balanced reciprocal translocations the retention and subsequent loss of subtelomeric regions. In one case with a paracentric inversion, there was a proximal relocation of a subtelomeric region. Because subtelomeric regions serve important roles in chromosome pairing, this retention and concomitant loss or relocation of a subtelomeric region could possibly further disrupt the complex meiotic configurations of these balanced chromosome rearrangements. This may then have an effect on gamete production, placing these individuals at a higher risk for miscarriages and/or abnormal outcomes for individuals with similar chromosome aberrations. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Plants used for reproductive health in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The use of herbal remedies for the treatment of reproductive health problems and the management of reproduction is still nearly universal in many indigenous communities throughout modern Mexico. This paper describes the medicinal plants and related substances used for childbirth, fertility regulation, and the treatment of reproductive disorders in a bilingual Chinantec-Spanish speaking township in highland Oaxaca. The discussion focuses on how the group’s ideas about reproduction and reproductive physiology influence their selection of these plant species.
Stochastic analysis of rigid foundation filtering

The effect of the space–time variation of earthquake ground motion on the translational response of structures supported on large rigid mat foundations is considered. A stochastic space–time ground motion model, based on the analysis of recordings from the SMART-1 seismograph array in Lotung, Taiwan, is used. Random vibration theory is utilized to obtain an expression for the reduction in the maximum structural response, for a specified probability level and strong motion duration. Numerical computations are performed to examine the sensitivity of the reduction in structural response to various ground motion and structural parameters. The results indicate that spatial correlation and travelling wave effects give rise to significant reductions in structural responses when the seismic waves have low apparent propagation velocities. Utilization of this result in the design of structures on large foundations should yield substantial cost savings.
Phrase-final intonation in narratives told by Turkish-German bilinguals

In this study, I examine how three preadolescent, Turkish-German bilingual girls use intonational resources from both of their languages as one strategy for organizing monologic narratives. In so doing, I show that the bilingual narrators make strategic use of phrase-final tunes that have their origins in the speakers' (and their community's) bilingualism. In particular, these speakers utilize two phrase-final rises that differ in their frequency of occurrence, acoustic, phonological and functional characteristics. The contrasts in the rises taken in conjunction with the contrasts between rises, levels and falls provide the speakers with conventionalized strategies for cueing specific narrative contexts. These conventionalized strategies represent a fusion of Turkish and German intonational patterns into a single intonational grammar and form part of the bilingual linguistic and discursive repertoire. As such they also represent one locus of contact-related language change.
Epitaxial Films of Germanium by MOCVD

A simple and easily expandable atmospheric pressure MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition) reactor for the growth of germanium films is proposed and implemented. It employs a resistively heated horizontal quartz reaction chamber. The organometallic compound tetramethylgermanium (TMGe) is used as the germanium source, and hydrogen as the carrier gas. Using this reactor, epitaxial films of germanium on germanium substrates were grown at 550-650°C. The growth rate was found to increase with temperature. The single crystallinity of these films was evaluated by x-ray rocking curves, and the interface strain between the film and substrate was found to be less than 1%. These Ge/Ge samples have the same morphology as the bare substrate and their sheet resistance is 30% higher than the bare substrate value.
Differential Role of Rapamycin and Torin/KU63794 in Inflammatory Response of 264.7 RAW Macrophages Stimulated by CA-MRSA

Background. Rapamycin suppresses the RAW264.7 macrophage mediated inflammatory response but in lower doses induces it. In the present study, we tested the suppression of the inflammatory response in the presence of mTOR 1 and 2 inhibitors, Torin and KU63794. Methods. RAW264.7 cells were stimulated for 18 hrs with 106 to 107 CFU/mL inocula of community-acquired- (CA-) MRSA isolate, USA400 strain MW2, in the presence of Vancomycin. Then, in sequential experiments, we added Torin, KU63794, and Rapamycin alone and in various combinations. Supernatants were collected and assayed for TNF, IL-1, IL-6, INF, and NO. Results. Rapamycin induces 10–20% of the inflammatory cascade at dose of 0.1 ng/mL and suppresses it by 60% at dose of 10 ng/mL. The induction is abolished in the presence of Torin KU63794. Torin and KU63794 are consistently suppressing cytokine production 50–60%. Conclusions. There is a differential response between Rapamycin (mTOR-1 inhibitor) and Torin KU63794 (mTOR 1 and 2 inhibitors). Torin and KU63794 exhibit a dose related suppression. Rapamycin exhibits a significant induction-suppression biphasic response. Knowledge of such response may allow manipulation of the septic inflammatory cascade for clinical advantages.
The α-l- and β-d-pyranoside linkages in oleandomycin

Abstract Polarimetric and nuclear magnetic resonance data are presented as consistent evidence for the α- l and β- d nature of the respective anomeric centers in oleandomycin, thus completing the glycosidic aspects of the stereochemistry of oleandomycin (I); these centers are those of the α- l -oleandrosyloxy and β- d -desosaminyloxy moieties. Individual methyl α- and β-pyranosides of l -oleandrose and n-butyl α- and β-pyranosides of d -desosamine were prepared and characterized, to furnish base-line reference data for the analyses of anomeric configuration performed on oleandomycin.
Sports injuries of the wrist

Sports injuries involving the hand and wrist are common and, as a result, many different practitioners (athletic trainers, physical therapists, primary care physicians, general orthopedic surgeons) will encounter these injuries. In addition to thorough evaluation, an understanding of typical pathologies seen in the athlete enhances diagnosis and facilitates appropriate, expedient management. These injuries are complex because they can be either acute traumatic or repetitive in origin and often involve both the bony skeleton and soft tissues. This article provides a review of athletic injuries to the wrist with particular focus on physical evaluation and management of the most common and challenging fractures and soft tissue injuries.
Interpersonal Style and Japanese American Organizational Involvement

This paper reports on an initial effort to develop survey items that measure Japanese American interpersonal style. Based upon the theoretical work of Miyamoto. Fugita, and Kashima (2002) it was hypothesized that Japanese American interpersonal style is an important factor in their forming large numbers of voluntary organizations both historically and contemporarily. A survey was administered to 344 Japanese Americans living in the Seattle, WA and San Jose, CA areas. An initial pool of 16 items yielded a 10-item measure with three subscales that was related to involvement in Japanese American organizations and other indicators of ethnic community participation.
Fetal development of the multiple forms of rat hexokinase.

Abstract Multiple molecular forms of hexokinases demonstrated a specific progression during gestation in the fetal rat liver. A glucokinase has been demonstrated to be present in liver before birth. Between 12 and 14 days' gestation, only types I and II hexokinase were present. At 15–16 days' gestation, type III appeared, and at 18 days, one of the glucokinases was seen. Four separate bands of hexokinase were present in the placenta throughout gestation. A previously underscribed “fetal” band located between type I and II was observed between day 14 and birth.
Sr and Nd isotopic variations in ferromanganese crusts from the Central Pacific: Implications for age and source provenance

Abstract Isotopic analyses of two hydrogenetic ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts from volcanic edifices in the central Pacific Ocean reveal systematic variations in 87 Sr 86 Sr and 143 Nd 144 Nd , with both ratios decreasing as a function of depth into the Fe-Mn crusts. Leaching experiments suggest that Sr in the crusts is contained in at least two discrete sites. A loosely bound Sr, dominated by modern marine Sr, is removed by leaching with a 10 percent acetic acid solution. The 87 Sr 86 Sr ratio of the residue is significantly less than the 87 Sr 86 Sr ratio of the unleached material. The Sr-isotope ratios of leached samples are compared with the temporal variation in seawater to provide ages for layers within the Fe-Mn crusts. These data suggest that the oldest crust layers began to accrete in the early to middle Miocene. Correlated to the 87 Sr 86 Sr variations, 143 Nd 144 Nd ratios suggest that the Nd-isotope composition of central Pacific Ocean seawater also changed systematically over this time interval, or that the Fe-Mn crusts simply incorporated Nd from various parts of an isotopieally heterogeneous ocean as the crusts were carried along with the oceanic plate. In contrast to the layered ferromanganese crust, the phosphatized volcaniclastic substrates have Sr and Nd isotope compositions that are consistent with their volcanic origin.
Ciliated cells in altered murine and human intrahepatic bile ducts

Abstract Typical kinocilia each containing a basal body, nine peripheral and two axial filaments, and without an associated centriole have been noted on pathologically altered (but not on normal) intrahepatic biliary epithelium of human beings and rats. Cilia have not been seen on other cells in the liver including both normal and pathologically altered parencymal cells.
Measurement of meteorological variables by use of multiple energy‐balance indicators

A method is suggested for computing meteorological variables near the ground, including air temperature, radiation, and wind speed. The method Involves measuring the temperature of a multiplicity of indicators, each suspended at a given level above the surface of the ground. The temperatures of the indicators are controlled by radiational and convective exchanges of energy between the indicators and their environment. The present status of field tests of the suggested technique is summarized.
Role of Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin in functional outcome after concussive brain injury in mice

Akt (protein kinase B) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cell death and cognitive outcome after cerebral contusion in mice; however, a role for Akt/mTOR in concussive brain injury has not been well characterized. In a mouse closed head injury (CHI) concussion traumatic brain injury (TBI) model, phosphorylation of Akt (p-Akt), mTOR (p-mTOR), and S6RP (p-S6RP) was increased by 24 hours in cortical and hippocampal brain homogenates (P<0.05 versus sham for each), and p-S6RP was robustly induced in IBA-1+ microglia and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive (GFAP+) astrocytes. Pretreatment with inhibitors of Akt or mTOR individually by the intracerebroventricular route reduced phosphorylation of their respective direct substrates FOXO1 (P<0.05) or S6RP (P<0.05) after CHI, confirming the activity of inhibitors. Rapamycin pretreatment significantly worsened hidden platform (P<0.01) and probe trial (P<0.05) performance in CHI mice. Intracerebroventricular administration of necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) before CHI increased hippocampal Akt and S6RP phosphorylation and improved place learning (probe trials, P<0.001 versus vehicle), whereas co-administration of rapamycin or Akt inhibitor with Nec-1 eliminated improved probe trial performance. These data suggest a beneficial role for Akt/mTOR signaling after concussion TBI independent of cell death that may contribute to improved outcome by Nec-1.
Quantum theory of the linewidth of a laser with a saturable absorber: phase diffusion

A quantum theory of the spectral width of a laser with a saturable absorber is presented. We perform a density matrix calculation yielding the off-diagonal element pn,n+1(t ) which is proportional to the average value of the electric field (E(t )) associated with the laser field having a large photon number n. The general linewidth theory is applied to any general laser which has saturable absorber features for a portion of the building of the laser field. We have found that the saturable absorber action contribution to the linewidth of such a laser can be substantial.
Raman analysis of TlCa2Ba2Cu3O19 and Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3O10 crystals

Abstract Crystals of the high-temperature superconductors TlCa 2 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 9 (Tl-1223) and Tl 2 Ca 2 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 10 (Tl-2223) have been analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and elemental analysis. Tl-1223 and Tl-2223 are distinguished from the other Tl-Ca-Cu-Ba-O phases by having three consecutive CuO sheets per unit cell. Through polarization studies of oriented crystals, the symmetries of the Raman-active vibrational modes are identified. The majority of the observed modes are assigned to specific vibrations in the structures. The vibrational frequencies are compared to the frequencies of the analogous modes in other Tl-based superconducting phases and YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (Y-123). The origin of Raman peaks detected at 1360, 1560, and 2710 cm −1 is discussed.
Gamestar Mechanic: learning a designer mindset through communicational competence with the language of games

This article presents the results of a three‐year study of Gamestar Mechanic (www.gamestarmechanic.com), a flash‐based multiplayer online role‐playing game developed for the MacArthur Foundation’s digital media learning initiative by the University of Wisconsin‐Madison, and Gamelab in New York. The game’s objective is to help children adopt a designer mindset, together with its associated forms of language and literacy in the context of computer game production. Using case studies and discourse analysis, this article examines the ways in which learning ‘the language of games’ provided by Gamestar Mechanic can help even young students learn thinking skills and communication important to learners in the twenty‐first century, and can help transform the way children understand the games they play in positive ways.
Deutsche Welle: on the air

Abstract Individuals, organisations and governments use the Internet for a wide range of activities. As part of the booming Web scene in Germany more and more radio and tv stations looking for new audiences and publicity go on-line in addition to their traditional program branches. The major goal for radio and TV stations to be on the air is to improve their information capabilities and to get a faster, more flexible (interactive) and closer contact with their audience in the preparation, transmission and follow-up treatment of their programs. Founded in 1953, the Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcasting service with radio and television programs, has been on the Internet since the end of 1994, with a program in the World Wide Web (WWW). The management of Deutsche Welle decided to enter the game as fast as possible as with other broadcasting companies such as the ‘BBC’ and the ‘Voice of America’ with a similar mission as Deutsche Welle had already started on the Internet as information and program providers. As the World Wide Web is by far the most popular and most frequently used information service on the Internet today and as it starts to become a synonym for the Internet, this was felt an ideal starter application. The solution wanted should meet strict security requirements and different quality characteristics like scalability, extendibility and migration possibilities and the financial risks for the company should be minimised. This paper gives an overview on the activities of German broadcasting companies on the Web and describes GMD's experiences in bringing the Deutsche Welle (DW) to the Internet. DW's decision to rely on two external co-operation partners speeded up the process and minimised the risks and costs for the Deutsche Welle. It became obvious that WWW is not enough for an international broadcaster and that an integration of different value-added services like electronic mail (E-mail), FTP and WAIS is urgently needed to fulfil the needs of a broadcaster and its audience. A guaranteed quality of service level and a secure access to Internet was as crucial since the service start as statistics.
Primary in vitro antibody formation by blood leucocytes of a subhuman primate.

Abstract Blood leucocytes from humans and two species of marmosets, S. fuscicollis and S. oedipus oedipus , were cultured in vitro with sheep red blood cells. Leucocyte cultures from 16 of 20 S. fuscicollis marmosets produced significant numbers of plaque-forming cells (PFC) as assayed by the Jerne procedure. Under the same conditions, none of 15 S. oedipus oedipus cultures and only 1 of 15 human blood cultures responded. A kinetic study of the response with S. fuscicollis leucocytes revealed peak 19S and 7S PFC to appear on Day 9 of culture. It is suggested that two factors are acting synergistically in the successful development of antibody-forming cells from leucocytes of S. fuscicollis marmosets: (a) the innate immune response capabilities of the blood lymphocytes and (b) the natural hemopoietic chimerism that occurs in this species.
Pre-eutectic densification in MgF2CaF2☆

Abstract Increased densification rates were found as much as 200°C below the eutectic temperature (980°C) for MgF 2 containing small amounts of CaF 2 . Constant heating rate and constant temperature sintering data, as well as microstructural developments indicated that solid state grain boundary transport rates had been enhanced by the eutectic forming additive. The effect saturated at about 1 wt% CaF 2 . The results suggest that densification of ceramic powders could be favorably affected without a substantial increase in the grain growth rate, by the addition of small amounts of eutectic forming additives, and sintering below the eutectic temperature.
Somatic von hippel-lindau mutation in clear cell papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis

Papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis is an uncommon benign lesion that may occur sporadically or as a manifestation of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. Neither immunohistochemical studies nor molecular genetic analyses of the VHL gene have been reported previously for this lesion. The authors describe two cases of clear cell papillary cystadenoma of the epididymis, both of which were initially confused with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Both lesions showed positive immunohistochemical staining for low and intermediate molecular weight keratins (Cam 5.2 and AE1/AE3), EMA, vimentin, alpha 1-antitrypsin, and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin. Each was negative for CEA. Because clear cell papillary cystadenoma is similar to renal cell carcinoma histologically, and because both occur as components of the von Hippel-Lindau disease complex, the authors analyzed both cases for the presence of mutations in the VHL gene. A somatic VHL gene mutation was detected in one of the two tumors by polymerase chain reaction followed by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Direct sequencing revealed a cytosine to thymine transition at nucleotide 694, resulting in the replacement of an arginine with a stop codon after the sixth amino acid of exon 3. As the VHL gene is believed to function as a tumor suppressor gene, VHL gene mutations may play a role in the initiation of tumorigenesis in sporadic cystadenomas of the epididymis.
Identification of the 37-kd rat liver protein that forms an acetaldehyde adduct in vivo as delta 4-3-ketosteroid 5 beta-reductase

Abstract Acetaldehyde, the first product of alcohol metabolism, is highly reactive. Several proteins have been shown to be covalently modified by acetaldehyde in vivo. We have previously reported the detection of a cytosolic 37-kd protein-acetaldehyde adduct (-AA) in the liver of alcohol-fed rats. The liver extract from an alcohol-fed rat was subjected to 2-dimensional (2D) sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane, and the 37-kd protein-AA spot was digested with trypsin and sequenced for amino acids. Degenerate oligonucleotides corresponding to a peptide sequence of the protein-AA were used as the probe to screen a lambda gt11 rat liver complementary DNA (cDNA) library. A clone that extended to a potential ATG start codon was identified. The open reading frame was 978 nucleotides long, encoding 326 amino acid residues. The sequence matched that of rat liver delta 4-3-ketosteroid 5 beta-reductase. The cloned cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli using pGEX-KG as the vector. The expressed protein was found to be of correct molecular weight. It reacted with an antibody that recognized the unmodified liver 37-kd protein by Western blotting. Peptide profiles of tryptic- digested recombinant protein and the purified rat liver 37-kd protein were similar and yielded the same peptide sequence. delta 4-3-ketosteroid 5 beta-reductase catalyzes the reduction of key intermediates during bile acid biosynthesis. Whether modification of the 5 beta-reductase by acetaldehyde affects the enzyme activity and bile acid synthesis remains to be studied. (Hepatology 1996 Jan;23(1):115-22)
Depressive symptoms predict change in glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: rates, magnitude, and moderators of change.

Hood KK, Rausch JR, Dolan LM. Depressive symptoms predict change in glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: rates, magnitude, and moderators of change. Objective: To determine whether depressive symptoms in adolescents with type 1 diabetes predict change in glycemic control over time. Research design and methods: A total of 145 adolescents (aged 13–18 yr) participated in two study visits (baseline and 6 months). They completed a measure of depressive symptoms (Children's Depression Inventory; CDI) and had their A1c values and adherence to blood glucose monitoring (BGM) documented. Results: Three variables predicted A1c change over 6 months: CDI change score (B = 0.11; p < 0.001), BGM frequency at baseline (B = −0.21; p = 0.03), and A1c at baseline (B = −0.23; p = 0.002). A three-way interaction among these variables was significant (p < 0.01) and showed that adolescents with high adherence to BGM who were achieving optimal glycemic control (≤7.5%) at baseline were resistant to increasing A1c values, even if depressive symptoms worsened. However, as adherence to BGM declines, there is a synergistic effect with depressive symptoms to accelerate the increase of A1c values over time, making it more difficult to bring A1c back to optimal levels. Conclusions: Results suggest that depressive symptoms are important predictors of A1c change by themselves as well as when considered with adherence to BGM. There is a need to screen for depressive symptoms and expand and develop prevention and intervention strategies in order to put adolescents with type 1 diabetes in the best position for optimal glycemic control.
Modulation of a high molecular weight form of transforming growth factor-α in human colon carcinoma cell lines

Abstract The secretion of transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) by several human colon carcinoma cell lines in tissue culture medium was examined. All of the cell lines tested secreted TGF-α to varying degrees. Bio-Gel P-30 chromatography of the conditioned media from three of these cell lines (HCT 116, MOSER, FET) indicated differences in the molecular weights of secreted TGF-α. In the HCT 116 cell line, the majority of the TGF-like activity had a molecular weight of less than 10,000. For both MOSER and FET cell lines, 20–30% of the TGF-like activity had a molecular weight greater than 15,000. When HCT 116 and MOSER cells were treated with differentiation inducing agents there was an increase in a TGF-α species whose molecular weight was greater than 20,000. This indicates a possible alteration in either the processing of the TGF-α precursor and/or secretion of precursor products by the different cell lines.
Scaling Up Wide-Area-Search-Munition Teams

Wide area search munitions (WASMs) are a cross between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a munition. The first of these high-concept munitions, the low-cost autonomous attack system, was a miniature, autonomous WASM capable of broad-area search, identification, and destruction of a range of mobile ground targets. The LoCAAS used a small turbojet engine capable of powering the vehicle for up to 30 minutes and laser radar (ladar) with automatic target recognition to identify potential targets. The original LoCAAS was a fire-and-forget munition designed to operate independently. It flew preprogrammed search patterns until it located a target or ran out of fuel.
Determining Fault Tolerance of XOR-Based Erasure Codes Efficiently

We propose a new fault tolerance metric for XOR-based erasure codes: the minimal erasures list (MEL). A minimal erasure is a set of erasures that leads to irrecoverable data loss and in which every erasure is necessary and sufficient for this to be so. The MEL is the enumeration of all minimal erasures. An XOR-based erasure code has an irregular structure that may permit it to tolerate faults at and beyond its Hamming distance. The MEL completely describes the fault tolerance of an XOR-based erasure code at and beyond its Hamming distance; it is therefore a useful metric for comparing the fault tolerance of such codes. We also propose an algorithm that efficiently determines the MEL of an erasure code. This algorithm uses the structure of the erasure code to efficiently determine the MEL. We show that, in practice, the number of minimal erasures for a given code is much less than the total number of sets of erasures that lead to data loss: in our empirical results for one corpus of codes, there were over 80 times fewer minimal erasures. We use the proposed algorithm to identify the most fault tolerant XOR-based erasure code for all possible systematic erasure codes with up to seven data symbols and up to seven parity symbols.
The birth of American tourism: New York, the Hudson Valley, and American culture, 1790–1830

The birth of American tourism: New York, the Hudson Valley, and American culture, 1790–1830, by Richard H. Gassan, Amherst, MA, University of Massachusetts Press, 2008, 213 pp., US$29.95 (paperback...
Dosimetric parameters of three new solid core I-125 brachytherapy sources.

lated to be 0.95560.005, 0.96760.005, and 0.96260.005 cGy h 21 U 21 for the PharmaSeed BT-125-1, BT-125-2, and ADVANTAGE sources, respectively. TLD measurements were in excellent agreement with Monte Carlo calculations. Radial dose function, g(r), calculated to a distance of 10 cm, and anisotropy function, F(r,u), calculated for radii from 0.5 to 7.0 cm, were similar among all source
Interval Analysis for Thermodynamic Calculations in Process Design: A Novel and Completely Reliable Approach

Recently, a robust new computational technique, based on interval analysis, has been developed for solving the difficult nonlinear problems arising in the modeling of phase behavior. This technique can be used, with mathematical and computational guarantees of certainty, to find the global optimum of a nonlinear function or to enclose any and all roots of a system of nonlinear equations. As shown in the applications here to phase stability analysis and to the location of homogeneous azeotropes, it provides a method that can guarantee that the correct result is found; thus, eliminating computational problems that may potentially be encountered with currently available techniques. The method is initialization independent; it is also model independent, straightforward to use, and can be applied in connection with any equation of state or activity coefficient model.
Site-specific Tn7 transposition into the human genome

The bacterial transposon, Tn7, inserts into a single site in the Escherichia coli chromosome termed attTn7 via the sequence-specific DNA binding of the target selector protein, TnsD. The target DNA sequence required for Tn7 transposition is located within the C-terminus of the glucosamine synthetase (glmS) gene, which is an essential, highly conserved gene found ubiquitously from bacteria to humans. Here, we show that Tn7 can transpose in vitro adjacent to two potential targets in the human genome: the gfpt-1 and gfpt-2 sequences, the human analogs of glmS. The frequency of transposition adjacent to the human gfpt-1 target is comparable with the E.coli glmS target; the human gfpt-2 target shows reduced transposition. The binding of TnsD to these sequences mirrors the transposition activity. In contrast to the human gfpt sequences, Tn7 does not transpose adjacent to the gfa-1 sequence, the glmS analog in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We also report that a nucleosome core particle assembled on the human gfpt-1 sequence reduces Tn7 transposition by likely impairing the accessibility of target DNA to the Tns proteins. We discuss the implications of these findings for the potential use of Tn7 as a site-specific DNA delivery agent for gene therapy.
Biology and Clinical Aspects of the Hematopoietic Growth Factors

Molecular cloning of the genes for several members of a family of glycoproteins, the hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs), has transformed experimental hematology. Molecular probes have been used to investigate the cellular source of the HGFs and the mechanism by which their genes are regulated. Recombinant purified HGFs have been used to investigate their functions in vitro, the binding characteristics of their receptors, and the isolation of certain receptor cDNAs. This increase in knowledge of the cellular biology of the HGFs has led to clinical trials of their efficacy. Specific HGFs or HGF combinations are likely to find a place in the management of several different bone marrow failure states.
The Empty Box

Software is such a fixed presence in our lives that it's hard to imagine a day when it no longer commands center stage.
Controlling Selectivity for Cycloadditions of Nitrones and Alkenes Tethered by Benzimidazoles: Combining Experiment and Theory

Herein we describe a combined experimental/theoretical study on the effects of substituents on regio- and stereoselectivity in intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of nitrones and alkenes tethered by benzimidazoles. By employing a large substituent at position R2 or R3, complete selectivity was achieved for either the fused or bridged cycloadduct, respectively. In addition, these cycloadducts were formed as single diastereomers in all of the cycloadditions examined.
Functionalized Micellar Systems for Cancer Targeted Drug Delivery

Polymer micelles are rapidly becoming a powerful nanomedicine platform for cancer therapeutic applications due to their small size (10-100 nm), in vivo stability, ability to solubilize water insoluble anticancer drugs, and prolonged blood circulation times. Recent data from clinical trials with three micelle formulations have highlighted these and other pharmacokinetic advantages with reduced systemic toxicity and patient morbidity compared to conventional drug formulation. While the initial anti-tumor efficacy of these systems seems promising, a strong research impetus has been placed on micelle functionalization in order to achieve tumor targeting and site-specific drug release, with the hope of reaching a more pronounced tumor response. Hence, the purpose of this review is to draw attention to the new developments of multi-functional polymer micelles for cancer therapy with special focus on tumor targeting and controlled drug release strategies.
Documenting hurricane impacts on coral reefs using two- dimensional video-mosaic technology

Four hurricanes impacted the reefs of Florida in 2005. In this study, we evaluate the combined impacts of hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma on a population of Acropora palmata using a newly developed video-mosaic methodology that provides a high-resolution, spatially accurate landscape view of the reef benthos. Storm damage to A. palmata was surprisingly limited; only 2 out of 19 colonies were removed from the study plot at Molasses Reef. The net tissue losses for those colonies that remained were only 10% and mean diameter of colonies decreased slightly from 88.4 to 79.6 cm. In contrast, the damage to the reef framework was more severe, and a large section (6 m in diameter) was dislodged, overturned, and transported to the bottom of the reef spur. The data presented here show that two-dimensional video-mosaic technology is well-suited to assess the impacts of physical disturbance on coral reefs and can be used to complement existing survey methodologies.
Is there a natural limit of the transformation rate of oral leukoplakia

Recent reviews described a cumulative risk of 0-38% of oral leukoplakias (OL) to transform into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The annual transformation rate (ATR) of OL into OSCC amounted up to 6.3%. To elucidate epidemiological consequences of varying ATR. Variations of the prevalence (1-2%) and ATR (0.5-4%) of OL were used to compute the proportional incidences of OSCC developing in OL. These were compared to the actual incidences of OSCC excerpted from European cancer registries. A ratio or=3%, the predicted incidences of OSCC would exceed the reported incidences in all countries. With an ATR<or=1%, the ratio of OSCC developed in OL to OSCC overall would be always lower than 50%. Based on present data, it was concluded that the ATR of OL into OSCC should not exceed 1%.
Electron molecular ion recombination: product excitation and fragmentation.

Electron-ion dissociative recombination is an important ionization loss process in any ionized gas containing molecular ions. This includes the interstellar medium, circumstellar shells, cometary comae, planetary ionospheres, fusion plasma boundaries, combustion flames, laser plasmas and chemical deposition and etching plasmas. In addition to controlling the ionization density, the process generates many radical species, which can contribute to a parallel neutral chemistry. Techniques used to obtain rate data and product information (flowing afterglows and storage rings) are discussed and recent data are reviewed including diatomic to polyatomic ions and cluster ions. The data are divided into rate coefficients and cross sections, including their temperature/energy dependencies, and quantitative identification of neutral reaction products. The latter involve both ground and electronically excited states and including vibrational excitation. The data from the different techniques are compared and trends in the data are examined. The reactions are considered in terms of the basic mechanisms (direct and indirect processes including tunneling) and recent theoretical developments are discussed. Finally, new techniques are mentioned (for product identification; electrostatic storage rings, including single and double rings; Coulomb explosion) and new ways forward are suggested. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Using Visual Tools to Close the Home Networking Digital Divide

As computer networking has moved out of managed environments and into the home, householders - whether they want to or not - have had to tackle problems of home network maintenance. Unlike in enterprise environments, however, householders often do not plan or manage for network growth. In this paper, the author presents the results of a preliminary study examining householders' conceptual models of their home networks. He then examines characteristics of home networking technology leading to difficulties in setup and maintenance tasks. The author concludes by proposing future research focused on visual tools that empower all householders to understand and maintain their home networks.
Author's response to Persson letter

Dr Persson raises excellent points regarding the potential for epithelial cells to contribute to the clearance of eosinophils from tissue. We are in agreement that eosinophils can migrate from bone marrow to blood to submucosa to epithelium to lumen. However, the speed of the process, the role and response of each compartment, the stimulus for it and its overall control remain poorly understood. Dr Persson suggests that previous reports show an inverse relationship of tissue compared with luminal/epithelial eosinophils following …