cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiopharmaceuticals for spleen and bone marrow studies

The spleen and bone marrow have important hematologic functions. Evaluation of bone marrow alone may be incomplete, unless the function of the spleen is studied also. In addition to hematologic functions, each organ has unique characteristics that may need to be evaluated in assessing its activity. The evaluation of the distribution of reticuloendothelial cells, through the phagocytosis of radioactive particles, provides the basis for most of the morphological and functional studies of these organs. During the past three decades, a variety of radioactive agents have been prepared and examined. Among them, colloids of 99m Tc, heat-damaged 99m Tc labeled RBCs, and the radionuclides of iron and indium, make possible the functional and morphological examination of the spleen and bone marrow by external scintigraphy.
Lessons from Electrification for Identification

As we've seen with the electrical system's evolution and the reengineering of the US voting system, change makes us rediscover essential assumptions and expectations about systems as well as their complexity and inherent risks. In the case of e-voting, the debate reeducated society at large about our expectations of the process, why we have such things as secret ballots, and what it takes to provide confidence that the process has been conducted fairly. With this issue of S&P, we hope that you'll be better prepared to participate in the debate over identity management and ensure that the nontechnical policy makers who will make many of the key decisions can make high-quality choices.
Electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves in a plasma with heavy negative ions

Results of a laboratory study of electrostatic ion-cyclotron (EIC) waves in a plasma containing K + (39 amu) positive ions, electrons and C7F14 (350 amu) negative ions are presented. Excitation of the fundamental and higher harmonic light and heavy ion EIC modes was observed. The presence of heavy negative ions in the plasma has a significant effect on the excitation of the light ion EIC modes. The results may be relevant to the understanding of plasma wave properties in plasmas containing negative ions, such as those found in the Earth’s ionosphere, the solar system, and, in particular, near Saturn’s moon Titan, where an abundance of heavy negative ion species has recently been discovered [Coates, et al., 2007. Discovery of heavy negative ions in Titan’s ionosphere. Geophys. Res. Lett. 34, L22103]. r 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Multiple Ia-like molecules characterize HLA-DR2-associated haplotypes which differ in HLA-D

Abstract Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitated human Ia-like molecules was used to investigate the structural relationship between HLA-D and HLA-DR2. Eight different lymphoblastoid lines derived from HLA-DR2-associated homozygous typing cells, representing five distinct HLA-D clusters, were compared. Two or three distinct β chain molecules from DR-like loci were identified in the DR2 homozygous cell lines studied. Furthermore, one of these molecules was present in all lines tested, while the others were highly variable. The electrophoretic mobility of these variable DR-like molecules correlated very well with HLA-D typing studies, suggesting that the HLA-DR specificity and the HLA-D specificity on these DR2 cells may be present on separate, but related, molecules.
Renal medullary carcinoma: rhabdoid features and the absence of INI1 expression as markers of aggressive behavior

Renal medullary carcinoma is a rare, well-recognized highly aggressive tumor of varied histopathology, which occurs in young patients with sickle cell trait or disease. Rhabdoid elements, occasionally seen in high-grade renal tumors including renal medullary carcinoma, possibly represent a pathologic marker of aggressive behavior. INI1 (hSNF5/SMARCB1/BAF47) is a highly conserved factor in the ATP-dependent chromatin-modifying complex. Loss of this factor in mice results in aggressive rhabdoid tumors or lymphomas. In humans, the loss of INI1 expression has been reported in pediatric renal rhabdoid tumors, central nervous system atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors and epithelioid sarcomas, a possible primary soft tissue rhabdoid tumor. This study compares five renal medullary carcinomas with 10 high-grade renal cell carcinomas (five with rhabdoid features), two urothelial carcinomas and two pediatric renal rhabdoid tumors. All five renal medullary carcinomas, irrespective of histopathology, showed complete loss of INI1 expression similar to that seen in pediatric renal rhabdoid tumors. In contrast, all renal cell carcinomas or urothelial carcinomas, including those with histological rhabdoid features, expressed INI1. Clinically, all five of the patients with renal medullary carcinoma and the two patients with rhabdoid tumors presented with extra-renal metastases at the time of diagnosis. This study demonstrates that renal medullary carcinoma and renal rhabdoid tumor share a common molecular/genetic alteration, which is closely linked to their aggressive biological behavior. However, the absence of INI1 expression is not necessarily predictive of rhabdoid histopathology but remains associated with aggressive behavior in renal medullary carcinoma.
Federalism and Health Care Reform: Understanding the States' Challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Currently, a total of twenty-eight states are challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in federal court. Their principal claims are that the PPACA's regulation of the states violates their independent sovereignty, and that the Act's minimum coverage requirement exceeds Congress's enumerated powers. This litigation is immensely important, as it concerns a hugely significant statute and raises fundamental questions of constitutional federalism. This article offers a detailed description of the claims raised by the states and analyzes their plausibility under current law. It then addresses the likelihood that the Supreme Court will ultimately sustain the states' arguments and invalidate the PPACA.
Prostaglandin E2 regulates vertebrate haematopoietic stem cell homeostasis

Haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homeostasis is tightly controlled by growth factors, signalling molecules and transcription factors. Definitive HSCs derived during embryogenesis in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region subsequently colonize fetal and adult haematopoietic organs. To identify new modulators of HSC formation and homeostasis, a panel of biologically active compounds was screened for effects on stem cell induction in the zebrafish aorta-gonad-mesonephros region. Here, we show that chemicals that enhance prostaglandin (PG) E2 synthesis increased HSC numbers, and those that block prostaglandin synthesis decreased stem cell numbers. The cyclooxygenases responsible for PGE2 synthesis were required for HSC formation. A stable derivative of PGE2 improved kidney marrow recovery following irradiation injury in the adult zebrafish. In murine embryonic stem cell differentiation assays, PGE2 caused amplification of multipotent progenitors. Furthermore, ex vivo exposure to stabilized PGE2 enhanced spleen colony forming units at day 12 post transplant and increased the frequency of long-term repopulating HSCs present in murine bone marrow after limiting dilution competitive transplantation. The conserved role for PGE2 in the regulation of vertebrate HSC homeostasis indicates that modulation of the prostaglandin pathway may facilitate expansion of HSC number for therapeutic purposes.
Synthesis and characterization of tetraalkylammonium thiomolybdates and thiotungstates in aqueous solution

An improved method for the preparation of (R4N)2MS4 (R = Me, Bu and M = Mo, W) is reported. The rapid substitution of the (NH4)+ salts to [(Me)4N]+ and [(Bu)4N]+ salts, via reaction with aqueous (Me)4NCl and (Bu)4NBr is described. Thiometallates characterization by Fourier transform IR, UV and NMR spectroscopies is reported.
Personality patterns of physicians in person-oriented and technique-oriented specialties

Abstract This study investigated differences in personality patterns between person-oriented and technique-oriented physicians. It tested an integrative framework by converting the scores on the Personality Research Form (PRF) to the Big-Five factors and built a predictive model of group membership in clinical specialty area. PRF scores from 238 physicians (153 person-oriented and 85 technique-oriented) were used for this retrospective study. Significant personality differences between group means existed for seven of the traits on the PRF and two Big-Five factors. Results of a stepwise discriminant analysis indicated that two PRF traits and one Big-Five factor had the greatest ability to discriminate between person-oriented and technique-oriented physicians. Findings of this study provide support for establishing personality profiles of physicians interested in person-oriented versus technique-oriented specialties. Examining personality differences among male and female physicians is discussed as an area for future research.
A technology probe of wearable in-home computer-assisted physical therapy

Physical therapists could make better treatment decisions if they had accurate patient home exercise data but today this information is only available from patient self-report. A more accurate source of data could be gained from wearable computing designed for physical therapy exercise support. Existing systems have been tested in the lab but we have little information about issues they may face in home settings. We designed a technology probe, SenseCap, and deployed it for seven days in ten physical therapy patients' homes. SenseCap is a wearable physical therapy support system that gathers patient exercise compliance and performance data and summarizes the data in charts on an iPad Dashboard for physical therapists to view when patients return to the clinic. In this paper, we present the results of our deployment, show in-home patient exercise data gathered by the probe, and make design recommendations based on patient and physical therapist responses.
IDENTIFICATION AND CORRELATION OF MIXING TIMES IN OPPOSED-JET MIXERS

When opposed-jet mixers are employed to achieve rapid mixing in processes such as pharmaceutical precipitations, an unambiguous value of the mixing time is needed for comparison to characteristic times such as the induction time for crystal nucleation. We used selectivity in the fourth Bourne reaction to assess mixing quality in two types of jet mixers: Y mixers and a confined impinging jet (CIJ) mixer. We developed an equal-volume mixing model based upon Baldyga and Bourne (1999a) to interpret the reaction selectivity results in terms of a Damkohler number, defined as the ratio of an unambiguously defined physical mixing time to the characteristic reaction time. A value of unity for the Damkohler number corresponded to a reaction selectivity of 0.05, which has often been assumed in the past (Mahajan and Kirwan, 1996; Johnson and Prud'homme, 2003a). The results showed that both mixers provided rapid mixing of the order of 10 ms at jet velocities of 10 m/s. Experimental mixing times were correlated with je...
Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Proteins: Multiple Domains for Multiple Functions

The recognition of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is integral to myriad cellular functions. In eukaryotes, ssDNA is present stably at the ends of chromosomes and at some promoter elements. Furthermore, it is formed transiently by several cellular processes including telomere synthesis, transcription, and DNA replication, recombination, and repair. To coordinate these diverse activities, a variety of proteins have evolved to bind ssDNA in a manner specific to their function. Here, we review the recognition of ssDNA through the analysis of high-resolution structures of proteins in complex with ssDNA. This functionally diverse set of proteins arises from a limited set of structural motifs that can be modified and arranged to achieve distinct activities, including a range of ligand specificities. We also investigate the ways in which these domains interact in the context of large multidomain proteins/complexes. These comparisons reveal the structural features that define the range of functions exhibited by these proteins.
Putting a face with a name: avatars, relationship marketing and service failure/recovery

As the internet environment becomes more competitive, firms seek new ways to attract, retain and manage online customers. With the increasing popularity of social networking sites, some marketers are attempting to add a social dimension through the use of avatars – graphic representations of humans that can be animated or serve as virtual spokespeople. Several studies have suggested that avatars increase flow, arousal, hedonic and utilitarian value, satisfaction, purchase intention. Two exploratory experiments extend this research by studying the effect of avatars on consumers' relationship intentions and the impact of service failure. The results suggest that avatars increase perceived communication and perceived relationship benefits, leading to increased relationship marketing success. In addition, customer loyalty is higher when avatars are present, even after a service failure.
Electroactive liquid lens driven by an annular membrane

Unlike traditional focalization that recruits multiple moving lens elements to adjust focus, liquid lenses deliver adaptive focusing by simply tuning the surface profile of liquid or the elastomer that encloses liquid. Its simple and compact configuration, low cost, and actuation efficiency promise wide industrial, medical, and consumer applications. Dielectric elastomers (DEs), one type of commercially available soft active material, have been a good fit for creating adaptive optics. In this Letter, we present an adaptive, membrane-sealed liquid lens hydrostatically coupled to a concentric annular DE actuator. Electric actuation deforms the annular DE, which induces fluid transmission between the lens part and the actuation part for lens actuation. The maximum measured focal range was from 25.4 to 105.2 mm within 1.0 kV, which significantly outperforms the existing DE-actuated liquid lenses and eliminates the need for prestraining. The lens also enables varied focal ranges by simply adjusting its initial surface sagitta, providing flexibility for practical imaging applications.
1-Deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase catalyzes a novel random sequential mechanism.

Emerging resistance of human pathogens to anti-infective agents make it necessary to develop new agents to treat infection. The methylerythritol phosphate pathway has been identified as an anti-infective target, as this essential isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway is widespread in human pathogens but absent in humans. The first enzyme of the pathway, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate (DXP) synthase, catalyzes the formation of DXP via condensation of d-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (d-GAP) and pyruvate in a thiamine diphosphate-dependent manner. Structural analysis has revealed a unique domain arrangement suggesting opportunities for the selective targeting of DXP synthase; however, reports on the kinetic mechanism are conflicting. Here, we present the results of tryptophan fluorescence binding and kinetic analyses of DXP synthase and propose a new model for substrate binding and mechanism. Our results are consistent with a random sequential kinetic mechanism, which is unprecedented in this enzyme class.
Ezrin mutants affecting dimerization and activation.

ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin) proteins provide a regulated linkage between membrane-associated proteins and the actin cytoskeleton. Previous work has shown that ezrin can exist in a dormant monomeric state in which the N-terminal FERM domain is tightly associated with the C-ERMAD (carboxyl-terminal ERM association domain), masking binding sites for at least some ligands, including F-actin and the scaffolding protein EBP50. Activation of ezrin requires relief of the intramolecular association, and this is believed to involve phosphorylation of threonine 567. Studies have therefore employed the T567D phosphomimetic mutant to explore the consequences of ezrin activation in vivo. Ezrin also exists as a stable dimer, in which the orientation of the two subunits is unknown, but might involve the central α-helical region predicted to form a coiled−coil. By characterization of ezrin mutants, we show that relief of the intramolecular association in the monomer results in unmasking of ligand binding sites and a signif...
Emergent aneurysm clipping without angiography in the moribund patient with intracerebral hemorrhage: the use of infusion computed tomography scans.

The authors report their experience with 25 patients (mean age, 44.3 +/- 12.1 years) with an intracerebral hematoma (ICH) from a ruptured aneurysm who were emergently operated on without angiography. Instead, preoperative high-resolution infusion computed tomography (CT) scans were used to identify the aneurysm causing the hemorrhage. In all patients, the preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale score was 1 cm) midline shift (n = 18). Infusion CT scans correctly identified the aneurysm in all patients (middle cerebral artery, 18; posterior communicating artery, 2; carotid bifurcation, 3; anterior communicating artery, 2). Partial evacuation of the hematoma guided by infusion CT scan was usually required first to clip the aneurysm definitively using standard microvascular techniques. Intraoperative rupture occurred twice, and temporary clips were used on four occasions. Lobectomy (n = 8), decompressive craniotomy (n = 15), and ventriculostomy (n = 8) were required to control cerebral swelling. All patients underwent postoperative angiography to confirm aneurysm obliteration. Eleven unruptured aneurysms were subsequently identified. Nine had been predicted by infusion scan. Twelve patients survived, eight of whom were only moderately disabled and were independent at 6-months' follow-up. Of the 13 patients who died, all except one died within 4 days of admission. The authors conclude that although angiographic verification before aneurysm surgery is preferable, in the moribund patient with intracerebral hemorrhage, infusion CT scanning provides sufficient information concerning vascular anatomy to allow rational emergency craniotomy and aneurysm clipping.
Ultrastructure of some developmental stages of Helicosporidium sp. in the navel orangeworm, Paramyelois transitella

Abstract The ultrastructure of the developmental stages of Helicosporidium sp. is described from the early spherical cell stage to the maturation and germination of the spore. The presence of well-defined Golgi bodies and mitotic division of the nucleus suggests that this pathogen is not an ascomycete, as had been previously reported, and indicates an affinity to the Protozoa.
Using 18S rDNA to resolve diaptomid copepod (Copepoda: Calanoida: Diaptomidae) phylogeny: an example with the North American genera

The phylogenetic relationships among the numerous genera of diaptomid copepods remain elusive due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient numbers of phylogenetically informative morphological characters for cladistic analysis. Molecular phylogenetic techniques offer high potential to resolve phylogenetic relationships in the absence of sufficient morphological characters because of the ease in which many characters can be unambiguously coded. I present the first molecular phylogeny for diaptomid copepod genera using 18S rDNA. Specifically, I test Light’s (1939) hypothesis regarding the interrelationships among the North American diaptomid genera. The 18S phylogeny is remarkably consistent with Light’s hypothesis. The endemic North American genera represent a monophyletic group exclusive of the non-endemic genera. Moreover, his hypothesized basal genus for the North America genera, Hesperodiaptomus, is the basal genus in this analysis. However, his Leptodiaptomus group is not reciprocally monophyletic with his Hesperodiaptomus group, but is rather a derived member of the latter group. Finally, the genus Mastigodiaptomus is found to be more closely allied with the non-endemic genera, as Light suggested. This phylogeny contributes heavily to the understanding of phylogenetic relationships among North American diaptomids and has large implications for the systematics of diaptomids in general. The use of 18S rDNA sequences in phylogenetic analyses of diaptomid copepods can be used to confirm the monophyly of recognized genera, the interrelationships among genera, and subsequent biogeographic interpretation of the family’s diversification. The use of molecular data, such as 18S rDNA sequences, to test phylogenetic hypotheses based on a very limited number of morphological characters will be a particularly useful approach to phylogenetic analysis in this system.
Developmental and environmental regulation of tissue- and cell-specific expression for a pea protein farnesyltransferase gene in transgenic plants.

Farnesylation mediates membrane targeting and in vivo activities of several key regulatory proteins such as Ras and Ras-related GTPases and protein kinases in yeast and mammals, and is implicated in cell cycle control and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling in plants. In this study, the developmental expression of a pea protein farnesyltransferase (FTase) gene was examined using transgenic expression of the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene fused to a 3.2 kb 5' upstream sequence of the gene encoding the pea FTase beta subunit. Coordinate expression of the GUS transgene and endogenous tobacco FTase beta subunit gene in tobacco cell lines suggests that the 3.2 kb region contains the key FTase promoter elements. In transgenic tobacco plants, GUS expression is most prominent in meristematic tissues such as root tips, lateral root primordia and the shoot apex, supporting a role for FTase in the control of the cell cycle in plants. GUS activity was also detected in mature embryos and imbibed embryos, in accordance with a role for FTase in ABA signaling that modulates seed dormancy and germination. In addition, GUS activity was detected in regions that border two organs, e.g. junctions between stems and leaf petioles, cotyledons and hypocotyls, roots and hypocotyls, and primary and secondary roots. GUS is expressed in phloem complexes that are adjacent to actively growing tissues such as young leaves, roots of light-grown seedlings, and hypocotyls of dark-grown seedlings. Both light and sugar (e.g. sucrose) treatments repressed GUS expression in dark-grown seedlings. These expression patterns suggest a potential involvement of FTase in the regulation of nutrient allocation into actively growing tissues.
Die Kalium‐Wolframbronzen und Natrium‐Kalium‐Wolframbronzen

Die Kalium-Wolframbronzen wurden durch Erhitzen von K2WO4, WO3 und W als Reduktionsmittel auf 850° im Vakuum dargestellt. Grosere, rotlich violette, metallisch glanzende Kristallchen konnten bei 900° erhalten werden. Die Formel der Bronze mit moglichst niedrigem WO3-Gehalt ergab sich zu KWVO3(WVIO3)0,86 oder K0,54WO3. Die Bronze ist tetragonal; die Dimensionen der Elementarzelle sind: a = 12,3073 A, c = 3,843 A, c/a = 0,275. Diese Bronze vermag unter Bildung einer homogenen festen Losung noch etwa 13 Gew.-% WO3 bei 845° aufzunehmen (anionischer Substitutionsmischkristall). Die Formel des gesattigten Mischkristalls ist KWVO3(WVIO3)1,165 oder K0,462WO3. Die Kaliumwolframbronze lost keine Natriumbronze bei 800°. Na-Bronze mit 11,1 Gew.-% WO3 nimmt jedoch bei 870° bis zu 15% Kalium-Wolframbronze unter Schrumpfung des kubischen Gitters und unter Farbvertiefung auf. Die Loslichkeit steigt mit der Temperatur. Es ergibt sich ein gleichzeitig kationischer und anionischer Substitutionsmischkristall mit Leerstellen (L.-St.)–(Na+, K+, L.-St.). (WVO, WVIO3) – und regelloser Verteilung der Bestandteile. Alle beschriebenen Bronzen waren sprode, aber chemisch sehr widerstandsfahig. Die spezifische elektrische Leitfahigkeit der Kalium-Wolframbronze mit niedrigstem WO3-Gehalt ergab sich zu 78,7 Ω−1. cm−1 bei Zimmertemperatur. Mischkristallbildung erniedrigt die Leitfahigkeit, ahnlich wie das bei reinen Metallsystemen der Fall ist.
A City's Renewal Animated by Entrepreneurial Spirit

philosophical depth and lightly-worn grace still awe me when I revisit my wellthumbed copies of The Moviegoer and The Last Gentleman. He had a theory, which he liked to expound over bourbon and hog’s head cheese, that people are at their happiest when a hurricane is about to hit. When you’re mired in the everydayness of ordinary life, he explained, you’re likely to be afflicted by what he called “the malaise,” a free-floating despair associated with the feeling that you’re not a part of the world or connected to the people in it. You are alienated, detached. But not when a hurricane is about to hit! Everyone is focused, connected, engaged. We know what we’re supposed to do, and we do it! It’s only after the waters recede and the earth begins to heal that the malaise and alienation creep back in. But I think Dr. Percy may have had it wrong, at least with regard to Hurricane Katrina. Katrina has created the exception to Percy’s theory: this time the malaise has not settled in again, and the everydayness of life as we knew it in New Orleans never re-formed. Five years after the storm, many in the New Orleans community look back at Katrina as the point where we realized our purpose in this world. We learned how to join together, about the nature of community, and how to play a role in something larger than ourselves. I suspect that even 50 years from now, those of us who are still around will continue to see Katrina this way. A few days after the storm, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco asked me to serve as vice chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Although surprised by the offer, I accepted, and flew from my home in Washington, D.C., to Baton Rouge to survey the damage with a team the governor had assembled. We flew by helicopter over a city still flooded, and I could see my childhood home submerged under ten feet of water. I realized then that New Orleans might never come back, that it might be the end for the city where I grew up. Within a few weeks, people did start to come back. It should come as no surprise to those bred in New Orleans that restaurant owners were among the first group of intrepid entrepreneurs to return, bringing with them their particular
Improved glycemic control without an increase in severe hypoglycemic episodes in intensively treated patients with type 1 diabetes receiving morning, evening, or split dose insulin glargine.

Abstract Objective: To see if insulin glargine improves glycemic control in a clinical setting. Research design and methods: A questionnaire and electronic database were used to assess glycemic parameters for 292 type 1 diabetic subjects taking ≥4 injections per day and receiving glargine as their only long-acting basal insulin for at least 6 months. Sixty-three subjects were taking glargine in the morning, 125 were taking glargine in the evening, and 104 were splitting the glargine dose between the morning and evening. Results: The mean (±S.D.) age and duration of diabetes were 32±10 years and 15.9±10.3 years, respectively. The mean (±S.E.M.) durations of treatment with glargine were 13.1±0.6 months, 12.2±0.4 months, and 14.3±0.5 months for the morning, evening, and split treatment groups, respectively ( P P Conclusions: Similar or improved glycemic control was achieved by administering glargine in the morning, evening, or using a split dose without any further increase in severe hypoglycemic episodes. Splitting the glargine dose did not offer any advantages in glycemic control parameters.
Neuromagnetic evidence of a dynamic excitation pattern generating the N100 auditory response

Evoked magnetic field recordings were used to localize multiple sources of the negative component of cortical responses to auditory stimuli. The negative cortical component of the auditory evoked response, often called the N100, has traditionally been of interest due to its sensitivity to both stimulation parameters and cognitive variables. Results indicate that this component appears to reflect spreading activation of adjacent cortical columns within the primary projection area of the temporal lobe, extending anteriorly for about 1 cm following the downward slope of the superior surface of the lobe.
Polysemy and the Taxonomic Constraint: Children's Representation of Words that Label Multiple Kinds

How do children resolve the problem of indeterminacy when learning a new word? By one account, children adopt a taxonomic assumption and expect the word to denote only members of a particular taxonomic category. According to one version of this constraint, young children should represent polysemous words that label multiple kinds—for example, chicken, which labels an animal and its meat—as separate and unrelated words that each encode a single kind. Our studies provide evidence against this account: we show that four- and five-year-old children spontaneously expect that a word that has labeled one meaning of a familiar polysemous word will also label its other, taxonomically different meaning. Further, we show that children's taxonomic flexibility is importantly constrained—children do not expect a word to label thematically-related meanings (e.g., chicken and egg), or the unrelated meanings of homophones (e.g., bat[animal] and bat[baseball]). We argue that although children are initially guided by the ta...
Energy transfer between the ionosphere and magnetosphere during the January 1997 CME event

This Letter shows that transient changes in convection and precipitation patterns can significantly influence the electromagnetic energy transfer between the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. At the times of the transient events during the 10 January 1997 storm that was produced by a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)-related magnetic cloud, the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar measured the local electrodynamic response of the high-latitude ionosphere. Important discrepancies between the net electrodynamic energy flux and the electromagnetic energy flux estimated for a stationary atmosphere suggest that the assumption of the ionosphere as a purely resistive load is often inadequate during these transient events as neutral winds cannot conform to the new orientation of the electric field and thus impact the load/generator characteristics of the ionosphere.
Radiative effects in plasmonic aluminum and silver nanospheres and nanorods

We explore localized surface plasmon resonances in small (5–30 nm radius) aluminum and silver nanoparticles using classical electrodynamics simulations, focusing on radiative (far-field scattering) effects and the unique characteristics of aluminum as a plasmonic material. In Al spheres, higher-order plasmon resonances (e.g. quadrupoles) are significant at smaller sizes (>15 nm) than in Ag spheres. Additionally, although the plasmon width is minimized at a radius of about 15 nm for both materials, the Al plasmon linewidth (~1.4 eV) for the dipole mode is much larger than that observed in Ag (~0.3 eV). The radiative contribution to damping dominates over non-radiative effects for small (5–20 nm) Al spheres (>95%) whereas for similar size Ag spheres damping is almost entirely attributed to the bulk dielectric function (non-radiative). For Al nanorods the linewidths can be narrowed by increasing aspect ratio such that for an aspect ratio of 4.5, the overall Al (0.75 eV) linewidth is reasonably close to that of the same size Ag rod (0.35 eV). This narrowing arises from frequency dispersion in the real part of the Al dielectric function, and is associated with a 65% (1.5 to 0.5 eV) decrease in the radiative contribution to the linewidth for Al. Concurrently, an increase in the non-radiative width occurs as the aspect ratio increases and the plasmon tunes to the red. This demonstrates that anisotropy can be used as a parameter for controlling Al plasmon dephasing where the composition of the plasmon linewidth (radiative or non-radiative) can be tailored with aspect ratio. Overall, these data suggest that localized surface plasmon resonance dephasing mechanisms in Al nanostructures are inherently different from those in the noble metals, which could allow for new applications of plasmonic materials, tunable plasmon lifetimes, and new physics to be observed.
Patterns of Cretaceous shallow-marine sedimentation, Coalville and Rockport areas, Utah

Cretaceous strata exposed in the Coalville and Rockport areas of north-central Utah accumulated in alluvial-fan, fluvial, marginal-marine, nearshore-marine, and offshore-marine depositional environments. Marine sediments were deposited in this region during periods of peak inundation of the Aspen-Mowry, Greenhorn, and Niobrara marine invasions. Deposits of each marine invasion may be divided into a number of depositional sequences, each of which contains a basal disconformity and is bounded above by the disconformity associated with the next overlying sequence. Some of the basal disconformities are identified as ravinements. All depositional sequences are entirely progradational. Retrogradational shallow-marine deposits appear to be completely lacking. Absence of depositional sequences recording marine transgression is attributed primarily to the process of shoreface erosion and to marked reduction of the quantity of sediment introduced to shallow-marine environments by rivers during periods of rising relative sea level. Deposits of major marine cycles of deposition at the western margin of the Interior Cretaceous seaway in north-central Utah do not conform to the simple symmetric transgressive-regressive models of some authors, but they record many back-and-forth movements of the strand.
Estimating risk factors for development of preeclampsia in teen mothers

Purpose Our objective was to identify potentially modifiable risk factors for preeclampsia in a contemporary American teen population.
Cyber-physical systems for real-time hybrid structural testing: a case study

Real-time hybrid testing of civil structures, in which computational models and physical components must be integrated with high fidelity at run-time, represents a grand challenge in the emerging area of cyber-physical systems. Actuator dynamics, complex interactions among computers and physical components, and computation and communication delays all must be managed carefully to achieve accurate tests.In this paper we present a case study of several fundamental interlocking challenges in developing and evaluating cyber-physical systems for real-time hybrid structural testing: (1) how physical and simulated components can be integrated flexibly and efficiently within a common reusable middleware architecture; (2) how predictable timing can be achieved atop commonly available hardware and software platforms; and (3) how physical vs. simulated versions of different components within a system can be interchanged with high fidelity between comparable configurations. Experimental results obtained through this case study give evidence of the feasibility and efficacy of these steps towards our overall goal: to develop a Cyber-physical Instrument for Real-time hybrid Structural Testing (CIRST).
Ruboxistaurin, a Protein Kinase C β Inhibitor, as an Emerging Treatment for Diabetes Microvascular Complications

OBJECTIVE:To review current clinical data regarding the pharmacologic actions of ruboxistaurin (LY333531) mesylate, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) β, and its role to potentially reduce the development and/or the progression of diabetic microvascular complications.DATA SOURCES:Primary literature was obtained via a MEDLINE search (1966–August 2004) and through review of pertinent abstracts and presentations at major medical meetings.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Literature relevant to PKC physiology, the pharmacokinetics of ruboxistaurin, and data evaluating the use of ruboxistaurin in treating diabetic microvascular complications in human and relevant animal models was reviewed.DATA SYNTHESIS:PKC is part of a group of intracellular signaling molecules activated in response to various specific hormonal, neuronal, and growth factor stimuli. Hyperglycemia leads to PKC β 1 and 2 isoform activation, which experimentally has been shown to contribute to the development and progression of diabetic mi...
From Opposition to Power: Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party. By Shelley Rigger. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2001. 232p. $49.95

Until recently, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was a newly fledged opposition group trying to find its place in the turbulent process of Taiwan's democratization. But in March 2000, the DPP's candidate, Chen Shuibian, won the presidency, and in December 2001, the DPP replaced the former ruling party, the Kuomintang (KMT), as the largest party in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan. This dramatic rise to power and the party's current policies and future evolution are greatly illuminated by Shelley Rigger's up-close account of the DPP's history, organization, policies, and personnel.
Weak-value thermostat with 0.2 mK precision

A new laser-based thermostat sensitive to 0.2 mK at room temperature is reported. The method utilizes a fluid-filled prism and interferometric weak-value amplification to sense nanoradian deviations of a laser beam: due to the high thermo-optic coefficient of the fluid (colorless fluorocarbon), the deviation angle through the prism is sensitive to temperature. We estimate the daily stability of our device to be 0.2 mK, which is limited by drifts in the apparatus, and the narrow 20 mK capture range is the price paid for the weak measurement.
Mode of delivery and birth outcomes of macrosomic infants.

This review examines and summarises the literature regarding the mode of delivery of macrosomic infants and subsequent perinatal outcomes. A search of electronic databases was conducted and supplem...
Sperner Families and Partitions of A Partially Ordered Set

This paper is a summary (without proofs) of the main results in a series of papers by the author and D.J. Kleitman [14] and the author [11, 12, 13] concerning subsets of a finite partially ordered set called Sperner k-families. If P is a finite partially ordered set, a subset A ⊆ P is a k-family if A contains no chains of length k+1 (or, equivalently, if A can be expressed as the union of k 1-families in P). Maximum-sized k-families are called Sperner k-families of P.
Adaptive optimization of high harmonic generation

Summary form only given. We demonstrate that the intensity and spectral characteristics of high harmonics generated by an ultrafast laser can be optimized using shaped pulses to drive the process. Using an evolutionary strategy algorithm and a deformable mirror pulse shaper, the generation of a particular harmonic was enhanced by a factor of 4 beyond what can be obtained using a transform-limited driving pulse. We also demonstrate that a particular wavelength region can be spectrally selected by enhancing certain harmonics while suppressing adjacent harmonics. This ability is very important for certain application experiments, because other methods to spectrally select a particular harmonic can distort the ultrafast time structure of the harmonics. These data are preliminary because they were obtained using 30-fs laser pulses. We expect significant improvement in future by using 5 to 15 fs shaped laser pulses.
Expression of an abundant alternatively spliced form of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene is not associated with a cAMP-activated chloride conductance

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene encodes a cAMP-activated chloride (Cl-) channel, and expression of the full length gene in vitro is sufficient to correct the Cl- conductance defect that is characteristic of cystic fibrosis (CF) epithelial cells. Alternatively spliced forms of CFTR mRNA have been identified in several tissues from normal individuals. One of the alternative transcripts, often present at high levels, results in the in-frame deletion of exon 9. Translation of this transcript would result in a CFTR protein missing the amino terminal portion of the first nucleotide binding fold (NBF). To evaluate the possible function of this form of CFTR, a cDNA representing this transcript (CFTR delta 9) was transduced into CFPAC cells, which are derived from a CF patient. CFTR delta 9 RNA was expressed in the transduced cell lines, but only immature, incompletely glycosylated protein was detectable by Western blot analysis. No increase in cAMP-activated anion permeability was detectable by 125I efflux assay or by means of the halide sensitive dye 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl) quinolinium (SPQ). In a second assay system, in vitro synthesized mRNA representing CFTR delta D9 was injected into Xenopus oocytes, but expression of this alternatively spliced form of CFTR was not associated with the appearance of Cl- conductance. These results suggest that the protein produced by the CFTR delta 9 transcript is not properly processed and is not capable of generating Cl- conductance in response to cAMP. Whether this alternative transcript has some other function or represents 'noise' in the mRNA splicing mechanism remains unresolved.
Some numerical experiments using Newton's method for nonlinear parabolic and elliptic boundary-value problems

Using a generalization of Newton's method, a non-linear parabolic equation of the form ut - uxx = g(u), and a non-linear elliptic equation uxx + uyy = eu, are solved numerically. Comparison of these results with results obtained using the Picard iteration procedure show that in many cases the quasilinearization method offers substantial advantages in both time and accuracy.
Silver(II) Oxide

[1301-96-8] AgO (MW 123.87) InChI = 1S/Ag.O InChIKey = OTCVAHKKMMUFAY-UHFFFAOYSA-N (oxidizing reagent for conversion of hydroquinone ethers1 and alkoxy anilines5 to quinones, of alcohols to aldehydes or ketones,11 of allylic alcohols to conjugated acids,12 of aldehydes to acids, of amines to azo compounds, and of amino acids to aldehydes;13 radical coupling reactions;8, 9 utilized in oxidative decarboxylation of carboxylic acids10) Physical Data: dec above 100 °C; d 7.483 g cm−3. Solubility: insol H2O; sol alkali; sol NH4OH (with decomposition and evolution of N2). Form Supplied in: charcoal-gray powder; widely available. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: protect from light. Highly irritating to skin, eyes, mucous membranes, and respiratory tract. Avoid contact with skin, organic matter, strong ammonia, and alkali.
Smith, Gert, and Obligation to Obey the Law

Critique de la theorie de l'obligation de M. B. E. Smith, "Is There a Prima Facie Obligation to Obey the Law?" (Yale Law Journal, 1973, vol. 82, p. 950-976), selon laquelle il n'y a pas d'obligation formelle i.e. independante des consequences d'obeir a une loi. Ceci, soutient l'A., ne s'applique qu'aux regulations administratives, pas aux lois fondamentales intervenant comme des regles dans un systeme legal interdisant des actes d'offense a autrui. L'A. defend ensuite la position de B. Gert, The Moral Rules (New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1973).
Use of Self-Prescribed Nonprescription Medications and Dietary Supplements Among Assisted Living Facility Residents

Objective: Describe the prevalence of self-prescribed use and misuse as well as users’ opinions concerning nonprescription medications and dietary supplements in assisted living facilities. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: Two assisted living facilities (ALFs) in Oregon and Washington State. Participants: Convenience sample of 45 ALF residents. Intervention: Chart reviews and face-to-face interviews. Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence and types of use of self-prescribed over-the-counter (OTC) medications and dietary supplements; misuse of these products, and participants’ opinions concerning use of these products. Results: Among 29 women and 16 men with a mean (± SD) age of 84.8 ± 6.9 years and a mean of 9.9 ± 6.4 years of education, 84.4% were using selfprescribed OTC medications and dietary supplements at the time of this study. A mean of 3.4 products was used per participant. Nutritional supplements were most frequently used (32% of products), followed by gastrointestinal products (17%), pain relievers (16.3%), herbals (14.4%), topical products (12%), and cold/cough products (8.5%). Potential misuse was identified in 23 (51%) of the participants. Problems in the use of products included duplication (70%), potential drug/disease/food interactions (20.8%), and other inappropriate use (9.1%). The majority (76%) of the participants believed the products were helpful in maintaining health, 56% of them wanted more product information, 49% sought product information from family and friends, 40% turned to their physicians and nurses for information, and 11% asked pharmacists for advice. Conclusion: The use of nonprescription medications and dietary supplements among ALF residents was high, and simultaneous use of multiple products with the same active ingredient was the most prevalent problem. The residents turned to family and friends, physicians, nurses, and ALF staff for information on these products more frequently than they did to pharmacists.
Imaging pulse-counting detector systems for space ultraviolet astrophysics missions

A family of imaging, pulse-counting, photoelectric detector systems, the Multi-Anode Microchannel Arrays (MAMAs), are now under active development for use on a number of space ultraviolet astrophysics missions at far-ultraviolet (FUV) and extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths between about 300 and 28 nm. Specifically, MAMA detectors are being fabricated and tested for use in two instruments on the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory mission, for the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, and for the prime FUV spectrograph of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer FUSE/Lyman mission. The construction and performance characteristics of the different MAMA detector systems are described, and techniques for improving the spatial resolution of each of the detector systems by the use of custom application specific integrated circuits in the electronics are discussed.
Phase and Antigenic Variation in Bacteria

Phase and antigenic variation result in a heterogenic phenotype of a clonal bacterial population, in which individual cells either express the phase-variable protein(s) or not, or express one of multiple antigenic forms of the protein, respectively. This form of regulation has been identified mainly, but by no means exclusively, for a wide variety of surface structures in animal pathogens and is implicated as a virulence strategy. This review provides an overview of the many bacterial proteins and structures that are under the control of phase or antigenic variation. The context is mainly within the role of the proteins and variation for pathogenesis, which reflects the main body of literature. The occurrence of phase variation in expression of genes not readily recognizable as virulence factors is highlighted as well, to illustrate that our current knowledge is incomplete. From recent genome sequence analysis, it has become clear that phase variation may be more widespread than is currently recognized, and a brief discussion is included to show how genome sequence analysis can provide novel information, as well as its limitations. The current state of knowledge of the molecular mechanisms leading to phase variation and antigenic variation are reviewed, and the way in which these mechanisms form part of the general regulatory network of the cell is addressed. Arguments both for and against a role of phase and antigenic variation in immune evasion are presented and put into new perspective by distinguishing between a role in bacterial persistence in a host and a role in facilitating evasion of cross-immunity. Finally, examples are presented to illustrate that phase-variable gene expression should be taken into account in the development of diagnostic assays and in the interpretation of experimental results and epidemiological studies.