cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of limited handrail support on total treadmill time and the prediction of vo2 max

Holding onto the front handrail during treadmill testing significantly increases total treadmill time (TT) and predicted VO2max when compared with tests without front handrail support. By limiting the amount of handrail support to the tips of two fingers of one hand, the difference in TT can be substantially reduced. In the present study, the difference in TT between tests with and without handrail support for healthy men was not significantly different. However, this was not true for healthy women and for male patients with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction.
Detection of pacing-induced myocardial ischemia by endocardial electrograms recorded during cardiac catheterization

Abstract Rapid atrial pacing confirms myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease when angina is provoked, and is accompanied by an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. In such cases, abnormalities in the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) are often not apparent. To enhance detection of subendocardial ischemia during rapid atrial pacing, local unipolar electrograms were recorded from the tip of a 0.025 in. (0.064 cm) diameter guidewire positioned against the endocardial surface of potentially ischemic regions. Endocardial electrograms, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and multiple surface ECG leads were recorded during rapid atrial pacing in 21 patients with coronary artery disease. Before pacing, endocardial etectrograms in all 21 patients were free of ST elevation. Marked ST elevation was apparent in 17 of the 21 patients after rapid atrial pacing and could be abolished by nitroglycerin. Moreover, in several patients, endocardial ST elevation after rapid atrial pacing was abolished after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of the critically stenosed artery supplying the ischemic region of myocardium. It is concluded that ST elevation in the endocardial electrogram after rapid atrial pacing is a reflection of myocardial ischemia and may be a sensitive marker of pacing-induced ischemia appearing earlier than angina, postpacing increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or ST depression in the surface ECG.
Dual-channel bipolar electrode focusing: simultaneous separation and enrichment of both anions and cations.

In this paper we show that a microelectrochemical cell comprising two parallel microchannels spanned by a single bipolar electrode can be used to simultaneously enrich and separate both anions and cations within a single microchannel. This is possible because reduction and oxidation of water at the cathodic and anodic poles of the bipolar electrode, respectively, lead to ion depletion zones. Specifically, TrisH+ is neutralized by OH− at the cathodic pole, while acetate buffer is neutralized by H+ at the anodic pole. This action creates a local electric field gradient having both positive and negative components, and hence positive and negative ions follow their respective field gradients leading to separation. In the presence of an opposing counter-flow (pressure driven flow in this case), enrichment also occurs. In addition to separation and enrichment in a single channel, it is also possible to simultaneously enrich cations in one microchannel and anions in the other. Enrichment is achieved by controlling experimental parameters, including the type of buffer and the direction and magnitude of the opposing counter-flow.
Unaltered D1, D2, D4, and D5 dopamine receptor mRNA expression and distribution in the spinal cord of the D3 receptor knockout mouse

Dopamine (DA) acts through five receptor subtypes (D1–D5). We compared expression levels and distribution patterns of all DA mRNA receptors in the spinal cord of wild-type (WT) and loss of function D3 receptor knockout (D3KO) animals. D3 mRNA expression was increased in D3KO, but no D3 receptor protein was associated with cell membranes, supporting the previously reported lack of function. In contrast, mRNA expression levels and distribution patterns of D1, D2, D4, and D5 receptors were similar between WT and D3KO animals. We conclude that D3KO spinal neurons do not compensate for the loss of function of the D3 receptor with changes in the other DA receptor subtypes. This supports use of D3KO animals as a model to provide insight into D3 receptor dysfunction in the spinal cord.
Design and Experiment of a Single-Feed Quad-Beam Reflectarray Antenna

Reflectarray antennas show momentous promise as a cost-effective high-gain antenna, capable of generating multiple simultaneous beams. A systematic study on various design methods of single-feed multi-beam reflectarray antennas is presented in this communication. Two direct design methods for multi-beam reflectarrays, geometrical method and superposition method, are investigated first. It is demonstrated that although both methods could generate a multi-beam radiation pattern, neither approach provides satisfactory performance, mainly due to high side-lobe levels and gain loss in these designs. The alternating projection method is then implemented to optimize the phase distribution on the reflectarray surface for multi-beam performance. Mask definition and convergence condition of the optimization are studied for multi-beam reflectarray designs. Finally a Ka-band reflectarray prototype is fabricated and tested which shows a good quad-beam performance.
Demonstration of a sex pheromone in three species of hard ticks.

Male Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus), A. maculatum Koch, and Dermacentor variabilis (Say) display behavioral responses to a chemical substance (pheromone) in extracts of females of each of the 3 species which are characteristic of those exhibited in mating. It is believed the function of the compound is similar to that of sex pheromones in other arthropods. The males must reach a certain state of maturity, which is initiated by feeding, before they will respond. Unfed as well as fed females contain the pheromone. Chemical properties of the active substance indicate it is a weak acid, possibly a phenol.
Correlates of crime losses in the retail industry

Shoplifting and employee theft in the US cost the retail industry and consumers billions of dollars annually. No other category of property crime costs the economy more than these two forms of larceny. This study explores the effectiveness of different strategies used by loss prevention departments to reduce this deficit, which retailers call ‘inventory shrinkage’. Using data collected from the University of Florida's 2003 National Retail Security Survey, this research examines the empirical relationship between various loss prevention strategies and levels of inventory shrinkage. Specifically, the study investigates the role played by employee integrity screening measures, loss prevention awareness programs, asset control policies, and loss prevention systems in preventing and reducing crime levels in the retail industry.
pICln Binds to a Mammalian Homolog of a Yeast Protein Involved in Regulation of Cell Morphology

Abstract Since its cloning and tentative identification as a chloride channel, the function of the pICln protein has been debated. Although there is no consensus regarding the specific function of pICln, it was suggested to play a role, directly or indirectly, in the function of a swelling-induced chloride conductance. Previously, the protein was shown to exist in several discrete protein complexes. To determine the function of the protein, we have begun the systematic identification of all proteins to which it binds. Here we show that four proteins firmly bind to pICln and identify the 72-kDa pICln-binding protein by affinity purification and peptide microsequencing. The interaction between this protein and pICln was verified several ways, including the extraction of several pICln clones from a cDNA library using the 72-kDa protein as a bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen. The protein is homologous to the yeast Skb1 protein. Skb1 interacts with Shk1, a homolog of the p21Cdc42/Rac-activated protein kinases (PAKs). The known involvement of PAKs in cytoskeletal rearrangement suggests that pICln may be linked to a system regulating cell morphology.
Fibroblasts in cancer

Tumours are known as wounds that do not heal - this implies that cells that are involved in angiogenesis and the response to injury, such as endothelial cells and fibroblasts, have a prominent role in the progression, growth and spread of cancers. Fibroblasts are associated with cancer cells at all stages of cancer progression, and their structural and functional contributions to this process are beginning to emerge. Their production of growth factors, chemokines and extracellular matrix facilitates the angiogenic recruitment of endothelial cells and pericytes. Fibroblasts are therefore a key determinant in the malignant progression of cancer and represent an important target for cancer therapies.
Lentiviral vectors to probe and manipulate the Wnt signaling pathway.

Background The Wnt signaling pathway plays key roles in development, adult tissue homeostasis and stem cell maintenance. Further understanding of the function of Wnt signaling in specific cell types could benefit from lentiviral vectors expressing reporters for the Wnt pathway or vectors interfering with signaling. Methodology/Principal Findings We have developed a set of fluorescent and luminescent lentiviral vectors that report Wnt signaling activity and discriminate between negative and uninfected cells. These vectors possess a 7xTcf-eGFP or 7xTcf-FFluc (Firefly Luciferase) reporter cassette followed by either an SV40-mCherry or SV40-PuroR (puromycin N-acetyltransferase) selection cassette. We have also constructed a vector that allows drug-based selection of cells with activated Wnt signaling by placing PuroR under the control of the 7xTcf promoter. Lastly, we have expressed dominant-negative Tcf4 (dnTcf4) or constitutively active beta-catenin (β-catenin4A) from the hEF1α promoter in a SV40-PuroR or SV40-mCherry backbone to create vectors that inhibit or activate the Wnt signaling pathway. These vectors will be made available to the scientific community through Addgene. Conclusions These novel lentiviruses are efficient tools to probe and manipulate Wnt signaling. The use of a selection cassette in Wnt-reporter viruses enables discriminating between uninfected and non-responsive cells, an important requirement for experiments where selection of clones is not possible. The use of a chemiluminescent readout enables quantification of signaling. Finally, selectable vectors can be used to either inhibit or activate the Wnt signaling pathway. Altogether, these vectors can probe and modulate the Wnt signaling pathway in experimental settings where persistence of the transgene or gene transfer cannot be accomplished by non-viral techniques.
Starchart: hardware and software optimization using recursive partitioning regression trees

Graphics processing units (GPUs) are in increasingly wide use, but significant hurdles lie in selecting the appropriate algorithms, runtime parameter settings, and hardware configurations to achieve power and performance goals with them. Exploring hardware and software choices requires time-consuming simulations or extensive real-system measurements. While some auto-tuning support has been proposed, it is often narrow in scope and heuristic in operation. This paper proposes and evaluates a statistical analysis technique, Starchart, that partitions the GPU hardware/software tuning space by automatically discerning important inflection points in design parameter values. Unlike prior methods, Starchart can identify the best parameter choices within different regions of the space. Our tool is efficient - evaluating at most 0.3% of the tuning space, and often much less - and is robust enough to analyze highly variable real-system measurements, not just simulation. In one case study, we use it to automatically find platform-specific parameter settings that are 6.3× faster (for AMD) and 1.3× faster (for NVIDIA) than a single general setting. We also show how power-optimized parameter settings can save 47W (26% of total GPU power) with little performance loss. Overall, Starchart can serve as a foundation for a range of GPU compiler optimizations, auto-tuners, and programmer tools. Furthermore, because Starchart does not rely on specific GPU features, we expect it to be useful for broader CPU/GPU studies as well.
Determination of kainic acid-induced release of nitric oxide using a novel hemoglobin trapping technique with microdialysis.

We have demonstrated the usefulness of a novel hemoglobin-trapping technique to quantify nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in vivo. Concentric microdialysis probes were implanted into the hippocampus of rats under urethane anesthesia and perfused with 1 microM oxyhemoglobin in artificial CSF to sequester NO in extracellular fluid. The concentration of methemoglobin was then determined spectrophotometrically. The basal level of NO in hippocampus was 2.2 +/- 0.5 nM (in vitro sensitivity of the probe was 0.2 nM). Administration of 13 mg/kg, i.p., of kainic acid (KA) produced a maximal 5.3-fold increase at 100 min in NO levels (11.8 +/- 0.2 nM). This response was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with the NO synthase inhibitor N-monomethyl-L-arginine (50 mg/kg, 30 min before KA). These results demonstrate that a microdialysis probe using a novel hemoglobin-trapping technique possesses adequate sensitivity to determine the basal levels of NO and document the ability of KA to increase these levels via a NO synthase-mediated mechanism.
Lubricated pipelining: Stability of core—annular flow. Part 5. Experiments and comparison with theory

Results are given for experiments on water-lubricated pipelining of 6.01 P cylinder oil in a vertical apparatus in up- and downflow in regimes of modest flow rates, less than 3 ft/s. Measured values of the flow rates, holdup ratios, pressure gradients and flow types are presented and compared with theoretical predictions based on ideal laminar flow and on the predictions of the linear theory of stability. New flow types, not achieved in horizontal flows, are observed: bamboo waves in upflow and corkscrew waves in downflow. Nearly perfect core–annular flows are observed in downflows and these are nearly optimally efficient with values close to the ideal. The holdup ratio in upflow and fast downflow is a constant independent of the value and the ratio of values of the flow rates of oil and water. A vanishing holdup ratio can be achieved by fluidizing a long lubricated column of oil in the downflow of water. The results of experiments are compared with computations from ideal theory for perfect core–annular flow and from the linear theory of stability. Satisfactory agreements are achieved for the celerity and diagnosis of flow type. The wave is shown to be nearly stationary, convected with the oil core in this oil and all oils of relatively high viscosity. These results are robust with respect to moderate changes in the values of viscosity and surface tension. The computed wavelengths are somewhat smaller than the average length of the bamboo waves which are observed. This is explained by stretching effects of buoyancy and lubrication forces induced by the wave. Other points of agreement and disagreement are reviewed.
Attitudes accentuate attributes in social judgment: the combined effects of substance use, depression, and technical incompetence on judgments of professional impairment.

Abstract Evaluative reactions involving attitudes have been shown to affect social judgments under certain conditions. Researchers assume that personality traits and behaviors toward which people hold strong attitudes evoke evaluative reactions. Such reactions influence the importance of these attributes as they are integrated with other information during the formation of social judgments and, in part, account for the accentuation effect. Social judgment was studied in the context of professional-impairment impressions provided by nurses. Data were modeled using hierarchical techniques to examine the interaction between within-judge differences in attribute weighting and between-judges differences in attitudes. Social judgments of fictitious targets were moderated by individual differences in judges' attitudes toward negative target attributes; some, but not all, attributes were accentuated as predicted.
A Novel High Resolution ICA-Based TOA Estimation Technique

In this paper, a novel high resolution time of arrival (TOA) technique is proposed for multipath wireless environments. The technique is based on frequency domain independent component analysis (ICA). The proposed technique has applications in radar, sonar, wireless local positioning system, and, mobile adhoc networks (MANETS). The proposed algorithm is compared to the traditional techniques such as delay lock loop (DLL) and super-resolution multiple signal classification (MUSIC). Simulations are conducted to compare performance measures that include: (1) sensitivity to bandwidth, (2) resolution: Capability of resolving closely spaced reflections in a multi-path environment, (3) sensitivity to number-of-observations, and (4) sensitivity to signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Simulation results confirm that the proposed algorithm leads to lower sensitivity to SNR, number-of-observations, and, bandwidth. In addition, the technique possesses a high resolution and can be simply implemented via FPGA (field programmable gate array) and DSP (digital signal processor).
Ab Initio Study of Compressed 1,3,5,7-Tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX), Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), 2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitrohexaazaisowurzitane (CL-20), 2,4,6-Trinitro-1,3,5-benzenetriamine (TATB), and Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN)

Using the PW91, PBE, and LDA density functional theories (DFT), we have calculated crystal structures for five energetic molecular crystals over a range of experimental pressures. These crystals are 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitrohexaazaisowurzitane (CL-20), 2,4,6-trinitro-1,3,5-benzenetriamine (TATB), and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). Both PW91 and PBE generally overestimate volumes relative to experimental values, while LDA underestimates crystal volumes when compared to experiment. However, the inaccuracy diminishes as pressures are increased. In particular, PW91 and PBE volumes approach experimental values at pressures greater than 6−7 GPa. Furthermore the PW91 and PBE volumes appear to converge to the same value as pressures increase, regardless of the size of the planewave basis set. We have also demonstrated that for systems such as these, care should be taken to ensure convergence in DFT calculations. We emph...
Vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulates cyclic AMP metabolism in choroid plexus epithelial cells

Abstract Some peptides of the glucagon-secretin family were found to stimulate intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation in cultured bovine choroid plexus epitheal cells. Vasointestinal peptide and porcine intestinal peptide at concentrations of 30 and 300 nM, respectively, evoked 50-fold e elevations of cyclic AMP; half-maximal responses were obtained with concentrations of 15 and 102 nM for the two peptides, respectively. Secretin and glucagon each produced 25- to 50-fold elevations of cyclic AMP at 330 μM, but showed no effect below 3 μM. Gastric inhibitory peptide and prealbumin had little or no response at any concentration tested. Experiments measuring the cellular cyclic AMP accumulation in response to pairs of peptides suggested that vasointestinal peptide, porcine intestinal peptide and secretin act through a common receptor. Studies with antagonists to isoproterenol and histamine indicated that this receptor is distinct from the β-adrenergic and H 2 -histamine receptors known to exist on choroidal cells.
Dowel arthrodesis for degenerative arthritis of the tarsometatarsal (lisfranc) joints

A late complication of fracture with dislocation involving the tarsometatarsal joints of the foot (Lisfranc fracture) is progressive degenerative arthritis and pain. A dowel-graft arthrodesis technique is described that uses percutaneous bone graft from the iliac crest supplemented by crossed-wire fixation. The cases of 15 patients who underwent surgery between 1979 and 1982 in which this technique was used were reviewed retrospectively. These patients suffered from painful posttraumatic degenerative arthritis after tarsometatarsal joint fracture-dislocation. Follow-up evaluation (mean, 37 months) of 13 of the 15 patients demonstrated satisfactory pain relief in 11 patients, whereas 2 were dissatisfied. Complications included three instances of nonunion and one postsurgical reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome.
Procedures and policies in the USA regarding precautions in the introduction of classical biological control agents

Classical biological control, the introduction of exotic natural enemies to control non-indigenous insect pests and weeds, has been practised in the USA for over 100 years. To date, there have been no fully documented, substantial negative results, and many important insect pests and weeds have been successfully controlled. Over the past decade, concern about the safety of biocontrol agents has increased in line with concern for general health of the natural, native biota. This concern has focused primarily on endangered, threatened, and listed species of plants, but is broadening to include most other organisms. Scientists, administrators and others involved in the process have long recognized the need to ensure that natural enemies of weeds do not attack commercially or horticulturally important plants and to ensure that natural enemies of insects do not attack beneficial species. Procedures for testing the host specificity of the natural enemies of weeds in their area of origin, before shipment to the country of release, have been developed to quite high levels of reliability but there is need for further improvements. Further host-specificity testing is often required in quarantine in the USA. The rigour of this system is helped by the fact that all applications for permission to introduce biocontrol agents are examined by an Inter-agency Technical Advisory Committee for Biological Control of Weeds (TAGBCW) before import permits are issued by the relevant authority (USDA APHIS/PPQ). TAGBCW review includes study of research plans and of lists of host plants for testing host specificity; it also analyses and offers advice on potential conflicts of interest. A ‘TAGBCW’ could be recommended for the European Union. With regard to natural enemies of insect pests, there is relatively little need for host-range testing of most parasitoids because these are generally co-evolved and intimately related organisms that are restricted to one or a few host species. Concern about the potential impact of oligophagous predators on non-target organisms has increased recently and is a developing field of research. Some operating procedures that involve safety are discussed. The import permit system in the USA is presented, and two suggestions for changes in European permit procedures are suggested. Past regulatory procedures for classical biological control in the USA are described, and the current situation is presented.
Recent advances in human milk glycobiology

The field of human milk glycobiology is progressing rapidly, with important potential applications to health. Only a few decades ago, most experts considered human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS) to be an incidental consequence of high concentrations of glycosyltransferases (for glycoprotein and glycolipid synthesis) in proximity to high concentrations of lactose in the mammary epithelium.
Time-optimal trajectories of a rod in the plane subject to velocity constraints

We consider the problem of moving a line segment (a "rod" or "ladder") in the plane between two given placements when subject to the constraint that no point on the line segment may exceed a given velocity bound. Specifically, we consider those trajectories which minimize the total time between given initial and goal placements, and provide a complete characterization of all solution, together with explicit constructions for each of the various cases encountered.
Calorimetric Studies on Glasses and Glass Transition Phenomena

Any material possessing a wide relaxation time spectrum which is a strong function of temperature will exhibit a glass transition as the mean relaxation time crosses the time scale of observation; for example, the metastable supercooled liquid freezes into a glass state. After a review of calorimetric investigation and characterization of the glassy state, the fictive temperature concept is recommended for the assignment of glass transition temperature. The glass transition temperature (T{sub g}) is defined as the intersecting temperature of extensive thermodynamic properties (such as enthalpy, entropy, and volume) extrapolated from temperatures above and below T{sub g} toward the T{sub g}. This assignment of T{sub g} is dependent only on the conditions of glass formation and is independent of the rate of observation. Therefore, the T{sub g} so defined may be considered as a property of the glass, free of observational artifacts. The width of the glass transition is often 30 to 50 K; therefore, a description of the width and the intensity of the transition would be helpful. By slow cooling or annealing, not only a relaxation peak shows up, but the transition also appears sharper as the width narrows to about 10 K. A continuous slow cooling proceduremore » is preferred over the annealing procedure to locate weak glass transitions, as annealing may produce more than one relaxation peak for exceptionally wide glass transitions. For glass transitions even harder to locate, T{sub g} may be bracketed by using the relaxation nature of the glass, by observing spontaneous exothermic adiabatic temperature drifts of quenched glasses and endothermic drifts of slow-cooled or annealed glasses.« less
Transition of the Preterm Infant to an Open Crib: Process of the Project Group

This manuscript outlines the process used by members of the AWHONN project group in conceptualizing and implementing the research utilization project Transition of the Preterm Infant to an Open Crib. The group, which was composed of clinical experts and researchers, met on three occasions at AWHONN headquarters. The outcome of this process was a research-based protocol that was tested at nine clinical sites in the United States or Canada. The process and discussions of the project group, which are detailed here might serve as a format for subsequent research utilization endeavors.
Integrating Fire Behavior Models and Geospatial Analysis for Wildland Fire Risk Assessment and Fuel Management Planning

Wildland fire risk assessment and fuel management planning on federal lands in the US are complex problems that require state-of-the-art fire behavior modeling and intensive geospatial analyses. Fuel management is a particularly complicated process where the benefits and potential impacts of fuel treatments must be demonstrated in the context of land management goals and public expectations. A number of fire behavior metrics, including fire spread, intensity, likelihood, and ecological risk must be analyzed for multiple treatment alternatives. The effect of treatments on wildfire impacts must be considered at multiple scales. The process is complicated by the lack of data integration among fire behavior models, and weak linkages to geographic information systems, corporate data, and desktop office software. This paper describes our efforts to build a streamlined fuel management planning and risk assessment framework, and an integrated system of tools for designing and testing fuel treatment programs on fire-prone wildlands.
An algorithm for the design of a residue-to-binary converter

This paper presents a new algorithm which converts moduli (2/sup k/, 2/sup k/-1, 2/sup k/-1-1) residue numbers to their binary equivalents. A suitable hardware implementation which utilizes binary adders, and needing no memory, is proposed. If the system is pipelined, then the throughput rate is that of a single (3k-1) bits adder. Thus, hardware requirements and execution time are less, with corresponding larger dynamic range.
Energy storage and return prostheses: does patient perception correlate with biomechanical analysis?

The development and prescription of energy storage and return prosthetic feet in favor of conventional feet is largely based upon prosthetist and amputee experience. Regretfully, the comparative biomechanical analysis of energy storage and return and conventional prosthetic feet is rarely a motivation to either the technical development or clinical prescription of such devices. The development and prescription of prosthetic feet without supportive scientific evidence is likely due to the conflicting or non-significant results often presented in the scientific literature. Despite the sizeable history of comparative prosthetic literature and continued analysis of prosthetic components, the link between clinical experience and scientific evidence remains largely unexplored.A review of the comparative analysis literature evaluating energy storage and return and conventional prosthetic feet is presented to illustrate consistencies between the perceptive assessments and the objective biomechanical data. Results suggest that while experimental methodologies may limit the statistical significance of objective gait analysis results, consistent trends in temporal, kinetic, and kinematic parameters correlate well with perceptive impressions of these feet. These correlations provide insight to subtle changes in gait parameters that are deemed neither clinically nor statistically significant, yet are perceived by amputees to affect their preference for and performance of prosthetic feet during locomotion. Acknowledging and targeting areas of perceptive significance will help researchers develop more structured protocols for energy storage and return prosthesis evaluation as well as provide clinicians with information needed to enhance the appropriateness of their clinical recommendations. Expanding test environments to measure activities of perceived improvement such as high-velocity motions, stair ascent/descent, and uneven ground locomotion will provide a more appropriate assessment of the conditions for which energy storage and return prosthetic feet were designed. Concentrating research to specific test populations by age or amputation etiologies can overcome statistical limitations imposed by small study samples. Finally, directing research toward the areas of gait adaptation, heel performance, and the temporal release of energy in energy storage and return feet may reinforce the selection and utilization of advanced prosthetic components. These enhancements to current biomechanical analyses may serve to reduce the boundaries of perceptive significance and provide clinicians, designers, and researchers with the supportive data needed to prescribe, design, and evaluate energy storage and return prosthetic feet.
Instability and finite-amplitude self-organization of large-scale coastline shapes

Recent research addresses the formation of patterns on sandy coastlines on alongshore scales that are large compared with the cross-shore extent of active sediment transport. A simple morphodynamic instability arises from the feedback between wave-driven alongshore sediment flux and coastline shape. Coastline segments with different orientations experience different alongshore sediment fluxes, so that curvatures in coastline shape drive gradients in sediment flux, which can augment the shoreline curvatures. In a simple numerical model, this instability, and subsequent finite-amplitude interactions between pattern elements, lead to a wide range of different rhythmic shapes and behaviours—ranging from symmetric cuspate capes and bays to alongshore migrating ‘flying spits’—depending on the characteristics of the input wave forcing. The scale of the pattern coarsens in some cases because of the merger of migrating coastline features, and in other cases because of non-local screening interactions between coastline protrusions, which affect the waves reaching other parts of the coastline. Features growing on opposite sides of an enclosed water body mutually affect the waves reaching each other in ways that lead to the segmentation of elongated water bodies. Initial tests of model predictions and comparison with observations suggest that modes of pattern formation in the model are relevant in nature.
Abnormal cardiac wall motion and early matrix metalloproteinase activity.

Activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the heart is known to facilitate cardiac remodeling and progression to failure. We hypothesized that regional dyskinetic wall motion of the left ve...
Agronomics and economics of plant population density on processing sweet corn

Abstract A detailed analysis of the effect of plant population density (hereafter called ‘populations’) on processing sweet corn is lacking in the peer-reviewed literature. Therefore, field experiments were conducted utilizing six hybrids commonly grown in North America, one of several locations where sweet corn is grown for processing globally. The objectives were to: (1) quantify the effects of population and commercial hybrid on sweet corn growth, development, ear traits, and yield, (2) determine populations for maximum yield for growers and maximum gross profit margin for processors, and (3) compare populations for maximum yield and maximum gross profit margin to populations observed in processing sweet corn fields. Increasing populations from 43,000 to 86,000 plants ha −1 linearly increased canopy density, light interception, and length of the vegetative period, while linearly decreasing filled ear length and recovery – the percent of kernel mass represented in green ear mass. The processing hybrids used in this study differed not only in yield potential, ranging from 15.3 to 19.8 Mt ha −1 , but also in their ability to tolerate high populations. In general, higher-yielding hybrids performed best at higher populations. Based on surveys of growers’ fields in North America, populations average 56,000 plants ha −1 , which was consistent with the average population for maximum gross profit margin for processors ($9900 ha −1 ). Both growers and processors could realize increased yield and profit by using certain hybrids at populations higher than currently used.
Assessing Markups, Service Quality, and Product Attributes in Music CDs' Internet Retailing

We investigate trade-offs among markups, service quality, and product attributes across customer, Internet retailer, and wholesaler echelons. Research has documented the reality of retail price dispersion, but little is known about how retail markups, in particular, are related to service quality and product attributes. For example, do Internet retailers deliver superior service in return for high markups? Do product characteristics affect the relationship between service and markups for retailers? To examine these issues, we first developed a model of Internet retail profitability that separates revenues and costs related to sales from other profit sources. This framework allowed us to position our work alongside the extant literature about Internet retailing. Moreover, it led us to synthesize service quality dimensions found in Internet retailing studies. We subsequently developed a critical-event study based on the profit model and the synthesis of service quality dimensions to delineate service aspects that retailers should emphasize to address buyers' utility. Finally, we collected data from Internet purchases across retailers to isolate markup-service quality trade-offs along our delineated service aspects. We find that high markups are associated with superior performance across service quality dimensions. Furthermore, this trade-off becomes more acutely defined when products with variable popularity are transacted.
Testing Guidelines for Evaluation of Foodadditives Effects on Male Reproduction

The revised FDA Redbook guide lines presented in this article reflect current thinking concerning male reproductive toxicology. A number of different end-points to assess m ale repro ductive function have been included in the present draft of the FDA Redbook II guidelines to better assess potential effects of direct food additives and color additives on male reproductive function. The guidelines reflect a harmony with the development of the guidelines of regulatory agencies in this country and around the world.
Varieties of Nonfamily Abduction of Children and Adolescents

A sample of 396 cases of nonfamily abduction was extracted from police records in a national survey of law enforcement agencies. Incidents that fit the public stereotype of a kidnapping (children who were taken by strangers and kept for an extended period of time or moved a long distance) were much less prevalent than incidents that simply met legal definitions for abduction. The former—stereotypical abductions—also tended to involve more Caucasian preteen victims who were taken but not sexually assaulted. The majority of legal-definition abductions, in contrast, was characterized by the forcible sexual assault of teenage girls. Legal-definition abductions that did not involve sexual assault occurred in the context of a diverse range of other crimes, including robbery attempts, hijackings, acts of revenge, intimidation and terrorizing, and dating violence. The findings support the idea of distinguishing between stereotypical and legal-definition abducations and highlight the need to orient efforts aimed a...
Daily Illness Characteristics and Health Care Decisions of Older People

Although investigations of health care decision making typically deal with patterns of health service use, increasing attention has focused on lay- and self-care actions in response to illness symptoms. This study examined the health care actions of a community sample of 142 older adults, who recorded illness symptoms and corresponding health care actions in daily health diaries for a 14-day period. Self-treatment and no-action decisions were found to be the most frequent response to illness symptoms. Professional-care decisions were associated with greater health care need, such as multiple symptoms and increased pain. Lay-care decisions were significantly related to symptoms of shorter duration. Women were also more likely than men to self-treat their illness symptoms. Results suggest that older people deal with a greater number of recurrent chronic symptoms than previously thought and that they make most treatment decisions without consulting their doctors or other health care providers. This investigation underscores the importance of a prospective diary methodology for studying the daily complexities of chronic illness experiences and for validating and conducting useful interventions.
An Analog VLSI Model of Adaptation in the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is the primary mechanism that controls the compensatory eye movements that stabilize retinal images during rapid head motion. The primary pathways of this system are feed-forward, with inputs from the semicircular canals and outputs to the oculomotor system. Since visual feedback is not used directly in the VOR computation, the system must exploit motor learning to perform correctly. Lisberger(1988) has proposed a model for adapting the VOR gain using image-slip information from the retina. We have designed and tested analog very largescale integrated (VLSI) circuitry that implements a simplified version of Lisberger's adaptive VOR model.
Emerging therapeutic options for sporadic inclusion body myositis

Sporadic inclusion body myositis is the most common inflammatory muscle disorder preferentially affecting males over the age of 40 years. Progressive muscle weakness of the finger flexors and quadriceps muscles results in loss of independence with activities of daily living and eventual wheelchair dependence. Initial signs of disease are often overlooked and can lead to mis- or delayed diagnosis. The underlying cause of disease is unknown, and disease progression appears refractory to available treatment options. This review discusses the clinical presentation of inclusion body myositis and the current efforts in diagnosis, and focuses on the current state of research for both nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatment options for this patient group.
A Modified Phenylfluorone Method for Determining Organotin Compounds in the ppb and Sub-ppb Range

The phenylfluorone method for tin analysis has been modified to be specific for organotin samples in the ppb and sub-ppb range (4-.1 micrograms of tin). Two extractions of an aqueous solution containing bis (tri-n-butyltin) oxide (TBTO) and tin sulfate yield results which are quantitative for TBTO without interference from the tin sulfate. The extracts are wet oxidized with hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid. The tin is determined from its lambda max near 530 nm through its complex with 2,6,7-trihydroxy-9-phenylisoxanthane-3-one (phenylfluorone) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. A Beer Lambert plot is obtained in the range of 0.1 to 7.0 micrograms of tin/sample with slope of 0.0344 with a correlation coefficient of greater than 0.990. The method has been successfully used to analyze over 400 environmental samples.
Sociodemographic Correlates of Knowledge About Elite Deviance

Elite deviance is a complex social phenomenon whose understanding requires a modicum of knowledge about various disciplines (e.g., financial economics, accounting, politics, environmental law, etc.). Consequently, public awareness of this type of offense is expected to correlate positively with one’s general level of education. It is uncertain what other sociodemographic characteristics may be associated with knowledge about crimes of the powerful. In the present study, 408 participants completed an online questionnaire that measured (1) their sociodemographic characteristics and (2) their knowledge about elite deviance. Significant variation was found among participants in their level of knowledge about elite deviance, acceptance of “truths” and adherence to “myths” with respect to gender, race/ethnicity, education, political ideology, religious affiliation, and source of information. More knowledgeable subjects were found to be those who identified as Whites, with higher education levels, without any religious affiliation, and who used the Internet as their main source of information. In comparison, less knowledgeable participants and “myth” adherers turned out to be predominantly male, politically more conservative, Republican, conservative Protestant, and who relied on traditional media sources rather than the Internet. These findings and their implications are discussed.
A flush-mounted leaky-wave antenna with predictable patterns

This paper describes the design and the measured performance of a large, flat antenna consisting of an inductive grid spaced over a conducting surface. The analysis employs the transverse-resonance method to determine the radiating properties of the structure. This analytical technique is shown to predict very accurately the amplitude and phase of the illumination along the aperture of the antenna. An antenna was built with an 18- by 24-inch aperture and tested over the frequency band from 7-to-13 kmc. The results of these tests confirm the theoretical predictions in every detail. A pencil beam from the antenna scans in the H-plane (perpendicular to the antenna) from 20\deg to 60\deg from the normal to the aperture as the frequency changes from 7-to-13 kmc. The H-plane beamwidth remains virtually constant over most of this band. The first H-plane sidelobe or shoulder is at least 29 db below the main lobe from 7-to-10 kmc, and at least 23 db below from 10-to-13 kmc. All H-plane sidelobes beyond three or four beamwidths on either side of the main lobe are at least 40 db below the main lobe everywhere in the 7-to-13 kmc band. At the design frequency the measured pattern agrees with the theoretical pattern within a fraction of a db down to 40 db below the peak of the main lobe, even though the gain of the antenna at this frequency is only 33 db.
Hypofractionated Whole-Breast Radiation Therapy: Does Breast Size Matter?

Purpose To evaluate the effects of breast size on dose-volume histogram parameters and clinical toxicity in whole-breast hypofractionated radiation therapy using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, all patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy between 2005 and 2009 were screened, and qualifying consecutive patients were included in 1 of 2 cohorts: large-breasted patients (chest wall separation >25 cm or planning target volume [PTV] >1500 cm 3 ) ( n =97) and small-breasted patients (chest wall separation 3 ) ( n =32). All patients were treated prone or supine with hypofractionated IMRT to the whole breast (42.4 Gy in 16 fractions) followed by a boost dose (9.6 Gy in 4 fractions). Dosimetric and clinical toxicity data were collected and analyzed using the R statistical package (version 2.12). Results The mean PTV V95 (percentage of volume receiving >= 95% of prescribed dose) was 90.18% and the mean V105 percentage of volume receiving >= 105% of prescribed dose was 3.55% with no dose greater than 107%. PTV dose was independent of breast size, whereas heart dose and maximum point dose to skin correlated with increasing breast size. Lung dose was markedly decreased in prone compared with supine treatments. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group grade 0, 1, and 2 skin toxicities were noted acutely in 6%, 69%, and 25% of patients, respectively, and at later follow-up (>3 months) in 43%, 57%, and 0% of patients, respectively. Large breast size contributed to increased acute grade 2 toxicity (28% vs 12%, P =.008). Conclusions Adequate PTV coverage with acceptable hot spots and excellent sparing of organs at risk was achieved by use of IMRT regardless of treatment position and breast size. Although increasing breast size leads to increased heart dose and maximum skin dose, heart dose remained within our institutional constraints and the incidence of overall skin toxicity was comparable to that reported in the literature. Taken together, these data suggest that hypofractionated radiation therapy using IMRT is a viable and appropriate therapeutic modality in large-breasted patients.
Amino acid sequence of sheep pituitary growth hormone.

Determination of the primary structure was carried out on sheep pituitary growth hormone. Comparison of the proposed structure with that of human and bovine growth hormones reveals differences.
Models of relating - not relationship models: Cognitive representations of relating across interpersonal relationship domains

Two studies apply Fiske’s Relational Model Theory (RMT) to interpersonal relationships and indicate that rather than being models of relationships, relational models are models of relating that are used differently across interpersonal relationship domains. Study 1 (n = 145) investigated the use of relational models in three relationship types (mother, friend, and acquaintance). Results showed that even though relationship type predicted relational model use, model use varied significantly across relationship domains. Study 2 (n = 282) provides a cross-cultural replication of these findings (US and Singapore). Results of both studies suggest that Relational Model Theory is a particularly fruitful approach to relationship research when individual relationship domains are considered in addition to relationship types.