cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional dynamic behaviour of the human knee joint under impact loading.

Abstract The objective of this study is to determine the three-dimensional dynamic response of the human knee joint. A three-dimensional anatomical dynamic model was thus developed and consists of two body segments in contact (the femur and tibia) executing a general three-dimensional dynamic motion within the constraints of the different ligamentous structures. Each of the articular surfaces at the tibio–femoral joint was represented mathematically by a separate mathematical function. The joint ligaments were modelled as nonlinear elastic springs. The six-degrees-of-freedom joint motions were characterized by using six kinematic parameters, and ligamentous forces were expressed in terms of these six parameters. Knee response was studied by considering sudden external forcing pulse loads applied to the tibia. Model equations consist of nonlinear second-order ordinary differential equations coupled with nonlinear algebraic constraint conditions. Constraint equations were written to maintain at least one-point contact throughout motion; one- and two-point contact versions of the model were developed. This Differential–Algebraic Equations (DAE) system was solved by employing a DAE solver: the D ifferential/ A lgebraic S ystem S o l ver (DASSL) developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. A solution representing the response of this three-dimensional dynamic system was thus obtained for the first time. Earlier attempts to determine the system's response were unsuccessful owing to the inherent numerical instabilities in the system and the limitations of the solution techniques. Under the conditions tested, evidence of “femoral roll back” on both medial and lateral tibial plateaus was not observed from the model predictions. In the range of 20° to 66° of knee flexion, the lateral tibial contact point moved posteriorly while the medial tibial contact point moved anteriorly. In the range of 66° to 90° of knee flexion, contact was maintained only on the medial side and the tibial contact point (on the medial side) continued to move anteriorly. It was further found that increasing pulse amplitude and/or duration caused a decrease in the magnitude of the tibio–femoral contact force at a given flexion angle. These results suggest that increasing load level caused a decrease in joint stiffness. The results of this study also show that the anterior fibres of the posterior cruciate and the medial collateral ligaments are the primary restraints for a posterior forcing pulse in the range of 20° to 90° of knee flexion; this explains why most isolated posterior cruciate ligament injuries and combined injuries to the posterior cruciate and the medial collateral result from a posterior impact on a flexed knee.
Characterization of metals as EMC shields

The authors describe a test fixture and method used for about five years to characterize the shielding performance of both monometallic and composite sheets, over a frequency range of 50 Hz-300 kHz, with effectiveness values up to 90 dB. Calculation methods were developed to permit extrapolation of the test results to different geometries and wave impedance; data are presented showing the correlation with more difficult tests. The procedure could be made a standard test method capable of providing all the information needed for the selection of an economical and effective metal shield under a variety of field conditions.
Inner ear supporting cells: Rethinking the silent majority

Sensory epithelia of the inner ear contain two major cell types: hair cells and supporting cells. It has been clear for a long time that hair cells play critical roles in mechanoreception and synaptic transmission. In contrast, until recently the more abundant supporting cells were viewed as serving primarily structural and homeostatic functions. In this review, we discuss the growing information about the roles that supporting cells play in the development, function and maintenance of the inner ear, their activities in pathological states, their potential for hair cell regeneration, and the mechanisms underlying these processes.
Using non-coding small RNAs to develop therapies for Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expansion of CAG triplets at the 5' end of the HD gene, which encodes a pathologically elongated polyglutamine stretch near the N-terminus of huntingtin. HD is an incurable autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by movement disorder, as well as emotional distress and dementia. The newly discovered roles of the non-coding small RNAs in specific degradation or translational suppression of the targeted mRNAs suggest a potential therapeutic approach of post-transcriptional gene silencing that targets the underlying disease etiology rather than the downstream pathological consequences. From pre-clinical trials in different HD animal models to cells from HD patients, small RNA interference has been applied to 'allele-non-specifically or allele-specifically' silence the mutant HD transgene or endogenous mutant HD allele. Silencing the mutant HD transgene significantly inhibits neurodegeneration, improves motor control, and extends survival of HD mice. With future improvement of mutant allele selectivity (preserving the expression of the neuroprotective wild-type allele), target specificity, efficacy and safety, as well as optimization of delivery methods, small non-coding RNA-based therapeutic applications will be a promising approach to treat HD.
Analysis of deletions induced in the genome of mammalian cells by ionizing radiation.

Abstract A theory is presented for the distribution in size of deletions induced by ionizing radiation, based on three assumptions: (1) deletions that are observed delete part or all of a gene to make a mutation, but not adjacent DNA sequences essential for survival of the mutant; (2) deletions are distributed at random along the DNA; (3) the probability of formation is proportional to the rate at which the two endpoints, which must meet to form the deletion, collide with each other. Experimental data for radiation-induced deletions in human and hamsterhprtgenes are in good agreement with calculations that assume the inducing lesion does not break the intracellular chromatin fiber; calculations assuming the inducing lesion is a break are not a good fit to the data. The low frequency of deletions observed in the hamsteraprtgene is shown to be a consequence of the small gene size and the presence of a nearby essential DNA sequence, ensuring that most deletions affecting the gene also delete the essential sequence and are thus not observed.
Preferential amino acid uptake identifies Type II spiral ganglion neurons in the gerbil

The localization of 3H-labeled amino acids was compared by light and electron microscopic autoradiography in the spiral ganglion of the gerbil, following in vivo intracochlear incubations. Following incubations with taurine, a population of heavily labeled neurons could be distinguished from lightly labeled neurons. The heavily labeled population comprised 5-6% of spiral ganglion neurons, and included the least myelinated cells. Ultrastructurally, the heavily labeled neurons were characterized by a loosely coiled Schwann cell sheath covering the cell body, and the presence of abundant cytoplasmic microfilaments. The unlabeled cells showed a typical perikaryal myelin sheath and cytoplasm rich in rough endoplasmic reticulum. It is concluded that the spiral ganglion of the gerbil contains both Type I and Type II neurons, and that Type II neurons preferentially incorporate the amino acid taurine. Type II neurons are therefore biochemically as well as morphologically distinct from Type I neurons.
Marginal underdominance at a stable equilibrium.

Abstract An example is given of a stable equilibrium of a deterministic discrete-generation two-locus, two-allele, model at which marginal (or induced) underdominance holds. The example was found by using a numerical search procedure that involved picking random equilibria and finding possible fitnesses that would lead to those equilibria.
Studies of Met-Car Adducts: Ti8C12+(M)n (M = Halogens, π-Bonding Molecules, and Polar Molecules)

A new method of forming Met-Car−ligand complexes, Ti8C12+(M)n (M = halogens, π-bonding molecules, and polar molecules, n = 1−8) is reported which involves the direct interaction of titanium with mi...
A Clash of Civilizations? The Influence of Religion on Public Opinion of U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East:

The authors argue in this study that religious beliefs play a significant role in predicting American public opinion on foreign policy issues in the Middle East. Their findings reveal that Evangelical Christians have remained strong supporters of a hawkish foreign policy toward the Middle East, even as overall public support for the Iraq War declines. They also find that Evangelicals are among the strongest supporters of Israel and hold more negative views of Islam than others. These results reinforce the growing importance of the “faith factor” in public opinion and American politics as a whole.
Five-dimensional null-cone structure of big bang singularity

Firedmann model Φ of positive space curvature, vanishing pressure and cosmological constant when isometrically imbedded as a hypersurface in five dimensional Minkowski spaceM 5 is globally rigid: if F(Φ) and F′(Φ) are isometric imbeddings inM 5 there is a motion π of M5 such that F= π°f. The big bang singularity is the vertex of a null half-cone inM 5. Global rigidity leads to an invariant characterization of the singularity. The structure of matter at the singularity is governed by the de Sitter group.
The impact of structural dynamics on job mobility rates in the United States

This paper examines the job mobility of young American workers in the turbulent labor market of the 1980s and 1990s. To study how structural dynamics affect job mobility, I test hypotheses on such major structural changes as industrial shifts and corporate merger movement. Event history analysis using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 suggests that structural changes played an important role in determining job mobility outcomes. Industrial expansion decreases the rates of employment exits and between-industry mobility, both upward and downward, net of demographic and human capital variables. Mergers decrease all kinds of job mobility rates, including employment exits and directional moves. This paper demonstrates that research in job mobility, industrial restructuring, and labor market inequality should be integrated in studying the connection between structural changes and individual behaviors. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Surgical interruption of the anterior or posterior connections of the hypothalamus: Effects on aggressive and avoidance behavior

Abstract Transverse surgical cuts through the anterior hypothalamus, just anterior to the level of the ventromedial nuclei, which interrupted most, if not all of the anterior projections to and from the hypothalamus, inhibited intraspecies aggressive behavior in female rats but produced little or no change in shuttle box avoidance behavior. Transverse surgical cuts through the posterior hypothalamus, just posterior to the level of the ventromedial nuclei, which interrupted all posterior connections of the hypothalamus except those coursing the formix or the ventrolateral hypothalamus, markedly depressed shuttle box avoidance behavior but affected aggressive reactions little or not at all. Both types of cuts produced hyperphagia and hyperdipsia but these effects had subsided in most animals before the tests of avoidance and aggressive behavior were begun. Tests of motor coordination and catatonia indicated that the observed behavioral deficits could not be due to a general motor impairment. The implications of these results are discussed with reference to previously reported effects of parasagittal cuts which transect the lateral connections of the hypothalamus.
Study of Core Coupling in Rb 87 Through Isobaric-Analog Resonances. II

The level structure of the $^{86}\mathrm{Kr}$-$^{87}\mathrm{Kr}$ system has been investigated by means of the inelastic scattering of protons through isobaric-analog resonances (IAR's). 24 levels in $^{86}\mathrm{Kr}$ between 1.55 and 5.07 MeV have been identified in the spectra. Excitation-function data indicate that coupling of the ${d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ single particle to excited states of $^{86}\mathrm{Kr}$ provides important contributions to the wave function of the IAR's. The coefficients describing the coupling of single-particle states to the excited core states in $^{86}\mathrm{Kr}$ were extracted from the angular-distribution measurements of the inelastic proton decay of the 5.348-, 6.826-, and 8.374-MeV IAR's. The inclusion of these coefficents together with previously deduced elastic spectroscopic factors allows a rather full description of the wave functions for the parent analog states of these IAR's. A calculation of the wave functions and binding energies in terms of a simple core-coupling model has been performed for the $d$ and $s$ states in $^{87}\mathrm{Kr}$. The calculation shows good agreement with the results of the analysis of the proton decay of the IAR for the low-lying states.
Corn-Soybean Sequence and Tillage Effects on Soil Carbon Dynamics and Storage

Soil organic carbon (SOC) in agroecosystems is regulated by crop rotation and soil disturbance. We assessed crop sequence and tillage effects on SOC dynamics and storage using natural 13 C abundance of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.), Merr.]. Treatments consisted of tillage: moldboard plow (MP), chisel plow (CP), and no-tillage (NT); and crop sequence: continuous corn (CC), continuous soybean (SS), and alternating corn-soybean (CS). Soil samples were collected after 14 yr in each treatment and in fallow alley-ways and were analyzed for SOC, δ 13 C, bulk density, and pH. Tillage by crop sequence interactions occurred as treatments with MP and SS as well as fallow averaged 135 Mg SOC ha -1 (0- to 45-cm depth), while CP treatments with corn (CC and CS) and NT with CC averaged 164 Mg SOC ha -1 . Crop sequence effects on SOC (0- to 45-cm depth) occurred when tillage was reduced with CP and NT averaging 15% greater SOC in CC than SS. In addition to less C inputs than CC, SS accelerated rates of SOC decomposition. Tillage effects on SOC were greatest in CC where CP had 26% and NT 20% more SOC than MP, whereas SOC in SS was similar across tillage treatments. Up to 33% of the greater SOC under CC for CP and NT, compared with MP, occurred below tillage operating depths. Substantial losses of SOC were estimated (1.6 Mg SOC ha -1 yr -1 ) despite lowering SOC decay rates with reduced tillage and high levels of C inputs with CC.
The effect of composition on marker movement and kirkendall porosity in ternary alloys

A linear model which predicts Kirkendall marker movement in multicomponent diffusion couples has been tested with a series of Ni-Cr-Al γ-phase alloys. The test results followed the model to within experimental scatter, even though the model assumes constant diffusivity in the reaction zone. Comparing the model predictions with previous work suggests that the model can be used in alloy design to eliminate Kirkendall porosity. In addition, preliminary results suggest that the coefficients of the model can be predicted with useful accuracy from fundamental diffusion data.
The in vitro and in vivo effects of extracorporeal shock waves on malignant cells.

The in vitro cytotoxic effect of extracorporeal shock waves (ESW) on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells was compared to the effect on normal human embryonic kidney (NHEK) cells. In the in vitro studies cell samples were brought into the second focal point and exposed to different numbers of shock wave impulses. The four parameters of RCC tumor cell injury which were measured, i.e., cell viability, cell growth, cell attachment and electron microscopic evidence of damage, were augmented with increasing SW levels. At 2,000 shock waves (SW) a significant decrease in RCC viability, cell growth and cell attachment was seen compared to the NHEK cells. In the in vivo experiment a FANFT induced bladder tumor was transplanted into the right hind legs of C3H/He mice and the tumors were exposed to 1,400 SW. Preliminary data showed that 1,400 SW at day 12 post transplant significantly inhibited tumor growth. Combining 1,400 SW with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (4 mg/kg) did not enhance the tumor inhibitory effect of each individually. Doxorubicin (5 mg/kg) and 1,400 SW produced a significant synergistic tumor inhibitory effect.
Role of Spastin in Apical Domain Control along the Rhabdomere Elongation in Drosophila Photoreceptor

Background Mutations in spastin are the most common cause of hereditary spastin paraplegia, a neurodegenerative disease. In this study, the role of spastin was examined in Drosophila photoreceptor development. Methodology/Principal Findings The spastin mutation in developing pupal eyes causes a mild mislocalization of the apical membrane domain at the distal section, but the apical domain was dramatically reduced at the proximal section of the developing pupal eye. Since the rhabdomeres in developing pupal eyes grow from distal to proximal, this phenotype strongly suggests that spastin is required for apical domain maintenance during rhabdomere elongation. This role of spastin in apical domain modulation was further supported by spastin's gain-of-function phenotype. Spastin overexpression in photoreceptors caused the expansion of the apical membrane domain from apical to basolateral in the developing photoreceptor. Although the localizations of the apical domain and adherens junctions (AJs) were severely expanded, there were no defects in cell polarity. Conclusions/Significance These results strongly suggest that spastin is essential for apical domain biogenesis during rhabdomere elongation in Drosophila photoreceptor morphogenesis.
Plasticity of Total and Intracellular Phosphorus Quotas in Microcystis aeruginosa Cultures and Lake Erie Algal Assemblages.

Blooms of the potentially toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis are common events globally, and as a result significant resources continue to be dedicated to monitoring and con- trolling these events. Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of total cell-associated phosphorus (P) in marine phytoplankton can be surface adsorbed; as a result studies completed to date do not accurately report the P demands of these organ- isms. In this study we measure the total cell-associated and intracellular P as well as growth rates of two toxic strains of Microcystis aeruginosa Kutz grown under a range of P concentrations. The results show that the intracellular P pool in Microcystis represents a percentage of total cell-associated P (50-90%) similar to what has been reported for actively growing algae in marine systems. Intracellular P concentrations (39-147 fg cell −1 ) generally increased with increasing P concentrations in the growth medium, but growth rate and the ratio of total cell-associated to intracellular P remained generally stable. Intra- cellular P quotas and growth rates in cells grown under the different P treatments illustrate the ability of this organism to successfully respond to changes in ambient P loads, and thus have implications for ecosystem scale productivity models employing P concentrations to predict algal bloom events.
The effects of need for cognition and trait anxiety on price acceptability

This research explored the effects of two personality variables, the need for cognition and trait anxiety, on consumers' price acceptability. The study used 124 subjects to determine support for the predicted relationships between the two personality variables and price acceptability. The results showed that the low need for cognition individuals had significantly lower price acceptability than the high need for cognition individuals. On the other hand, price acceptability showed a U-shaped relationship with trait anxiety. Price acceptability for both high- and low-anxiety individuals was higher than that for individuals with moderate levels of anxiety. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Design for Control of Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Platforms

In this paper, we study five aspects of design for wheeled inverted pendulum (WIP) platforms with the aim of understanding the effect of design choices on the balancing performance. First, we demonstrate analytically and experimentally the effect of soft visco-elastic tires on a WIP showing that the use of soft tires enhances balancing performance. Next, we study the effect of pitch rate and wheel velocity filters on WIP performance and make suggestions for design of filters. We then describe a self-tuning limit cycle compensation algorithm and experimentally verify its operation. Subsequently, we present an analytical simulation to study the effects of torque and velocity control of WIP motors and describe the tradeoffs between the control methodologies in various application scenarios. Finally, to understand if motor gearing can be an efficient alternative to bigger and more expensive direct drive motors, we analyze the effect of motor gearing on WIP dynamics. Our aim is to describe electromechanical design tradeoffs appropriately, so a WIP can be designed and constructed with minimal iterative experimentation.
Full-scale simulations of elastic wave scattering in fiber-reinforced composites

Full-scale simulations of the multiple scattering of elastic waves in fiber-reinforced composite materials are performed, using the analytical and computational tools developed in the authors' previous paper (L.-W. Cai, J.H. Williams, Ultrasonics, submitted for publication). The computational procedure is outlined. Simulation results are analytically exact and numerically verified. Simulated fields are examined, and relationships between the simulation results and some experimentally measurable parameters are established.
A new procedure for the preparation of GDP-[U-14C]mannose.

This paper describes the synthesis of GDP-[U-14C]mannose from [U-14C]sucrose using invertase and a crude yeast preparation supplemented with hexokinase. The radiochemical yield of GDP-[U-14C]mannose is 20–30%; 95% of the label in the isolated product is GDP-[14C]mannose.
A Diamond-referenced Fiber Optic Raman Probe for Concentration Measurement

Raman spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for species identification and concentration measurement. Its application for on-line monitoring has been limited because of critical alignment requirements. Fiber optic sampling greatly simplifies alignment and it can also isolate the Raman spectrometer from harsh environment. Raman spectra of liquids can be easily obtained by merely immersing the fiber optic probe in the sample. Further, the Fourier Transform Raman (FT Raman) technique using infrared excitation sources provides a solution to circumventing fluorescence problems. Thus, Raman techniques are now becoming a useful tool not only for laboratory analysis, but also for remote monitoring in industrial environment. Measurement at distance of up to several hundred meters between instrument and the industrial site can now be routinely obtained[1].
Specificity of xenoreactive anti-Galα1–3Gal IgM for α-galactosyl ligands

The transplantation of organs from lower animals such as pigs into humans is prevented by a severe rejection reaction initiated by complement fixing xenoreactive natural antibodies. Most anti-pig xenoreactive natural antibodies in humans are thought to recognize Gal alpha 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc and are also thought to recognize, albeit less avidly, Gal alpha 1-6Glc. Gal alpha 1-6Glc has been used as a ligand for purification of 'anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal antibodies' and as a therapeutic or reagent to prevent the binding of these antibodies to porcine organs or cells. We tested the specificity of anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal IgM for Gal alpha 1-6Glc and related saccharides. Based on inhibition of binding of xenoreactive anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal IgM to porcine cells by soluble saccharides, anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal IgM in a human serum was found to consist of a mixture of antibodies which have a similar affinity for Gal alpha 1-3Gal but varying affinities for Gal alpha 1-6Glc and other structures. Twenty to 40% of the anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal IgM from the population tested did not recognize Gal alpha 1-6Glc. The binding of anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal IgM to Gal alpha 1-6Glc varied widely from individual to individual, some samples lacking almost entirely anti-Gal alpha 1-3Gal IgM which bound to Gal alpha 1-6Glc.
Potential Gains from Efficiency Analysis of Agricultural Banks

Rural financial markets are undergoing a period of rapid transition. Changes in the agricultural economy, technological advances, the competitive structure in the financial services industry and changing borrower demands have combined to impact the delivery of credit to agriculture. A fundamental concern among rural borrowers and depositors is the impact the changes have on the cost and availability of credit and bank services. The ability of commercial banks to continue to deliver
Complement-dependent systems and the phylogeny of immunity

For several years, the phylogenetic development of immunity has been under investigation by our laboratory and other workers (1-18). Attention has been directed toward such immune responses as graft rejection, delayed hypersensitivity, immunoglobulin synthesis, immunological memory, and the histological events associated with these processes. An important aspect of immunoglobulin synthesis, the evolution of the heavy and light polypeptide chains of immunoglobulins, has been discussed in the preceding paper. Another facet of immunity that has been studied by Gewurz et al. (19) and by our group (6, 18) is the phylogeny of serum complement (C'). In mammals, complement is composed of at least nine factors which act sequentially in a number of immunological reactions. In conjunction with specific antibodies, complement may lyse erythrocytes, kill bacteria, and participate in a variety of other reactions (2024). This report will include a discussion of our work with the hemolytic and bactericidal reactions of lower vertebrates in which complement is involved. The description of serum bactericidins will be limited to the antibody-complement system acting on gram-negative bacteria. Aithough evidence for participation of complement in reactions with invertebrate serum is still fragmentary, certain bactericidal and hemolytic systems of invertebrates will be discussed.
The Catholic position on germ line genetic engineering.

Zivotofsky and Jotkowitz (2009) summarize the Catholic Church's position on gene therapy as follows: “… [Dignitas Personae] DP distinguished between somatic cell therapy and germ line cell therapy,...
Maternal Role Attainment

Maternal role attainment (MRA) is frequently cited in theoretical articles and research published in the nursing literature. This paper presents an historical and empirical review of MRA. Variables influencing MRA are described. New data are presented raising questions about the original conceptualization of MRA and suggesting possible discrete affective and behavioral dimensions of the construct.
Therapeutic trial with glycine in myoclonus.

We investigated the therapeutic effects of glycine in seven patients with various forms of myoclonus. The initial phase was an open label trial. If benefit was seen in any patient, a double-blind substitution of placebo was carried out to determine if the benefit was due, in fact, to glycine. The dosage of glycine was initiated at 600 mg/day and was increased gradually until a maximum dosage of 6,000 mg/day was reached. This dosage was maintained for at least 6 weeks before lack of efficacy was declared. No improvement was seen in four patients. One patient reported improvement, but he discontinued the drug because of adverse effects encountered with the use of a concomitant medication and before he could be tested in a double-blind crossover phase. Two other patients also noticed improvement, but these improvements were not validated in the crossover phase. There were no adverse effects associated with glycine. Plasma glycine levels peaked at 30 min and returned to normal 1.5-h after 1 g of glycine.p.o. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glycine levels did not change during treatment, suggesting inadequate penetration into the central nervous system of glycine at the dosage used.
Cloning and dosage compensation of the 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase gene (Pgd+) of Drosophila melanogaster

Using a heterologous rat cDNA probe, we have identified a 14.7 kbp Drosophila melanogaster genomic clone containing the X-linked gene Pgd+, which encodes the enzyme 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD). We used in situ hybridization to larval polytene chromosomes, a somatic transient expression assay for enzyme activity, and the rescue of the lethal Pgd- phenotype by germline transformation to verify the identity of the gene. A 7.4 kbp fragment including the gene and approximately 1.2 kbp of upstream and 1.8 kbp of downstream sequences was relocated to autosomal ectopic sites by germline transformation; this transduced gene exhibits levels of enhanced activity in males comparable to those of the indigenous gene at its normal X chromosome locus. We conclude that the sequences responsible for dosage compensation of Pgd+ are included in this fragment.
Coincidence experiments with GeV electron beams

Abstract Coincidence measurements with electron scattering at high momentum and energy transfer to the nucleus are examined from the point of view of determining the basic hadron-hadron interaction parameters. Electron beam characteristics and possible accelerators to produce 100% duty factor beams are discussed.
Cachectic skeletal muscle response to a novel bout of low-frequency stimulation

While exercise benefits have been well documented in patients with chronic diseases, the mechanistic understanding of cachectic muscle's response to contraction is essentially unknown. We previousl...
Spatial and temporal variation of acoustic backscatter in the STRESS experiment

Abstract Acoustic backscatter measurements were made of the seabed with a bottom mounted, circularly scanning sonar. The placement was at 91 m depth, mid-shelf of Northern California (38° 34′N), site C3 of the experiment STRESS I (1988–1989). Our expectation was that sonar images (70 m radius, 12,000 m2) would provide a means of observing, over a large field of view, changes in the bottom due to storm-induced sediment transport and due to bioturbation. This expectation was supported in part by towed sonar measurements at 35 kHz over a sandy area in the North Sea, where dramatic spatial variation in the level of the backseattered signal was observed during an Autumn storm on scales of a few km with no concomitant change in sediment grain size [ Jackson et al. (1986) The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 80, 1188–1199]. It appeared possible that storm-driven sediment transport might have been responsible for this patchiness, by altering bottom roughness and by redeposition of suspended material. At the California site, a conventional sonar processing of our data from the STRESS experiment reveals no such dramatic change in backscattered signal level due to storms. The sonar images contain random structures whose time evolution is subtle and difficult to interpret. A much clearer picture of temporal and spatial variations emerges from a processing scheme involving cross-correlation of time-separated acoustic views of the bottom. In effect, the sequence of correlation data images produces a movie in which patches of activity are seen to develop as functions of time. It appears that most of this activity is biological rather than hydrodynamic. A tentative explanation is two-fold. The bottom shear stress might have been considerably greater at the North Sea site (with depth only one-half of the California site). The seafloor at the California site was silty-clayey, and backscatter from such floor is less sensitive to the water-floor interface shape and roughness than it would be to the same parameters of a sandy bottom.
Purification and properties of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from the germinating peanut cotyledon.

Abstract Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase has been partially (50-fold) from extracts of germinating peanut cotyledons. The enzyme catalyzes the irreversible Mg 2+ -dependent carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate to form oxaloacetate. Purified preparations of the carboxylase are completely inactive in the absence of added sulfhydryl compounds, but are readily reactivated by glutathione addition. Carboxylase, active in the presence of small amounts of glutathione, is reversibly inhibited by p -hydroxymercuribenzoate. Co 2+ and Mn 2+ are 22% and 10% as effective, respectively, as equimolar amounts of Mg 2+ for the carboxylation reaction. In the absence of phosphoenolpyruvate, high levels of purified carboxylase failed to catalyze significant incorporation of [ 14 C]bicarbonate into oxaloacetate in the presence of oxaloacetate, orthophosphate, Mg 2+ and glutathione. When the enzymic carboxylation of phosphoenolpyruvate was conducted in the presence of [ 14 C]pyruvate, incorporation of 14 C-activity into oxaloacetate did not occur. The catalytic action of the carboxylase is not inhibited by avidin.
Bulk modulus and thermal expansivity of melt polymer composites: Statistical versus macro‐mechanics

Physical properties of composites as a function of filler content have been described in the past through models requiring the solution of macroscopic equations of motion for an elastic continuum or, on a more empirical level, by the assumption of various compositional averaging schemes. We discuss a model drawn from our molecular mixture theory. This allows us to avoid the formal problems attending concentrated suspensions and introduces molecular filler-medium interaction parameters. Comparisons with experimental material and empirical equations involving bulk modulus and thermal expansivity will be given. The theory opens the possibility of determining interfacial strengths from appropriate mechanical and thermal measurements and of predicting one set from another set of data.
Nonlinear dynamics of unicycles in leader-follower formation

In this paper, a dynamical systems analysis is presented for characterizing the motion of a group of unicycles in leader–follower formation. The equilibrium formations are characterized along with their local stability analysis. It is demonstrated that with the variation in control gain, the collective dynamics might undergo Andronov–Hopf and Fold–Hopf bifurcations. The vigor of quasi-periodicity in the regime of Andronov–Hopf bifurcation and heteroclinic bursts between quasi-periodic and chaotic behavior in the regime of Fold–Hopf bifurcation increases with the number of unicycles. Numerical simulations also suggest the occurrence of global bifurcations involving the destruction of heteroclinic orbit.
Intrahousehold Disparities in Women and Men's Experiences of Water Insecurity and Emotional Distress in Urban Bolivia

This study is one of the first to examine the links connecting water insecurity, gender, and emotional distress. The article presents quantitative and qualitative analyses of interview data collected from randomly selected pairs of male and female household heads (n =48) living under the same household-level conditions of water insecurity. The results provide partial confirmation of past findings that women are more likely than men to be burdened with everyday water responsibilities. However, there were no significant differences between men's and women's experiences in household water emergencies (i.e., water shortages and last-ditch attempts to buy water) and reports on some measures of emotional distress (i.e., worry, annoyance, and anger with family members). The results suggest that intrahousehold gender disparities may be mitigated in times of severe water scarcity. The discussion raises questions about the comparability of men's and women's expressions of emotional distress.
Novel and Existing Mutations in the Tyrosine Kinase Domain of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor are Predictors of Optimal Resectability in Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Malignant peritoneal mesotheliomas (MPM) are rare tumors representing 20% of all malignant mesothelioma cases. The median survival for these tumors is less than a year, and like other peritoneal surface malignancies, this is due primarily to intra-abdominal recurrence and progression. Currently there is a paucity of information about the biology of these tumors and molecular perturbations that are involved in tumor formation. Elucidation of mutations and biological pathways active in these tumors may identify valuable prognostic markers, as well as facilitate the development of novel therapies. In this study, we investigate the predictive value of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in achieving optimal resectability. Twenty-nine patients with MPM were evaluated at a single tertiary care center and their tumors were probed for point mutations in the catalytic TK domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (mut+). All specimens were examined for somatic mutations by polymerase chain reaction amplification, and all variants were confirmed by multiple independent amplifications. Twenty-five patients were treated with cytoreductive surgery with or without intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy and complete clinical data including age, sex, cytoreductive score, mutation, and survival were available for comparison of the mut+ and mut− groups. The median age was 56 years, 71% of the patients were male, and the median follow-up time was 14.5 months. Mutations were found in 31% (9 of 29) of the tumors. Seven of these mutations were novel, and one was the L858R mutation described in non-small-cell lung cancer. Of the 25 patients managed surgically, 7 had mut+ and 18 wild type (mut−) disease. Optimal resectability was achieved in 7 (100%) of 7 of mut+ group and 9 (50%) of 18 mut− (p = .026). All mut+ patients are alive with a mean follow-up time of 24 months, whereas 5 (28%) of 18 of the mut− group are dead of disease with a mean follow-up time of 7 months (p = .27). In an analysis of covariance model, only optimal resectability (p = .04) was found to be predictive of survival. EGFR-TK seems to be a common site for mutation in MPM, with mutations being identified in 31% of patients. The EGFR mutations identified included the L858R activating mutation, as well as eight novel EGFR-TK catalytic domain point mutations. These mutations were predictive of optimal resectability, which was the only variable found to be predictive of survival. With longer follow-up, mut+ may not only be predictive of survival but may represent a subset of patients whose disease may be responsive to TK-inhibitor therapy. Experiments confirming the activating properties of the novel mutations are warranted.
Primary Carcinoma of the Trachea: Physiologic Diagnosis and Review of the Literature

A patient with primary carcinoma of the trachea is described. The diagnosis was established physiologically by employing maximal expiratory flow-volume loops obtained while the patient was breathing air and a mixture of helium and oxygen.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Key Decisions in Acute Management

The definition of a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) has come under close scrutiny and is changing as a result of refined diagnostic testing. Although up to 15% of patients with a mild TBI will have an acute intracranial lesion identified on head computed tomography (CT), less than 1% of these patients will have a lesion requiring a neurosurgical intervention. Evidence-based guideline methodology has assisted in generating recommendations to facilitate clinical decision making; however, no set of guidelines is 100% sensitive and specific. Evidence supports the safety of discharging patients with mild TBI who have a negative CT. However, though patients with a negative CT are at almost no risk of deteriorating from a neurosurgical lesion, a key intervention is to provide these patients at discharge from the emergency department with counseling regarding postconcussive symptoms, when to return to work, school, or sports, and when to seek additional medical care.
The detection of faked deficits on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test: The effect of serial position

The ability of subjects to fake deficits on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) was evaluated. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two malingering groups - one with a financial incentive (N = 30) and one without (N = 28) - or a control group (C) (N = 28), and a group of closed head injury patients (CHI) (N = 18) was matched on age, sex, and education level. The two malingering groups did not differ significantly and were combined into a single malingering group (M) (N = 57). There was a significant serial position (the pattern of "recency" and "primacy" effects in recall) by group interaction effect, which may be the most promising indicator of deliberate distortion. When only level of performance was examined, the M group could fake believable deficits, but when the serial position effect was examined, it revealed that this was accomplished by suppression of recall from the first third of the word list (reducing the "primacy effect"), a recall pattern which did not occur in either the C or CHI group and may be an indication of malingering.
An interior point potential reduction method for constrained equations

We study the problem of solving a constrained system of nonlinear equations by a combination of the classical damped Newton method for (unconstrained) smooth equations and the recent interior point potential reduction methods for linear programs, linear and nonlinear complementarity problems. In general, constrained equations provide a unified formulation for many mathematical programming problems, including complementarity problems of various kinds and the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker systems of variational inequalities and nonlinear programs. Combining ideas from the damped Newton and interior point methods, we present an iterative algorithm for solving a constrained system of equations and investigate its convergence properties. Specialization of the algorithm and its convergence analysis to complementarity problems of various kinds and the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker systems of variational inequalities are discussed in detail. We also report the computational results of the implementation of the algorithm for solving several classes of convex programs.
Late rectal bleeding following combined X-ray and proton high dose irradiation for patients with stages T3-T4 prostate carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose: Dose escalation for prostate cancer by external beam irradiation is feasible by a 160 MeV perineal proton beam that reduces the volume of rectum irradiated. We correlated the total doses received to portions of the anterior rectum to study the possible relationship of the volume irradiated to the incidence of late rectal toxicity. Methods: We have randomized 191 patients with stages T3 and T4 prostatic carcinoma to one of two treatment dose arms. These were: 1) 75.6 Cobalt-Gy-equivalent (CGE), 50.4 Gy delivered by 107−25 MV photons followed by 25.2 CGE delivered perineally by protons (Arm 1) or 2) 67.2 CGE delivered by 10−25 MV photons (Arm 2). Results: With a median follow-up of 3.7 years, post-irradiation rectal bleeding (grades 1 and 2 only, none requiring surgery or hospitalization) from telangietatic rectal mucosal vessels has occurred in 34% of 99 Arm-1 patients and 16% of 92 Arm-2 patients ( p = 0.013). Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) for the anterior rectal wall, the posterior rectal wall and the total rectum in 41 patients treated on Arm 1 were calculated from the three dimensional dose distributions. Rectal bleeding has occurred in 14 or 34% of the 41 DVH-analyzed subset of Arm-1 patients. Both the fractional volume of the anterior rectum and the total dose received by fractional volumes of the anterior rectum significantly correlate with the actuarial probability of bleeding. Conclusions: Clinicians planning dose escalation to men with localized prostate cancer should approve with caution treatment plans raising more than 40% of the anterior rectum to more than 75 CGE without additional effort to protect the rectal mucosa because this late sequela data indicate that more than half of these men will otherwise have rectal bleeding.
Hemoptysis due to MDI therapy in a patient with permanent tracheostomy: treatment with mask AeroChamber

Persistent minor hemoptysis resulted from extensive granulation tissue on the main carina and adjacent bronchi due to frequent spraying of metered-dose inhaler (MDI)-generated aerosol medications directly into a permanent tracheostomy. Salbutamol, containing oleic acid, was considered the most likely cause. After an AeroChamber equipped with an infant mask was interposed between the MDI and the tracheal stoma, hemoptysis and the pathologic changes gradually resolved.
An on-chip monitor for statistically significant circuit aging characterization

We present an array-based system to accurately study variations in ROSC aging. Microsecond measurements for minimal BTI recovery, and frequency shift measurement resolution ranging down to the error floor of 0.07% are achieved with three beat frequency detection systems working in tandem. Measurement results from a 65nm test chip show that fresh frequency and Δf are uncorrelated, both the μ and σ of Δf increase with stress, and σ(Δf)/μ(Δf) decreases with stress time.
Relaxation behavior and modeling

Abstract Load relaxation tests deliver several orders of magnitude of inelastic strain rate data while elastic strains are converted into inelastic strains [see Lemaitre and Chaboche, 1994. (Mechanics of Solid Materials, Oxford University Press, Cambridge p. 264)]. Hart used this test for providing information on the inelastic deformation behavior for modeling purposes. Characteristic relaxation curves were obtained with ductile metals and alloys at room and high temperature showing a scaling relation derived from Hart's theory. Subsequent testing with servo-controlled testing machines and strain measurement on the gage length showed that an increase of prior strain rate also increased the average relaxation rate. For relaxation tests starting in the flow stress region, the relaxation curves can be independent of the stress and strain at the start of the relaxation tests. For the modeling of these newly found relaxation behaviors and other phenomena the viscoplasticity theory based on overstress (VBO) has been introduced. It is shown that VBO admits a long-term (asymptotic) solution that can be used with sufficient accuracy for the flow stress region of the stress–strain diagram. The long-term solution predicts the observed relaxation behaviors and that the relaxation curves coincide when shifted along the stress axis. This behavior is observed for the recently obtained data and is confirmed by two sets of the Hart-type data when they are plotted according to the new method.
First-principles study of the stability and migration of Kr, I and Xe in ZrO2

The stability and migration of Kr, I and Xe in bulk ZrO2 and on the ZrO2 (1 1 1) surface have been studied by standard density functional theory (DFT) and the DFT-D2 method that corrects for the van der Waals interaction. Both methods show that Kr and Xe prefer to incorporate in the bulk phase rather than adsorb on the surface, and Xe is very mobile in the bulk state. For Kr and Xe adsorption on the surface, van der Waals interaction dominates, causing the weak interaction between the adsorbate and substrate. Iodine is found to have comparable stability in both phases and forms I O bonds with strong covalency. It exhibits higher mobility on the surface than in the bulk ZrO2, and diffusion from bulk-like state to surface state is an exothermic process. The fission product behavior in ZrO2 is shown to be a complicated synergetic effect of fission product atomic size, electron negativity, occupation site and phase structure of the host.