cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
School‐age Pregnancy: Why Hasn't Prevention Worked?

PIP: Adolescent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease (STD) reduction has not occurred, despite sexuality education and abstinence programs, and intensive publicity and community initiatives. An obstacle to adolescent pregnancy, STD, and childbearing prevention is the assumption that adolescent sexuality is a closed system of activity among peers. When a nation is consumed with the preoccupation of condoms versus chastity debates, and is ignoring high poverty levels and abuse of the young, adolescent girls will seek escape from harsh childhoods in early family formation with young adult men. There is a high correlation between poverty rates and teenage birth, AIDS, and STD rates. Schools are not able to produce magical solutions to teenage pregnancy when adult lawmakers abnegate their responsibility to provide for youth well-being. Adolescent pregnancy will occur regardless of the expansion of curative programs such as school-based clinics; fundamental changes in assumptions, attitudes, and policies are needed. Beneficial aspects of programming appear to be fact-based sexuality and contraceptive education, counseling and referrals for youths with histories of child abuse, and child care classes and flexible school schedules for parenting students. A statistical profile in California indicates that 85% of all fathers of babies born to girls between ages of 11 and 18 years were adults. More than 50% of mothers aged 11-15 years were impregnated by adult men. Fathers' average age for births among junior high school mothers was 15-26 years, when the youngest and the oldest 2.5% of fathers are eliminated. There is a greater likelihood that a man older than 23 years will impregnate a junior high girl than will a junior high boy. The partner age gap is greatest among the very young girls. The California profile of father's age is similar to birth patterns in other states and similar to the national average. An examination of STDs shows a higher rate of STDs among females younger than 20. AIDS cases and HIV infections also appear higher among girls ages 13-19 years. The patterns indicate that teenage female STDs are likely to have been acquired by contact with older men by rape or voluntary intercourse. Fathering in abortion cases is not well documented. The predominate neglect of the role of adult-teen intercourse is a major omission. Teenage sex behavior for births, abortion, and STDs is often controlled by the behavior of adult partners.
Accurate and Precise Measurement of Heteronuclear Long-Range Couplings by a Gradient-Enhanced Two-Dimensional Multiple-Bond Correlation Experiment

Abstract We propose a phase-sensitive gradient-enhanced two-dimensional heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (psge-2D HMBC) experiment for speedy, accurate, and precise measurement of 2 J CH and 3 J CH . The experiment does not suppress one-bond correlations. Rather, the value of a desired long-range J CH is obtained from the pertinent cross-peak pattern in the HMBC spectrum, using the corresponding 1 J CH correlation pattern as reference. The application of the proposed experiment is illustrated for the trisaccharide raffinose.
A BASIC program for the peak-to-valley estimation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

Abstract A computer program for the automatic scoring of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is described. The program uses the ‘peak-to-valley’ quantification of RSA. Data was collected on 20 subjects to determine the inter-rater reliability and efficiency of the program. Highly reliable estimates of RSA were found. Advantages and limitations of the program are discussed.
Reactive Oxygen Species Resulting from Mitochondrial Mutation Diminishes Stem and Progenitor Cell Function

While age-dependent stem cell decline is widely recognized as being a key component of organismal aging, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Suomalainen and colleagues provide evidence that mitochondrial mutation and associated reactive oxygen species can adversely impact tissue-specific stem and progenitor cell function.
Comparison of paracervical block techniques during first trimester pregnancy termination.

Abstract Objectives: To determine whether variations in chloroprocaine placement in paracervical blocks influence effectiveness, whether chloroprocaine is superior to saline, and what factors influence pain perception. Method : Eighty-two women undergoing first trimester aspiration abortions were randomized to receive 1% chloroprocaine or saline at 3-5-7-9 or 4-8 o'clock positions. Using a 0–10 scale, women rated anxiety, dysmenorrhea, and pain associated with laminaria insertion, paracervical block, and aspiration. Results: All four groups were similar in medical and demographic characteristics. Injection position did not influence pain ratings, but women who received chloroprocaine had less pain than those who received saline (6.3±2.3 vs. 7.8±2.0, P =0.002). Paracervical pain and dysmenorrhea were independently associated with aspiration pain scores (respective regression coefficients 0.49 and 0.26, P Conclusions: There is no advantage to using a four-site paracervical block over a two-site technique, but chloroprocaine is superior to saline. Paracervical block may not provide adequate anesthesia during first trimester abortion, especially for women with significant dysmenorrhea.
Compensatory eating disorder behaviors and gastric bypass surgery outcome

Objective: This study prospectively examined the role of compensatory eating disorder behavior on gastric bypass (GB) surgery weight-loss outcome. Method: The compensatory behaviors of 199 GB patients were evaluated presurgically using the Questionnaire of Eating and Weight Patterns. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess the presence of compensatory behavior on 6-month postsurgery body mass index (BMI), and 1-year postsurgery BMI, controlling for age, sex, race, age becoming overweight, number of weeks postsurgery, and presurgery BMI. Results: The presence of presurgery compensatory behavior emerged as a small but significant predictor of lower BMI 6-months postsurgery although not at 1-year postsurgery. Other common predictors for lower BMI at 6-months and 1-year postsurgery were lower presurgery BMI and greater number of weeks postsurgery. Female sex also predicted lower BMI 1-year postsurgery. Discussion: These results must be taken with caution as they contradict clinical guidelines. Future research is needed to replicate these findings. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009
Shock-tube measurements of rotational relaxation in hydrogen.

Density profiles in hydrogen shock waves have been measured with an electron beam densitometer for Mach numbers from 1.2 to 3.0. The translational and rotational relaxation processes were found to be uncoupled in the shock wave allowing for a simple determination of the relatively large (from approximately 270 to approximately 30) number of collisions required for equilibration of the rotational degrees of freedom over the temperature range from 410-1240 K. An intermediate relaxation point and subsequent increase in the number of collisions required above 600 K was attributed to the participation of additional excited rotational quantum levels in the equilibration process.
VARIATION IN INDUCTION OF PLACENTAL CYTOCHROME P4502E1: POSSIBLE ROLE IN SUSCEPTIBILITY TO FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME? • 484

Fetal alcohol syndrome occurs in < 10% of women who drink heavily during pregnancy. One mechanism for this intersubject variation may be differences in placental alcohol metabolism. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), present in small amounts in placenta, is not inducible. CYP2E1 has not been found in early human placentas or random term placentas. Hepatic CYP2E1 is induced by alcohol, but induction varies among heavy drinkers and may be genetically controlled. To test whether CYP2E1 is induced in placenta by heavy drinking during pregnancy, we performed western blots on placental microsomes from women (N=10) whose periconceptual average daily absolute alcohol intake was greater than 1 ounce (more than 14 drinks per week). In 4 samples, faint bands consistent with CYP2E1 were identified using anti-human hepatic CYP2E1. To confirm these findings, microsomal metabolism studies were performed using a placenta with a positive western blot, an NADPH-generating system and the CYP2E1 specific substrate, chlorzoxazone (range: 50-500 μM). For each substrate concentration, multiple timed reactions were incubated, and the formation of the CYP2E1 product, 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone, was measured using HPLC. The initial velocity for each substrate concentration was determined from the slope of the linear portion of the product formation-time curve. From the Michaelis-Menten relationship, the resulting Km was about 200 μM, which is similar to that of hepatic CYP2E1. From these data, we conclude placental CYP2E1 is induced by heavy drinking, but induction varies among heavily drinking womEn. We speculate intersubject variation in induction may have a genetic basis and may play a role in susceptibility to alcohol related birth defects.
Excitatory, inhibitory, and structural plasticity produce correlated connectivity in random networks trained to solve paired-stimulus tasks.

The pattern of connections among cortical excitatory cells with overlapping arbors is non-random. In particular, correlations among connections produce clustering – cells in cliques connect to each other with high probability, but with lower probability to cells in other spatially intertwined cliques. In this study, we model initially randomly connected sparse recurrent networks of spiking neurons with random, overlapping inputs, to investigate what functional and structural synaptic plasticity mechanisms sculpt network connections into the patterns measured in vitro. Our Hebbian implementation of structural plasticity causes a removal of connections between uncorrelated excitatory cells, followed by their random replacement. To model a biconditional discrimination task, we stimulate the network via pairs (A+B, C+D, A+D and C+B) of four inputs (A, B, C and D). We find networks that produce neurons most responsive to specific paired-inputs – a building block of computation and essential role for cortex – contain the excessive clustering of excitatory synaptic connections observed in cortical slices. The same networks produce the best performance in a behavioral readout of the networks' ability to complete the task. A plasticity mechanism operating on inhibitory connections, long-term potentiation of inhibition (LTPi), when combined with structural plasticity, indirectly enhances clustering of excitatory cells via excitatory connections. A rate-dependent (triplet) form of spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) between excitatory cells is less effective and basic STDP is detrimental. Clustering also arises in networks stimulated with single stimuli and in networks undergoing raised levels of spontaneous activity when structural plasticity is combined with functional plasticity. In conclusion, spatially intertwined clusters or cliques of connected excitatory cells can arise via a Hebbian-form of structural plasticity operating in initially randomly connected networks.
Hole scattering near the valence band edge in wurtzite gallium nitride

Scattering rates for holes in wurtzite GaN are investigated theoretically taking into account six valence bands including the spin-orbit interaction. Scattering rates for acoustic deformation potential, piezoelectric acoustic phonon, polar optical phonon, and impurity scattering are formulated. Results are given for intra- and interband processes, and their role in understanding transport measurements is discussed. The scattering probabilities are anisotropic owing to incomplete initial and final state overlap, to nonuniform final state density, and angular dispersion of the phonon modes. In addition, the level of detail obtained is sufficient to examine the modifications of the scattering rates with the application of uniaxial stress, and numerical results are presented.
Chemical solution deposition of ferroelectric lead lanthanum zirconate titanate films on base-metal foils

Development of electronic devices with better performance and smaller size requires the passive components to be embedded within a printed wire board (PWB). The “film-on-foil” approach is the most viable method for embedding these components within a PWB. We have deposited high-permittivity ferroelectric lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (Pb0.92La0.08Zr0.52Ti0.48O x , PLZT 8/52/48) films on base metal foils by chemical solution deposition. These prefabricated capacitor sheets can be embedded into PWBs for power electronic applications. To eliminate the parasitic effect caused by the formation of a low-permittivity interfacial oxide, a conductive buffer layer of lanthanum nickel oxide (LNO) was applied by chemical solution deposition on nickel foil before the deposition of PLZT. With a ≈0.7-μm-thick ferroelectric PLZT film grown on LNO-buffered nickel foil, we measured capacitance densities of 1.5 μF/cm2, breakdown field strength E b >1.2 MV/cm, and leakage current density of 2 × 10–8A/cm2. The dielectric relaxation current decay obeys the Curie-von Schweidler law, with exponent n = 0.85 and 0.94 for PLZT grown directly on Ni and that grown on LNO-buffered Ni foils, respectively. When compared with samples deposited directly on Ni substrate, PLZT grown on LNO buffered Ni substrates exhibit slimmer hysteresis loop and better energy storage capability. With these desirable characters, PLZT film-on-foil capacitors hold particular promise for use in high-voltage embedded passives.
HOMING BEHAVIOR OF JUVENILE NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS

The aim of this study was to determine if juvenile northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, translocated from their rookery would return to it quickly and reliably. During the spring and fall of 1990 and 1991 we captured 75 seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve, CA, U. S. A. and translocated them to release sites up to 100 km away. Eighty-eight percent of the seals returned to the capture site within 4.7 ± 4.3 d. Homing rate increased with age, but even the youngest seals (8–10 mo) homed at a 73% rate. Homing rate did not vary significantly with sex, season, or year. Data from diving instruments suggested that the seals often followed direct routes home, arrived on the rookery significantly more often at night than during the day, and when released together, returned separately. Mean homing speed of 18 seals with complete diving records was 39 km/d (range 3–70 km/d). Instruments on seals had no detectable effect on homing rate or homing speed. The translocation paradigm provides a powerful tool for conducting intensive shortterm studies on free-ranging seals.
Gleichenipteris antarcticus gen. et sp. nov. from the Triassic of Antarctica

A new fern, Gleichenipteris antarcticus, is described from permineralized sporangia found in the Triassic of Antarctica. Sporangia are attached to a foliar unit via a vascularized receptacle although the lamina is poorly preserved. Sori are composed of three to five sporangia per sorus, each with simple maturation. Each leptosporangium has a vertical to oblique annulus and a short stalk. Spores are trilete, triangular to subtetrahedral and up to 40 mm in diameter; surface ornamentation is reticulate. Sporangia share the most similarities with the extant family Gleicheniaceae and the contemporaneous genera Wingatea and Gleichenites. The sporangia are found closely associated with the putatively gleicheniaceous stem genus Antarctipteris. Gleichenipteris has oblique to vertical annuli, no stomia, few sporangia per sorus, several sori per pinnule, and triangular spores, which is a combination of soral and annular characteristics that diVerentiates them from currently known species and which contributes to the known variability of characteristics in the history of the family. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Knocking Out Viral Myocarditis Reality or a MiRage

Viral myocarditis (VM) is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium initiated by common viral infections, such as the enterovirus coxsackie group B, parovovirus B19, and human herpes virus 6, and sustained by postviral immune-mediated responses. While acute myocarditis is typically self-limited in most individuals, the development of severe heart muscle injury may lead to dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure, or even death in others. The mechanisms underlying why some individuals are more susceptible to cardiotropic viruses than others are not well established. Furthermore, therapies for VM are generally directed at supportive care of heart failure (eg, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, or β-blockers) rather than specific early pathophysiological targets involved in innate or adaptive immunity that are thought to contribute to deleterious events in susceptible individuals. Article, see p 415 The majority of information about the pathogenesis of myocarditis has been derived from experimental models in rodents. Using mouse models of enteroviral myocarditis, the course of VM has been characterized into 3 phases: (1) viral entry; (2) innate and adaptive immune activation; and (3) chronic/resolution (Figure, A).1 First, the virus may proliferate in a variety of tissues in the susceptible host and eventually reach the myocardium through hematogenous or lymphangitic spread. During the first few days of viral exposure, the virus gains entry into cells, including cardiomyocytes, using viral specific receptors and replication proceeds which itself can cause direct myocardial tissue injury (Figure, A, left panel). However, viral infectivity also strongly activates the innate immune system by inducing proinflammatory Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the inflammasome, and the release of cytokines such as TNF-α or IL-1β (Figure, A, middle panel). Indeed, cardiac TLR4 mRNA expression and signaling is higher in human subjects with myocarditis than control subjects and has been associated with the presence of active viral proliferation and …
Investigating the effect of voltage-switching on low-energy task scheduling in hard real-time systems

We investigate the effect of voltage-switching on task execution times and energy consumption for dual-speed hard real-time systems, and present a new approach for scheduling workloads containing periodic tasks. Our method minimizes the total energy consumed by the task set and guarantees that the deadline for every task is met. We present a mixed-integer linear programming model for the NP-complete scheduling problem and solve it for moderate-sized problem instances using a public-domain solver. For larger task sets, we present a novel extended-low-energy earliest-deadline-first (E-LEDF) scheduling algorithm and apply it to two real-life task sets. Our results show that energy can be conserved in embedded real-time systems using energy-aware task scheduling. We also show that switching times have a significant effect on the energy consumed in hard real-time systems.
The effects of delays on rank-one stabilizing controls in vibrating systems

Results are presented on the effect of small time delays which occur in the feedback of a class of infinite-dimensional vibrating systems whose uncontrolled versions are either conservative or uniformly damped. It is shown that conservative systems which are exponentially damped by feedback can be transformed into unstable systems if arbitrarily small time delays are introduced into the feedback. In the case of uniformly damped systems it can sometimes happen that a feedback which enhances stability can induce periodic or even exponentially unbounded solutions if arbitrarily small time delays are introduced into it. >
Benzaldehyde, citral, and d-limonene flavor perception in the presence of casein and whey proteins.

Abstract The effect of sodium caseinate and whey protein concentrate on benzaldehyde, d -limonene, and citral flavor intensity was determined by quantitative descriptive analysis deviation from reference using a 12-member trained panel. The concentrations for the benzaldehyde, d -limonene, and citral flavor intensity references were 17.8, 53.0, and 19.8ppm, respectively. The concentration for both protein references was .25%. Flavored protein solutions were held for 17h at 6°C and contained benzaldehyde (17.8ppm), d -limonene (53ppm), or citral (19.8ppm) and 2.5% sucrose with 0, .125, .25, or .5% protein. Benzaldehyde flavor intensity declined as the whey protein concentrate concentration increased from 0 to .5%. There was no significant difference in benzaldehyde flavor intensity with casein compared with the reference. The d -limonene flavor intensity declined as the protein concentration increased. Panelists found no significant drop in citral flavor intensity with casein or whey protein. Decreased benzaldehyde and d -limonene flavor intensity in the presence of whey protein concentrate or casein may be due to nonpolar interactions (casein), interaction with nonpolar binding sites, cysteine-aldehyde condensation, or Schiff base formation (whey protein concentrate).
Mass spectrometric measurement of end-tidal xenon concentration for clinical stable xenon/computerized tomography cerebral blood flow studies

We have demonstrated the feasibility of using a compact dedicated mass spectrometer to monitor end-tidal xenon concentration in human subjects during stable xenon computerized tomography measurements of regional cerebral blood flow. End-tidal carbon dioxide concentration is monitored simultaneously and noninvasively without degrading the dynamic response to xenon. For clinical regional cerebral blood flow studies we employed a Nuclide 3-60-G Sectorr mass spectrometer with a 3 in radius, 60 degrees magnetic sector and a variable (0-5000 V) ion accelerating potential. The required high vacuum (10(-7) Torr) was achieved and maintained by means of a turbomolecular pump. A needlemetering valve was incorporated into an anesthesia mask connector, and exhaled gases were transported to the mass spectrometer via a 6 ft length of Teflon tubing (1/16 in i.d.). Molecular flow conditions between the sample and analysis chambers were provided by use of a gold foil leak (0.0005 in. hole). At an inlet pressure of 400 m Torr (achieved by means of the needle valve), the inlet system was characterized by a gas transport lag-time of 1.3 s and a rise-time constant of 85 ms. Xenon (doubly charged ion: m/z 68) and carbon dioxide (doubly charged ion: m/z 22) were monitored alternately at 75 ms intervals. Our experience with mass spectrometry has demonstrated the feasibility of using a compact dedicated instrument for accurately and non-invasively monitoring end-tidal xenon concentration in a clinical setting.
Built-to-Order Service Engineering for Enterprise IT Discovery

Enterprise IT environments are complex: business applications rely on distributed middleware running on diverse hardware with components depending on each other in many unexpected ways. Discovery of applications' dependency on IT is a critical step in managing application and IT infrastructure together. Many tools and practices have emerged to discover and report IT assets and applications' dependency on the IT assets. However, our experience in the field shows that there are significant challenges in effectively deploying the tools. There is a critical need to research and develop flexible processes, methods, and practices, and architecture-level support for them in the tools to enable successful discovery using a "built-to-order" approach. In this paper we discuss our experiences with an advanced application-data relationship discovery tools in large scale enterprise environments and based on these experiences we identify three main challenges of effective discovery. They are: deployment process and related security issues; unavailability of software and administration-related information; and tool integration. To address these challenges, here we demonstrate a holistic approach that includes flexible processes, methods, and practices in the tools for achieving the necessary built-to order capability.
Decreased FOXO3 within advanced human colon cancer: implications of tumour suppressor function.

Decreased FOXO3 within advanced human colon cancer: implications of tumour suppressor function
Field metabolic rate and body size

The field metabolic rates (FMRs) of 229 species of terrestrial vertebrates, all measured using the doubly labeled water method in free-living individuals, were evaluated. Daily rates of energy expenditure were as low as 0.23 kJ per day in a small reptile (gecko), to as high as 52 500 kJ per day in a marine mammal (seal). This is a range of nearly six orders of magnitude. More than 70% of the variation in log-transformed data is due to variation in body size (expressed as body mass). Much of the remaining variation is accounted for by thermal physiology, with the endothermic mammals and birds having FMRs that are about 12 and 20 times higher, respectively, than FMRs of equivalent-sized, but ectothermic, reptiles. Variation in log(body mass) within each of these three taxonomic classes accounts for over 94% of the variation in log(FMR), and results from nonlinear regression analyses using untransformed data support this conclusion. However, the range of residual variation in mass-adjusted FMR within classes is still more than sixfold (ratio of highest over lowest). Some of this variation is associated with affiliations with lower taxonomic levels (Infraclass: eutherian vs metatherian mammals; Family: passerine, procellariform and galliform birds vs other birds), some is associated with habitat (especially desert vs nondesert), and some with differences in basic diet preference and foraging mode and season. The scaling slopes for FMR often differ from BMR slopes for the same Class of animals, and most differ from the theoretical slope of 0.75. Differences among slopes and intercepts that were detected using conventional regression analyses were largely confirmed upon reanalysis using Independent Contrasts Analysis to adjust for phylogenetic biases.
Simulation of grassland-shrubland transition zone landscape images at 650 nm using a simple BRDF

The objective of this study was to assess the capability of a simple bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model to simulate angular 650 nm (red wavelength) images of shrubland landscapes when driven by a small number of spatially-varying structural parameters (mean shrub density and width, together with derived mean canopy height and overall brightness), together with two static parameters (spectral reflectance of leaves and a parametric soil/understory BRDF). It was hypothesized that this simple parameterization will lead to important errors in reconstruction of directional (off-nadir) images, as acquired by a tilting multispectral digital camera at six different viewing directions and three different solar zenith angles in the principal plane. The results show that great care is needed in parameterizing the BRDF in this way and that variations in the brightness of the understory - here represented by grasses, forbs, subshrubs, biotic crusts and bare soil - has an important effect on modeled estimates of bidirectional reflectance in the red wavelengths.
Feed efficiency changes accompanying selection for body weight in chickens and quail

Feed efficiency data for growth selected and unselected and also stocks divergently selected for body weight were reviewed with special emphasis on changes immediately after hatching. Examination of feed efficiency differences between genetically diverse stocks from hatch to market age normally reveal only small differences in the efficiency of feed utilization. On the other hand, differences in feed intake appear to be the dominant factor in growth-related changes of these genetically diverse stocks. However, when data were segmented into periods which allowed investigation of differences at early ages, especially immediately after hatching, major differences in feed efficiency between genetically diverse groups were observed. These data indicate that feed efficiency plays a more important role in explaining genetic differences in growth than indicated by previous investigations. The appearance of the greatest differences between genetically diverse stocks immediately after hatching indicates that early feed efficiency changes may allow for greater subsequent feed intake. Therefore, it appears that changes in early feed efficiency along with changes in feed intake both play major roles in explaining genetic differences in growth. The role of feed efficiency is apparently obscured by the maintenance requirements associated with large body sizes of selected stocks when measurements are obtained at older ages.
A model for mobile code using interacting automata

The Internet supports migration of code from node to node. A number of paradigms exist for distributed computing and mobile code, including client/server, remote evaluation, code-on-demand, and mobile agents. We find them overly-restrictive views of reality. We propose a model that can express previous paradigms as special cases. We derive a model using cellular automata (CA) abstractions to study relations between local node behavior and global system behavior. Example mobile code systems are provided and existing paradigms are expressed in terms of the model. These examples include network attacks such as viruses, worms, and distributed denial of service (DDoS). A distributed system simulation tool based on the model is described. Simulation results provide insights gained from this work.
Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis Presenting as Facial Diplegia in a 42-Year-Old Woman

Neurologic manifestations of human ehrlichiosis are unusual and have been described almost exclusively in human monocytic ehrlichiosis associated with Ehrlichia chaffeensis. We report here a case of a previously healthy 42-year-old woman who developed bilateral facial nerve palsies in association with infection by the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (aoHGE). The diagnosis was made by specific polymerase chain reaction amplification of aoHGE sequences from samples of the patient's blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as well as propagation of aoHGE in culture of HL60 cells inoculated with the patient's CSF. To our knowledge, this is the first report directly demonstrating the presence of aoHGE in CSF, and it underscores the importance of considering HGE in patients presenting with a nonspecific febrile illness and unexplained neurologic manifestations. HGE should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of bilateral facial palsy-a rare occurrence.
The Attribution of Land-Atmosphere Interactions on the Seasonal Predictability of Drought

AbstractDrought has significant social and economic impacts that could be reduced by preparations made possible through seasonal prediction. During the convective season, when the potential of extreme drought is the highest, the soil moisture can provide a means of improved predictability through land–atmosphere interactions. In the past decade, there has been a significant amount of work aimed at better understanding the predictability of land–atmosphere interactions. One such approach classifies the interactions between the land and the atmosphere into coupling states. The coupling states have been shown to be persistent and were used to demonstrate the existence of strong biases in the coupling of the NCEP Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2). In this work, the attribution of the coupling state on the seasonal prediction of precipitation and temperature and the extent to which the bias in the coupling state hinders the prediction of drought is analyzed. This analysis combines the predictions from...
Large-scale testing of a steel-concrete composite floor system under column loss scenarios

Large-scale floor system tests concluded a collaborative research project that studied the structural integrity of steel gravity framing systems composed of steel beams and girders with composite concrete slab on steel deck. Simple steel beam-column connection tests were conducted at the University of Washington, steel-concrete composite slab tests were conducted at Purdue University and complete floor system tests were conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The complete floor system tests evaluate gravity systems subjected to severe demands consistent with column loss scenarios, complementing the previously-completed component tests. The floor system tests were conducted at half scale on a three-bay square configuration that considers interior, exterior and corner column loss scenarios. The three-bay by three-bay configuration was chosen so that multiple tests could be conducted using one structure. For each test, the bays adjacent to the removed column were incrementally loaded with distributed load until the floor could not support more load. These experiments provide valuable data to validate existing numerical models, to identify critical limit states, and to determine system capacities under various column loss scenarios.
Lapidary Craft Specialization at Teotihuacan: Implications for Community Structure at 33:S3W1 and Economic Organization in the City

Excavations in the Classic Period apartment compound, site 33:S3W1, in the ancient city of Teotihuacan, Mexico, have revealed the existence of two lapidary workshops. These workshops were spatially discrete and separate from domestic quarters and were located on the periphery of the compound, but still inside it, in open courtyard areas with packed earth surfaces. A number of stone grinding tools and work surfaces initially identified these areas as lapidary workshops. This assessment was confirmed by microartifact analysis of associated soil samples which indicate that a number of different raw material classes were used in the lapidary production. All of these materials, with the exception of basalt, are imported from outside of the valley of Mexico. Differential use of raw materials is present and appears to be based on the value of the commodity. Basalt and slate are the most common materials used, with greenstone and shell being the scarcest. The volume of raw material debitage is much greater than would be required for local consumption by the compound, suggesting that the lapidary artifacts were produced for exchange in the market of Teotihuacan. The scale of production, however, does not appear to be large enough to indicate that these materials were produced for long-distance exchange.
The ADAMs family of metalloproteases: multidomain proteins with multiple functions

The ADAMs family of transmembrane proteins belongs to the zinc protease superfamily. Members of the family have a modular design, characterized by the presence of metalloprotease and integrin receptor-binding activities, and a cytoplasmic domain that in many family members specifies binding sites for various signal transducing proteins. The ADAMs family has been implicated in the control of membrane fusion, cytokine and growth factor shedding, and cell migration, as well as processes such as muscle development, fertilization, and cell fate determination. Pathologies such as inflammation and cancer also involve ADAMs family members. Excellent reviews covering various facets of the ADAMs literature-base have been published over the years and we recommend their examination (Black and White 1998; Schlondorff and Blobel 1999; Primakoff and Myles 2000; Evans 2001; Kheradmand and Werb 2002). In this review, we will first discuss the properties of each of the domains of the ADAMs. We will then go on to describe the involvement of ADAMs in selected biological processes. Then, we will highlight recent interesting findings suggesting roles for ADAMs in human disease. Finally, we look to the future and discuss some of the open issues in ADAMs function and regulation.
Programmable stochastic computing: Embracing errors in architecture and design of processors and applications

All of computing today relies on an abstraction where software expects hardware to behave flawlessly for all inputs, under all conditions. While this abstraction worked well historically, due to the relatively small magnitude of variations in hardware and environment, computing will increasingly be done with devices and circuits that are inherently stochastic because of how small they are, or whose behavior is stochastic due to manufacturing and environmental uncertainties. For such emerging circuits and devices, the cost of guaranteeing correctness through guardbanding will be prohibitive, and we may need to rethink the correctness specification hardware needs to meet. Such rethinking may become particularly compelling considering that a significant amount of power is wasted in guaranteeing reliability even for applications that are inherently error tolerant.
The endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor puzzle: a mechanism without a mediator?

The article by Scotland et al1 published in this issue of Circulation reports on a unique mouse model that might help to identify a longstanding, intensely investigated, and controversial substance called endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). EDHF is a “holy grail,” a “third factor” that provides local control of vascular homeostasis in addition to nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin. The discovery of the latter substances, which are known to cause both hyperpolarization and relaxation, led to Nobel prizes. But beware acronyms! The term EDHF is >15 years old, and as yet no one substance and no one mechanism has been proposed that explains all of its features. The story of the investigation has been a meandering one, with many stops along the way. Each stop has taught us how blood vessels function, but there is more to be learned if we are to have a complete understanding. See p 796 Twenty-five years ago, Robert Furchgott identified that acetylcholine and bradykinin generated a diffusible, short-lived mediator from endothelial cells that relaxed underlying smooth muscle cells by a mechanism similar to that of nitrovasodilators.2 This seminal observation led to the identification of the substance as NO, contributed in a major way to the growth of vascular biology,3 and increased our understanding of why cardiovascular risk factors and disease diminish vasodilatation. Notwithstanding the importance of NO and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), the major intracellular mediator of NO-induced smooth muscle relaxation, many of us in the field have had the nagging feeling that something was missing.4 That this feeling is warranted is no better exemplified than by the findings of Scotland et al.1 These authors show that transgenic mice devoid of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 maintain a mechanism by which acetylcholine can hyperpolarize, relax, and vasodilate resistance …
FTIR determination of ligand-induced secondary and tertiary structural changes in bovine plasminogen.

Human plasminogen undergoes a large tertiary structural change in the presence of lysine derivatives (e.g. epsilon-amino caproic acid, EACA). This change facilitates human plasminogen activation by human plasminogen activators, resulting in elevated blood plasmin levels. It is hypothesized that this structure-function relationship is similar for bovine plasminogen. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of the ligand EACA on the secondary structure of plasminogen (bovine, human, and rabbit) and the tertiary structure of bovine plasminogen using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Spectra of plasminogen, EACA, and a mixture of plasminogen and EACA in water and deuterium were collected using FTIR. Fourier-self deconvoluted spectra in the amide I region (1700-1600 cm(-1)) were used to detect changes in secondary structure of plasminogen after EACA addition. Change in bovine plasminogen tertiary structure was determined by comparing ratios of amide II (1600-1500 cm(-1)) to amide I bond intensities over time for samples in deuterium. No differences in secondary structure were observed for any plasminogen in the presence of EACA; however, addition of EACA significantly changed tertiary structure of bovine plasminogen. This tertiary structural change indicates a transition from a folded to an unfolded state, which could be more easily converted to plasmin. These results are consistent with reported human plasminogen studies using neutron scattering (tertiary structure) and circular dichroism (secondary structure) methods.
Effects of a 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Inhibitor, Trilostane, on the Fathead Minnow Reproductive Axis

A number of environmental contaminants and plant flavonoid compounds have been shown to inhibit the activity of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Delta(5)-Delta(4) isomerase (3beta-HSD). Because 3beta-HSD plays a critical role in steroid hormone synthesis, inhibition of 3beta-HSD represents a potentially important mode of endocrine disruption that may cause reproductive dysfunction in fish or other vertebrates. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that exposure to the model 3beta-HSD inhibitor, trilostane, would adversely affect reproductive success of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Results of in vitro experiments with fathead minnow ovary tissue demonstrated that trilostane inhibited 17beta-estradiol (E2) production in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and that the effect was eliminated by providing a substrate (progesterone) that does not require 3beta-HSD activity for conversion to E2. Exposure of fish to trilostane caused a significant reduction in spawning frequency and reduced cumulative egg production over the course of the 21-day test. In females, exposure to 1500 mug trilostane/l reduced plasma vitellogenin concentrations, but did not cause significant histological alterations. In males, average trilostane concentrations as low as 50 mug/l significantly increased testis mass and gonadal somatic index. Trilostane exposure did not influence the abundance of mRNA transcripts coding for 3beta-HSD or other steroidogenesis-regulating proteins in males or females. As a whole, results of this study support the hypothesis that 3beta-HSD inhibition can cause reproductive dysfunction in fish, but did not yield a clear profile of responses at multiple levels of biological organization that could be used to diagnose this mode of action.
The value of loupe magnification: an underused tool in emergency medicine.

Abstract Study Objectives Loupe magnification is widely used in medicine. Hand surgeons, in particular, use magnification for virtually all cases. The physical examination is more effective with magnification including improved tissue and foreign body identification. It is valuable for meticulous debridement of foreign material. Skin closure is much improved with more clearly identified wound edges. The detail and precision is vastly better allowing more ideal surgical repairs. These principles could improve wound care quality for emergency physicians as well. This article will compare wound visualization with the naked eye and 2.5 magnification loupes to determine the relative value for an emergency physician. Materials and Methods Using a cadaver model, this article will compare relative visualization using no magnification and 2.5 loupe magnification. Comparative photographs will be used for identification of wound edges and anatomical structures. Results The photographs presented demonstrate relative visualization with the naked eye and the 2.5 loupes. These photographs demonstrate the advantage of magnification in wound care and closure. The only significant costs are the loupes which should not be a deterrent for emergency physicians. Discussion Loupe magnification is the standard for quality wound care and closure in hand surgery. They are also used in many other fields of medicine, including facial and plastic surgery. Magnification is now common and has proven effective. Emergency physicians, in general, have not readily embraced the use of magnification. Hand wounds and facial laceration repairs in the emergency department (ED) are 2 areas magnification could be particularly helpful. This study clearly demonstrates the relative advantage of magnification for tissue identification, debridement, and skin closure. Magnification is a potentially valuable tool in laceration repair in the ED. It greatly enhances results at minimal costs.
Toward Reconstructing the Jus Ad Bellum

In its classic form-the doctrine of the just war, whether enun ciated by theological or secular theorists, had two main components: the jus ad bellum, which defined the morally acceptable limits within which a sovereign could and even should go to war, and the jus in bello, which set limits to the conduct of war. By contrast, to day the problem of just limitation of war is addressed almost entire ly by legal and theoretical attempts to refine the jus in bello, while there exists only a morally truncated and politically ineffective jus ad bellum. What is the contemporary status of the jus ad bellum and what makes it politically and morally inadequate are the issues I wish to address directly in this paper. Indirectly, however, I wish to speak to more fundamental questions: what are the ingredients of a moral doctrine limiting resort to war, and what is required for this to be politically workable as well? The final goal, which is far beyond the scope of this paper, is to reconstruct for our own time a doctrine on the just limitation of war which would restore the dual thrust of just war doctrine in its classic form. The history of the growth and gradual disintegration of the just war doctrine is instructive for the present task. The classical form of this doctrine was reached during the last half of the sixteenth and tne first half of the seventeenth century, a period of roughly one hundred years which saw international law emerge from the medieval and enter the modern age. Between the writings of theologians like Victoria, Molina and Suarez and those of secular jurists like Gentili and Grotius there occurs a transmutation of value base by which international law ceases to be traced to God's will for the world and becomes a science whose precepts are to be sought in the structure of the world and human relations themselves. Yet in
Microarray analysis identifies interferon-inducible genes and Stat-1 as major transcriptional targets of human papillomavirus type 31

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) infect keratinocytes and induce proliferative lesions. In infected cells, viral gene products alter the activities of cellular proteins, such as Rb and p53, resulting in altered cell cycle response. It is likely that HPV gene products also alter expression of cellular genes. In this study we used microarray analysis to examine the global changes in gene expression induced by high-risk HPV type 31 (HPV31). Among 7,075 known genes and ESTs (expressed sequence tags) tested, we found that 178 were upregulated and 150 were downregulated twofold or more in HPV31 cells compared to normal human keratinocytes. While no specific pattern could be deduced from the list of genes that were upregulated, downregulated genes could be classified to three groups: genes that are involved in the regulation of cell growth, genes that are specifically expressed in keratinocytes, and genes whose expression is increased in response to interferon stimulation. The basal level of expression of several interferon-responsive genes was found to be downregulated in HPV31 cells by both microarray analysis and Northern blot analysis in different HPV31 cell lines. When cells were treated with alpha or gamma interferon, expression of interferon-inducible genes was impaired. At high doses of interferon, the effects were less pronounced. Among the genes repressed by HPV31 was the signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat-1), which plays a major role in mediating the interferon response. Suppression of Stat-1 expression may contribute to a suppressed response to interferon as well as immune evasion.