cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bubbles, Free Ends and the Kinetics of Force-Induced DNA Melting

Application of a stretching force to the opposite ends of torsionally unconstrained double stranded (ds) DNA leads to its abrupt 1.7-fold elongation at a force of roughly 65 pN. While the disruption of base stacking is understood to drive the length change, the extent to which base pairing remains intact continues to be controversial. Here we present kinetic data on the overstretching transition including new results on the pulling rate dependence of the DNA overstretching transition at different solution ionic strengths. It is now clear that the observed DNA overstretching transition indeed occurs in two very different modes, though bases are unpaired in both. In the first mode, DNA peels sequentially from any free end. In the second mode, bubbles of several hundred cooperatively melted base pairs appear along heterogeneous DNA. Kinetic data further reveals that the transition state is much closer to dsDNA than to the melted form. Our results also show that only the rate of base pair closing is strongly affected by force, which destabilizes each base pair not by facilitating melting but by inhibiting closing. Finally, we discuss how the switch between the peeling and internal FIM modes is affected by solution ionic strength, temperature, DNA sequence heterogeneity and the DNA pulling rate.
LSI circuits for adaptive array processing in passive sonar

An important function in underwater passive listening is array processing. Its role is to distinguish, as far as possible, the acoustic targets present in the water. During the last two decades, much effort has been devoted to adaptive array processing to obtain better performance than with conventional beamforming, both in resolving power and protection against high-level sources. However, the amount of computation needed by this processing is great. To reduce the complexity of the processing, new algorithms have been developed. But for important applications, this is still not sufficient. To solve this problem, the processing scheme has been optimised in order to obtain a modular architecture by which systems can be built using the same elementary cascadable processor for many applications. The design of special LSI circuits for adaptive array processing is described and the performance advantages quantified.
Heart Failure and Depression

Depression frequently accompanies heart failure and has been linked with increased morbidity and mortality. Patients with heart failure who have depression have more somatic symptoms, hospitalizations, increased financial burden, and poorer quality of life. Furthermore, depression has been shown to be an independent predictor of future cardiac events in patients with heart failure, regardless of disease severity, making it worthwhile to consider among other cardiac risk factors, such as diabetes and smoking. This article summarizes the trials assessing the treatment of depression in heart failure and provides an algorithm for approaching these patients.
Packet Switching in Radio Channels: Part IV--Stability Considerations and Dynamic Control in Carrier Sense Multiple Access

In two companion papers a method for multiplexing a population of terminals communicating with a central station over a packet-switched radio channel was introduced; this method is known as Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA). CSMA, as with ALOHA multiaccess broadcast channels, has the unfortunate property that the throughput falls to zero as the channel load increases beyond a critical value. The dynamic behavior and stability of slotted ALOHA channels have been studied extensively and have led to a definition of stability. In this paper, similar techniques are used to analyze CSMA, which is shown to have a behavior not unlike that of ALOHA. However, contrary to ALOHA channels where steady-state performance is badly degraded when true stability is to be guaranteed, hence requiring dynamic control, we find that CSMA provides excellent stable performance even with as large a population as 1000 terminals. Furthermore, we study a simple adaptive retransmission control procedure which provides a significantly improved channel performance which is insensitive to the population size.
Symptoms of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder are associated with cholinergic denervation in Parkinson disease

Objective: Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is common in Parkinson disease (PD), but its relationship to the varied neurotransmitter deficits of PD and prognostic significance remain incompletely understood. RBD and cholinergic system degeneration are identified independently as risk factors for cognitive impairment in PD. We aimed to assess the association between cholinergic denervation and symptoms of RBD in PD patients without dementia. Methods: Eighty subjects with PD without dementia (age, 64.6 6 7.0 years; range, 50–82 years; 60 males, 20 females; mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test [MoCA] score, 26.2 6 2.1; range 21–30) underwent clinical assessment, neuropsychological testing, and [ 11 C]methylpiperidyl propionate acetylcholinesterase and [ 11 C]dihydrotetrabenazine (DTBZ) vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. 11 C3-Amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfaryl)-benzonitrile (DASB) serotonin transporter PET imaging was performed in a subset of 35 subjects. The presence of RBD symptoms was determined using the Mayo Sleep Questionnaire. Results: Twenty-seven of 80 subjects (33.8%) indicated a history of RBD symptoms. Subjects with and without RBD symptoms showed no significant differences in age, motor disease duration, MoCA, Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale motor scores, or striatal DTBZ binding. Subjects with RBD symptoms, in comparison to those without, exhibited decreased neocortical, limbic cortical, and thalamic cholinergic innervation (0.0213 6 0.0018 vs 0.0236 6 0.0022, t ¼ 4.55, p < 0.0001; 0.0388 6 0.0029 vs 0.0423 6 0.0058, t ¼ 2.85, p ¼ 0.0056; 0.0388 6 0.0025 vs 0.0427 6 0.0042, t ¼ 4.49, p < 0.0001, respectively). Brainstem and striatal DASB binding showed no significant differences between groups. Interpretation: The presence of RBD symptoms in PD is associated with relative neocortical, limbic cortical, and thalamic cholinergic denervation although not with differential serotoninergic or nigrostriatal dopaminergic denervation. The presence of RBD symptoms may signal cholinergic system degeneration. ANN NEUROL 2012;71:560–568
Humidity Response of Adult Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Cucujidae)

The humidity response of adult sawtoothed grain beetles, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), was investigated by using alternative chambers in which the beetles were presented with a choice between 2 relative humidities. The direction (hygronegative or hygropositive) and intensity of the response depended upon sex and upon the position of the alternatives on the relative humidity (RH) scale, but, in general, the beetles showed a pronounced avoidance of high humidities and a lesser avoidance of low humidities. The intensity of the hygronegative response to 100% RH and various alternative humidities was independent of the difference between alternatives, at least when the difference was 9.3% RH or more. Between the limits of 44.4 and 75.6% RH, the intensity of the hygronegative response of males to alternatives of 60 and 100% RH was only very slightly influenced by the humidity conditions to which they had previously been exposed. However, prolonged exposure to 0% RH resulted in a reduced response.
LH 72, the Center of Constellation III

Ultraviolet spectroscopy with IUE is combined with optical photometry to study the brightest blue members of the LMC OB association LH 72. LH 72 lies near the geometric center of Shapley's Constellation III, a complex of gas and stars that makes up one of the largest known superbubbles. Ages for the stars range from 5 × 106 to 1.5 × 107 yr, with ages increasing from the south to the north end of the association. The youngest stars are associated with the brightest H II emission and have the largest reddening. This pattern of apparent sequential star formation is contrary to the expanding model proposed by Dopita, Mathewson, & Ford, in which the entire superbubble, more than an order of magnitude larger in size than LH 72, evolves in about the same amount of time. Our data, however, are consistent with an alternative model (Reid, Mould, & Thompson), in which star formation proceeds locally after the initial trigger from the superbubble shock.
The Inhibition of Low Density Lipoprotein Metabolism by Transforming Growth Factor-β Mediates Its Effects on Steroidogenesis in Bovine Adrenocortical Cells in Vitro*

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) has a differential effect on the growth and function of bovine adrenocortical cells in vitro. TGFβ inhibits basal as well as ACTH- or angiotensin II-stimulated steroid formation, with no evidence of change in cell growth. The major inhibitory effect of TGFβ occurs at a step before cholesterol formation, since treatment of adrenocortical cells with TGFβ decreased not only Δ4-steroid levels but also Δ5-steroid levels. The addition of cholesterol reverses the suppression of steroidogenesis induced by TGFβ. To determine the mechanism of this inhibition, the effect of TGFβ on low density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism was investigated. Cells treated with TGFβ showed a significant suppression of [125I]iodohuman LDL ([125I]LDL) binding to the cell surface, followed by decreases in internalization and proteolytic degradation of [125I]LDL. Maximal inhibition of LDL metabolism was observed at a concentration of 1 ng/ml (4 × 10-11 M) TGFβ. The stimulation of LDL metabolism by ACTH w...
Wiener-Hopf factorisation of Brownian motion

We study how Brownian motion behaves under time change by a fluctuating additive functionalA t , in particular letting τ be the first passage time ofA t to zero we computeP −x[B τ ∈dy] explicitly in certain cases. The calculation is not an easy one, our method uses the Desire Andre relation for the overshoot of a Levy process and depends on some elliptic function identities. This paper only considers the one boundary case whereA t is increasing (resp. decreasing) on the positive (resp. negative) half line.
A Determination of the Ratio of the Zinc Freezing Point to the Tin Freezing Point by Noise Thermometry

A Johnson-noise thermometer (JNT) has been used with a quantized voltage noise source (QVNS), as a calculable reference to determine the ratio of temperatures near the Zn freezing point to those near the Sn freezing point. The temperatures are derived in a series of separate measurements comparing the synthesized noise power from the QVNS with that of Johnson noise from a known resistance. The synthesized noise power is digitally programed to match the thermal noise powers at both temperatures and provides the principle means of scaling the temperatures. This produces a relatively flat spectrum for the ratio of spectral noise densities, which is close to unity in the low-frequency limit. The data are analyzed as relative spectral ratios over the 4.8 to 450 kHz range averaged over a 3.2 kHz bandwidth. A three-parameter model is used to account for differences in time constants that are inherently temperature dependent. A drift effect of approximately −6 μK·K−1 per day is observed in the results, and an empirical correction is applied to yield a relative difference in temperature ratios of −11.5 ± 43 μK·K−1 with respect to the ratio of temperatures assigned on the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). When these noise thermometry results are combined with results from acoustic gas thermometry at temperatures near the Sn freezing point, a value of T − T90 = 7 ± 30 mK for the Zn freezing point is derived.
The vinylogation of aldehydes: An improved method for the preparation of alpha formylethylidenetriphenylphosphorane, and an improved alpha silyl imine reagent of propionaldehyde

Abstract A high yield preparation of α-formylethylidenetriphenylphosphorane from the ethyltriphenylphosphonium iodide and ethyl formate Is reported. The α-triethylsilyl t -butylimine of propionaldehyde is a thermally stable and easily purified reagent that smoothly olefinates aldehydes and ketones.
Identification of Functional Domains in Reovirus Replication Proteins μNS and μ2

Mammalian reoviruses are nonenveloped particles containing a genome of 10 double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) gene segments. Reovirus replication occurs within viral inclusions, which are specialized nonmembranous cytoplasmic organelles formed by viral nonstructural and structural proteins. Although these structures serve as sites for several major events in the reovirus life cycle, including dsRNA synthesis, gene segment assortment, and genome encapsidation, biochemical mechanisms of virion morphogenesis within inclusions have not been elucidated because much remains unknown about inclusion anatomy and functional organization. To better understand how inclusions support viral replication, we have used RNA interference (RNAi) and reverse genetics to define functional domains in two inclusion-associated proteins, μNS and μ2, which are interacting partners essential for inclusion development and viral replication. Removal of μNS N-terminal sequences required for association with μ2 or another μNS-binding protein, σNS, prevented the capacity of μNS to support viral replication without affecting inclusion formation, indicating that μNS-μ2 and μNS-σNS interactions are necessary for inclusion function but not establishment. In contrast, introduction of changes into the μNS C-terminal region, including sequences that form a putative oligomerization domain, precluded inclusion formation as well as viral replication. Mutational analysis of μ2 revealed a critical dependence of viral replication on an intact nucleotide/RNA triphosphatase domain and an N-terminal cluster of basic amino acid residues conforming to a nuclear localization motif. Another domain in μ2 governs the capacity of viral inclusions to affiliate with microtubules and thereby modulates inclusion morphology, either globular or filamentous. However, viral variants altered in inclusion morphology displayed equivalent replication efficiency. These studies reveal a modular functional organization of inclusion proteins μNS and μ2, define the importance of specific amino acid sequences and motifs in these proteins for viral replication, and demonstrate the utility of complementary RNAi-based and reverse genetic approaches for studies of reovirus replication proteins.
Short-term anaesthesia in piglets using a liquid injection, rebreathing, inhaler device.

An economical anaesthetic technique of short duration that can be administered to piglets in the field is desirable for humanitarian reasons, for castration, tail docking or other brief procedures. Using the principles of anaesthetic uptake and distribution, an inhaler was developed to vaporize and administer isoflurane to piglets. The inhaler design consisted of a mask, vaporization chamber and a rebreathing bag. A stopcock provided access for injection of liquid isoflurane onto a wick contained in the vaporization chamber. Inspiratory and expiratory flow of air over the wick enhanced anaesthetic vaporization. The amount of liquid isoflurane required for induction and 2–3 minutes of surgical anaesthesia was calculated using the square root of time model proposed by Lowe & Ernst (1981) for liquid injection, closed circuit anaesthesia in people. Calculations were based on an assumed MAC of 1.4% and the achievement of a target alveolar concentration of 1.3 MAC to provide a surgical plane of anaesthesia. The appropriate isoflurane concentrations in the mask, inhaler, rebreathing bag and the piglet's FRC and tissues were calculated. Original calculations were based on metabolic size (BW0.75) and then converted to weight (kg). Based on the piglet's scale weight, the total microliters of liquid isoflurane required were formulated into a table for field use. Isoflurane was injected into the inhaler stopcock followed by oxygen to fill the rebreathing bag and initiate vaporization. After the mask was placed over the piglet's nose a slide switch was activated to allow gases to move in and out of the inhaler and rebreathing bag. Fifty-seven male piglets weighing (mean ± SD 3.0 ± 0.7 kg) and aged 7.7 ± 1.0 days were randomly selected to receive anaesthesia prior to castration. Remaining littermates served as controls for assessing morbidity or mortality. The time to induction, recovery and total anaesthetic time were measured. The Pe′CO2 was measured at the piglet's nostril immediately after the mask was removed at the end of the surgical procedure. Data were analysed in SAS using the Proc Mixed procedure. Inductions were rapid, 47 ± 9 seconds, generally with minimal or no resistance. The duration of surgery was 1–2 minutes. Anaesthesia was adequate and recovery was rapid, 122 ± 44 seconds. Total time from start to standing was 260 ± 51 seconds. The Pe′CO2 was 5.2 ± 1.1 kPa (39.4 ± 8.4 mm Hg). There was no morbidity or mortality associated with either group of piglets. After piglets were standing and mobile, they were returned to the sow and other littermates, where they immediately started nursing and were indistinguishable from littermates except by determination of ear notch number. This technique provides safe, rapid anaesthesia and recovery that is appropriate for use by veterinarians for brief field procedures.
Differences in the Reactivity of [Ag(PBu3)I]4 and [Cu(PBu3)I]4 in Promoting Conjugate Addition

Copper-free [Ag(PBu3)I]4 (1†) promotes the reaction of n-butylmagnesium chloride with 2-cyclohexen-1-one at −45 °C to produce 3-butylcyclohexanone. n-Butyllithium affords comparable results at −78 °C. Notably, compound 1† effects a stoichiometric, not a catalytic, reaction. This fact may be easily obscured by the presence of trace copper impurities, which are highly potent catalysts. Contamination with as little as 2.6 ppm of copper affects the results. Highly pure silver complexes, however, give only stoichiometric yields. These complexes may provide insights into the mechanism of conjugate addition.
Further purification of an inhibitory factor for DNA synthesis in regenerating rat liver

Abstract A low molecular weight inhibitor of DNA synthesis in regenerating rat liver is associated with carbohydrate as initially extracted from bovine liver. Phenol extraction separates the carbohydrate which proves to be inactive. The active components in the phenol phase are effectively fracionated on silica gel using organic solvents.
Analysis of monosaccharide composition by capillary electrophoresis

The monosaccharide composition analysis described in this paper employs capillary electrophoretic separation of sugar monomers liberated from glycoproteins or oligosaccharides, by high temperature acidic hydrolysis. Trifluoroacetic acid was used for sialo- and neutral-sugar hydrolysis, and hydrochloric acid was used for amino-sugar hydrolysis. The neutral- and amino-sugars in the hydrolyzates were then labeled with a charged fluorophore, 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate, while sialic acids were labeled with 9-aminoacridone. The stoichiometry of labeling was such that only one fluorophore molecule was attached to each monosaccharide molecule. The labeled monosaccharides were then separated by high-performance capillary electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence detection. The acidic hydrolysis and fluorophore labeling conditions described in this paper are suitable for monosaccharide composition analysis of a wide variety of complex carbohydrates from glycoprotein and/or oligosaccharide samples using capillary electrophoresis.
Norris Hydro Plant - Generator Rotor Failure

The difficulties experienced with a hydro plant generator because the unit was operated an extended time with a greatly unbalanced generator rotor airgap are discussed. Rotor repairs required the development of a rather unique rotor rim support system.
Low flow, externally air cooled torch for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with axial viewing

Abstract The torch wall is cooled largely by air passing through a cooling jacket added to the outside of a Fassel torch. The plasma is viewed axially through a cooled cone interface centered on the axial channel. The outer argon gas flow can be reduced to 7 l min −1 with no compromise in performance or torch lifetime. The plasma exhibits the same ‘robustness index’ and interference effects from Na as the conventional, high-flow ICP supplied with the particular spectrometer used. Detection limits (DL) for lines at ∼200 nm are poorer by approximately a factor of two, while those for lines at ∼400 nm are actually better than values typically seen for the same lines by axial viewing of a conventional, high-flow ICP.
Activity Regulates the Synaptic Localization of the NMDA Receptor in Hippocampal Neurons

We describe here a novel effect of activity on the subcellular distribution of NMDA receptors in hippocampal neurons in culture. In spontaneously active neurons, NMDA receptors were clustered at a few synaptic and nonsynaptic sites. Chronic blockade of NMDA receptor activity induced a 380% increase in the number of NMDA receptor clusters and a shift to a more synaptic distribution. This effect was reversible. The distributions of the presynaptic marker synaptophysin, the AMPA-type glutamate receptor subunit GluR1, and the putative NMDA receptor clustering protein PSD-95 were not affected by blockade. Regulation of the synaptic localization of NMDA receptors by activity may define a novel mechanism by which input controls a neuron's ability to modify its synapses.
Nine sources of problems for novice online searchers

With any new skill, the time comes when one must put together the various steps that have been practiced and actually ‘play the game’. For many students of library and information science, online searching is a new search for a ‘real world’ client. This paper describes some problems these novice searchers have in putting it all together.
A Theory of Cyclogenesis Forced by Diabatic Heating. Part I: A Quasi-geostrophic Approach

Abstract A quasi-geostrophic theory of cyclogenesis forced by a low-level diabatic heating in a backsheared baroclinic flow is proposed. Existence of wind reversal in one direction of the basic flow is an essential criterion to obtain a forced baroclinic wave in the vicinity of the heating region. It was found that an analogy exists for a quasi-geostrophic flow over a mountain and a region of steady-state diabatic heating. The relationship is described by h(x, y) = (− g/T0N2)T(x, y), where h(x, y) is the mountain shape and T(x, y) is the temperature anomaly. The response of a backsheared baroclinic flow over a region of two-dimensional diabatic heating (cooling) is a coupled low–high (high–low) pressure pair located in the vicinity and on the downstream side of the heating (cooling), respectively. Physically, the growth of the pressure perturbation can be explained by a group velocity argument. The disturbance remains locally in the vicinity of the forcing due to zero phase speed of the forced baroclinic ...
Paleozoic lake faunas: Establishing aquatic life on land

Abstract Lakes are important archives for continental records of paleoenvironmental as well as paleoclimatic change. They also record a unique macroevolutionary pattern that occurred when faunas invaded the continental realm. In order to document that pattern, we compiled a database of over one hundred and six lake basins from the Neoproterozoic to Permian. Looking at this critical time in lacustrine evolution, several patterns emerge. For the Neoproterozoic through Silurian time, there is a paucity of documented lake deposits and lake faunal records. However, the records that are available indicate that lakes were oligotrophic and their nutrient cycling regimes primitive. It is not until the establishment of land plants in the Silurian that lakes began to respond with higher diversities and more complex physical and chemical conditions. During the Devonian–Carboniferous periods, diversity was on the rise as trophic structure became more complex. Most lakes of the Devonian and Carboniferous formed along continental margins or in tectonic basins with occasional connection to the marine realm. The faunas from these types of lakes were commonly comprised of mixed marine and freshwater elements and were far more diverse than other, more inland lakes. This “estuary effect” created a gateway or filter through which faunas invaded the continental realm. The early history of lake faunas is one of opportunity and amelioration. The feedback loops created by the establishment of vascular plants altered the nutrient cycle on land and in lakes. All trophic levels were established early, but became increasingly complex throughout the Paleozoic, as roles changed and faunal elements became established. Groups invading the continents via the “estuary effect” did so numerous times before establishing themselves permanently. This was linked with the episodic re-establishment in marine–freshwater connections along these continental margins.
Computed ST forces of Frank and bipolar exercise electrocardiograms

Abstract 1.1. Simultaneous CB 5 bipolar and Frank X, Y, and Z orthogonal ECG leads were recorded during a standardized exercise test on 36 ambulatory individuals. From analysis of direct-writing the CB 5 bipolar lead at the moment of cessation of exercise, 11 were classified by visual interpretation with an abnormal ST response, and 28 with a normal ST response to maximally tolerated exercise. An objective computer method confirmed these subjective clinical differentiations. Classification of responses from X, Y, and Z orthogonal leads was not more reliable than that from the CB 5 bipolar lead. 2.2. Multivariate analysis of normal and abnormal ECG responses grouped together showed the highest correlation between spatial and bipolar ST forces at the ST 2 locus at rest and during most of the recovery and at ST 1 locus during strenuous exercise and immediate recovery. During the second and third minute of recovery, there was no correlation between spatial and bipolar ST 3 forces. 3.3. Most of the ST 2 information related to the bipolar lead was located in the X lead of the Frank lead electrocardiogram. A satisfactory correlation between observed bipolar ST 2 and predicted bipolar ST 2 forces (computed from X, Y, Z, frontal, and spatial measurements of the Frank lead ECG) was obtained by external checking in other patients. 4.4. A single bipolar precordial lead appears to be as reliable for purposes of classifying ECG responses to maximal exercise as the more comprehensive Frank lead system.
The supersingleton II: Composite electrodynamics

A formulation of composite electrodynamics, with scalar singleton constituents, is here extended to a supersymmetric theory of composite photons and neutrinos, in which the (massless) neutrinos are composed of one each of the scalar and spinorial singletons. These particles interact with an arbitrary scalar matter superfield, with massive, charged components. The feasibility of an interaction that is gauge invariant (in the sense of singleton gauge invariance) arises from the use of unconventional quantization rules which, in turn, are available because singletons are ‘kinematically confined’.
Screening for urethral infection in adolescent and young adult males

We evaluated the urinary leukocyte esterase (LE) dipstick as a predictor of a positive urethral culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae andlor Chlamydia trachomatis in adolescent and young adult males. Sexual and sexually transmitted disease (STD) histories were also analyzed to determine predictors of infection. Subjects were recruited from sexually active males attending an adolescent medicine clinic. Patients were interviewed regarding presence of symptoms of urethritis and a variety of clinical variables. First-voided urine for LE dipstick and urethral swabs for gonorrhea and C. trachomatis cultures were obtained. One hundred patients (mean age, 19.2 years) were asymptomatic; 50 patients (mean age, 19.0 years) had symptoms of urethritis. In asymptomatic patients, the sensitivity, specificity, predictive value positive (PVP), and predictive value negative (PVN) of the LE dipstick were 0.31, 0.92,0.57, and 0.90, respectively. These values were 0.66, 0.71, 0.76, and 0.60, respectively, in symptomatic patients. In each patient group the dipstick was more sensitive in detecting, and a better predictor of, a positive culture for gonorrhea than Chlamydia. LE dipstick results and clinical variables were evaluated as correlates of infection using stepwise logistic regression. A positive LE dipstick and four additional variables increased the probability of obtaining a positive culture for one or both organisms from symptomatic patients. These variables were the following: sexual contact in the previous month with a partner diagnosed as having a sexually transmitted disease, having ever used a condom, five or more lifetime sexual partners, and more than one sexual partner in the past month. Only a positive LE dipstick entered the model as a predictor of infection in asymptomatic patients. We concluded that the LE dipstick is the only available noninvasive screening instrument for asymptomatic urethral infection. It can be used to identify asymptomatic, sexually active males for whom culture for STDs is appropriate. The sexual and STD history do not assist in predicting positive culture(s) in asymptomatic patients, although several variables were associated with infection in symptomatic patients. Symptomatic patients should be evaluated using standard techniques regardless of LE dipstick results.
Trends of pulmonary embolism before and after kidney transplantation in black versus white patients.

Abstract Background Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an important cause of in-hospital mortality and is common in renal transplantation and maintenance dialysis patients. PE incidence is higher among patients who are black; however, differences in trends of incidence and outcomes of PE by race among patients on dialysis and after renal transplantation is not well known. Methods In this observational study, the incidences of PE hospitalizations and mortality were studied in those with renal transplant, on maintenance dialysis, and in general population. Incidences were compared across racial groups. Renal transplantation status as a predictor of mortality was also examined. Results The incidences of PE in general population, dialysis, and renal transplant groups were 70.5, 518.8, and 158.8 per 100,000 population, respectively. Incidence was higher in blacks across all groups. The age-adjusted incidence of PE admissions increased over time in all groups with greater increase in blacks in non-transplant groups (the slope in dialysis for blacks was 112.1 versus that for whites at 49.4; P = .001; the slope in general population for blacks was 9.3 versus 3.4 for whites; P = .003). The mortality rate in general population was not significantly different than renal transplant group (3.4% versus 1.9%, P = .2); however, was lower than 6.8% seen in dialysis group (P Conclusions PE in those with renal transplant is more common than in general population but less common than those on maintenance dialysis. The mortality rate for PE hospitalizations is equivocal between renal transplant and general population but higher for patients on dialysis. The incidence of PE hospitalizations is not only higher among blacks, but is increasing disproportionately in this group among those who are on maintenance dialysis and within general population.
Conflicting Voices: The Effects of Institutional Ownership Heterogeneity and Internal Governance on Corporate Innovation Strategies

Examining the relationship between governance and corporate innovation strategies, we found, in opposition to the assumption that owners have a unified voice, differences among governance constitue...
On the Future of Genomic Data

Many of the challenges in genomics derive from the informatics needed to store and analyze the raw sequencing data that is available from highly multiplexed sequencing technologies. Because single week-long sequencing runs today can produce as much data as did entire genome centers a few years ago, the need to process terabytes of information has become de rigueur for many labs engaged in genomic research. The availability of deep (and large) genomic data sets raises concerns over information access, data security, and subject/patient privacy that must be addressed for the field to continue its rapid advances.
Chronic and voluntary exercise enhances learning of conditioned place preference to morphine in rats

Previous research has shown that brief and intermittent activity wheel running attenuates conditioned place preference (CPP) to morphine in rats, which suggests that exercise may produce a cross-tolerance to opiates. On the other hand, a different exercise paradigm, chronic and voluntary wheel running, enhances learning in contextual conditioning tasks. The present experiments tested CPP to 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mg/kg morphine in sedentary rats and rats provided free access to running wheels for three weeks. Sucrose preference was also tested to determine exercise's influence on appetitive processes. Levels of mRNA encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor and preprogalanin mRNA were quantified using in situ hybridization. In rats that exhibited CPP to morphine, exercising rats spent significantly more time per entry in the morphine-paired chamber during the CPP test. CPP to morphine was dose-dependent. The expression of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was greater in exercising rats compared to the sedentary group. Preprogalanin (GAL) mRNA expression in the locus coeruleus (LC) was positively correlated with mean distance run. These results suggest that while chronic exercise may produce cross-tolerance to opioids, exercise-induced enhancement of associative learning caused by exercise may override this effect in the conditioned place preference procedure.
Secure Neighbor Discovery in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Neighbor discovery is an important part of many protocols for wireless adhoc networks, including localization and routing. When neighbor discovery fails, communications and protocols performance deteriorate. In networks affected by relay attacks, also known as wormholes, the failure may be more subtle. The wormhole may selectively deny or degrade communications. IIn this paper we present Mobile Secure Neighbor Discovery (MSND), which offers a measure of protection against wormholes by allowing participating mobile nodes to securely determine if they are neighbors. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to secure neighbor discovery in mobile adhoc networks. MSND leverages concepts of graph rigidity for wormhole detection.We prove security properties of our protocol, and demonstrate its effectiveness through extensive simulations and a real system evaluation employing Epic motes and iRobot robots.
Vapor phase spectroscopy of complex lanthanide halide-aluminum halide molecular species

The absorption spectrum of ErCl/sub 3/ (AlCl/sub 3/)/sub x/ vapor complex was measured and analyzed using the Judd-Ofelt theory. Structural correlations in other AlCl/sub 3/ vapor complexes and radiation emission are discussed. Fluorescence of TbCl/sub 3/ (AlCl/sub 3/)/sub x/ vapor complex and in the NdCl/sub 3/ (AlCl/sub 3/)/sub x/ system were studied. (DLC)
Bringing the Cops Back In: A Study of Efforts to Make the Criminal Justice System More Responsive to Incidents of Family Violence

This paper examines the ways in which the criminal justice system typically responds to incidents of violence between adult members of the same household and then using a three equation, nonrecursive time series model considers the impact of efforts in one locale to improve law enforcement practices. Three questions are addressed: (a) can the apparent underreporting of domestic violence by police be improved; (b) can the quality of information funneled from police to the District Attorney's office be enhanced; and (c) can the number of offenders held accountable for their actions be increased?
Real Java applications in software transactional memory

Transactional Memory (TM) shows promise as a new concurrency control mechanism to replace lock-based synchronization. However, there have been few studies of TM systems with real applications, and the real-world benefits and barriers of TM remain unknown. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the behavior of real applications on a software transactional memory system. Based on this analysis, we aim to clarify what programming work is required to achieve reasonable performance in TM-based applications. We selected three existing Java applications: (1) HSQLDB, (2) the Geronimo application server, and (3) the GlassFish application server, because each application has a scalability problem caused by lock contentions. We identified the critical sections where lock contentions frequently occur, and modified the source code so that the critical sections are executed transactionally. However, this simple modification proved insufficient to achieve reasonable performance because of excessive data conflicts. We found that most of the data conflicts were caused by application-level optimizations such as reusing objects to reduce the memory usage. After modifying the source code to disable those optimizations, the TM-based applications showed higher or competitive performance compared to lock-based applications. Another finding is that the number of variables that actually cause data conflicts is much smaller than the number of variables that can be accessed in critical sections. This implies that the performance tuning of TM-based applications may be easier than that of lock-based applications where we need to take care of all of the variables that can be accessed in the critical sections.
Ascending projections of the locus coeruleus in the rat. I. axonal transport in central noradrenaline neurons

Summary Axonal transport of protein and metabolites of l -[3H(G)]3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine ([3H]DOPA) was studied in the central noradrenaline neurons of the pontine nucleus locus coeruleus and was correlated with regional alterations of noradrenaline content following destruction of the nucleus. Unilateral lesions of the locus coeruleus produce a partial depletion of noradrenaline in the ipsilateral hypothalamus and telencephalon, indicating that these neurons project widely to the ipsilateral forebrain. Twenty-four to 48 h following local injections of 50 μCi [3H]proline, locus coeruleus neurons take up labeled material and transport it, presumably as protein, to ipsilateral structures in the midbrain, diencephalon and telencephalon including the neocortex. Similarly 8 h after injection of 25 μCi [3H]DOPA into the locus coeruleus, transport of material including catecholamines occurs to ipsilateral diencephalon and telencephalon. Axonal transport of proteins to telencephalic structures is greatly diminished by selective lesions of catecholamine terminals with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and following destruction of the medial forebrain bundle. These results provide further support for the view that noradrenaline neurons of the locus coeruleus nucleus project widely within the neuraxis to ipsilateral structures of the brain stem, diencephalon and telencephalon, including all cortical areas. In addition, evidence is presented for a contralateral projection with a similar distribution. The rate of axonal transport of labeled protein and metabolites of [3H]DOPA including [3H]catecholamines in central noradrenaline neurons is estimated to be 3–4 mm/h and is accordingly similar to that reported for noradrenaline neurons of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system.
Polymorphic markers of human T-cell receptor alpha and beta genes. Family studies and comparison of frequencies in healthy individuals and patients with multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis

Polymorphic markers for the human T-cell receptor (TcR) genes are described. With a TcR beta-chain probe, polymorphic allelic fragments of 5.4 and 1.8 kb were detected in KpnI digests, and fragments of 12.5 and 11.5 kb were seen in the BglII digests. Polymorphism in alpha chain genes was observed in TaqI-digested DNA samples with bands at 10.2 and 6.2-2.1 kb. Mendelian codominant inheritance for all three polymorphisms was confirmed in family studies. The gene frequencies for these alleles were determined in a sample of 70 normal unrelated Caucasian individuals, and were shown to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There were no significant differences in the frequency of these polymorphic alpha and beta alleles between patients with multiple sclerosis and patients with myasthenia gravis as compared to a panel of control healthy individuals.
Basic Language Skills and Young Children's Understanding of Causal Connections During Storytelling

The current study examined the role of basic language skills for individual differences in preschoolers’ understanding of causal connections. Assessments of basic language skills, expressive vocabulary, phonological processing, and receptive language comprehension were examined in relation to the production of causal connections in a storytelling task, at two time periods. Similar to previous cross-sectional research, children's causal connections increased over six months. As hypothesized, expressive vocabulary and phonological processing predicted causal connections at Time 1. Six months later, only phonological processing predicted causal connections. Results provide new information regarding the significance of basic language skills for early narrative skills.
A metal–organic framework with coordinatively unsaturated metal centers and microporous structure

A novel two dimensional porous framework [Cd3(BTB)2(DEF)4]n·2nDEF (1) based on {Cd3} building blocks with bilayer honeycomb structure constructed from cadmium ion bridged honeycomb layers exhibits promising adsorption for N2 after activation to obtain coordinatively unsaturated Cd centers, and SEM characterization demonstrates interesting microporous structure inside of the compound.
A comparison of dinitrogen fixation rates in wood litter decayed by white-rot and brown-rot fungi

Nitrogen fixation rates, as estimated by the acetylene reduction technique, were determined in conifer wood litter being decayed by brown- and white-rot fungi. Average ethylene production rates were significantly higher in white-rotted wood (15.1 nmol g−1 day−1) than in brown-rotted wood (2.3 nmol g−1 day−1). This difference may be related to a higher soluble sugar content in white-versus brown-rotted wood. The nitrogen-fixing bacteriumAzospirillum was not detected in any of the decaying wood samples examined. Greater nitrogen additions from nitrogen-fixing bacteria may be a factor in the more rapid white-rot decay of hardwood litter, as compared to the slower brown-rot decay of conifer wood.
Survey of 520 eyes with uveal metastases.

Objective The purpose of this investigation is to report the clinical features of patients with uveal metastases seen at a major ocular oncology center. Design/participants A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients with uveal metastases evaluated at an ocular oncology outpatient facility over a 20-year period. Main outcome measure To assess the systemic and ophthalmic features of uveal metastases. Results A total of 950 uveal metastases were diagnosed in 520 eyes of 420 consecutive patients. Of the 950 metastatic foci, the uveal involvement included iris in 90 (9%), ciliary body in 22 (2%), and choroid in 838 (88%). The total number of uveal metastases per eye was 1 (71%) in 370 eyes, 2 (12%) in 63 eyes, and 3 or more (17%) in 87 eyes. The mean number of uveal metastases per eye was two (median, one). Iris metastases presented most often as a yellow-to-white solitary nodule in the inferior quadrant. Ciliary body metastases typically presented as a solitary, sessile, or dome-shaped yellow mass in the inferior quadrant, but were difficult to visualize directly. The choroidal metastases typically were yellow in color, plateau shaped, and associated with subretinal fluid. In the 479 eyes with choroidal metastases, the epicenter of the main tumor was found in the macular area in 59 eyes (12%), between the macula and equator in 383 eyes (80%), and anterior to the equator in 37 eyes (8%). The mean size of the main (largest) choroidal tumor in each eye was 9 mm in base and 3 mm in thickness. At the time of ocular diagnosis, 278 patients (66%) reported a history of a primary cancer and 142 patients (34%) had no history of a cancer. Subsequent evaluation of these 142 patients after the ocular diagnosis of uveal metastasis showed a primary tumor in the lung in 50 patients (35%), breast in 10 (7%), others in 9 (6%), and no primary site was found in 73 patients (51%). Nearly half of the patients with no known primary site eventually died of diffuse metastatic disease. In the entire group of 420 patients, the uveal metastasis came from a primary cancer of the breast in 196 (47%), lung in 90 (21%), gastrointestinal tract in 18 (4%), kidney in 9 (2%), skin in 9 (2%), prostate in 9 (2%), and other cancers in 16 (4%). In 73 cases (17%), the primary site was never established despite systemic evaluation by medical oncologists. Conclusions Iris, ciliary body, and choroidal metastases have typical clinical features that should suggest the diagnosis. The choroid is the most common site for uveal metastases, and the tumors occur most often in the posterior pole of the eye with an average of two tumors per eye. Approximately one third of patients have no history of primary cancer at the time of ocular diagnosis. Breast and lung cancers represent more than two thirds of the primary tumor sites.
Task Requirements in Tests of Schizophrenic Overinclusion

The concept of overinclusion is examined and found to be too broad to have great descriptive utility. Attempts to select overinclusion measures have not given sufficient attention to the performance requirements made by the tasks selected. Both recent experimental evidence and an analysis of the performance requirements of frequently used overinclusion tasks suggest that a retention failure may be an important factor in the production of overinclusive errors in schizophrenics. Implications of these findings for the concept of overinclusion and for psychological deficit research are discussed.
A versatile multi-port biconical antenna

This paper describes a multi-port, biconical antenna that can be used as a wide-band direction finder or multiplexer. when the antenna is used for reception, incident plane waves excite in the feeding coaxial line both the TEM mode and the orthogonal TE 11 mode whose azimuthal orientation depends on the direction of arrival of the signal. Directional information can be obtained by measuring the sum of these two modes at four fixed detectors arranged at 90-degree intervals around the coaxial line. Alternatively, the linearly polarized TE 11 mode can be resolved, with appropriate circuitry, into right- and left-hand circularly polarized TE 11 modes. Then directional information can be obtained by measuring the phase difference between either of the circularly polarized modes and the TEM mode. This latter form of direction finder is well suited to multiplexing applications because each of its three ports is well isolated from the others. Furthermore, this antenna has the unique property that a signal fed into any one of these three ports will cause the antenna to radiate omnidirectionally in azimuth. A waveguide version of this antenna has been built and tested and found to operate well over the frequency range of 8.2 to 12.4 kMc.
Pilot Evaluation of Anti-1-amino-2-[18F] fluorocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid (anti-2-[18F] FACPC) PET-CT in Recurrent Prostate Carcinoma

Purpose Anti-1-amino-2-[18F]fluorocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid (anti-2-[18F]FACPC) is an unnatural alicyclic amino acid radiotracer with high uptake in the DU-145 prostate cancer cell line in vitro. Our goal was to determine if anti-2-[18F]FACPC is useful in the detection of prostate carcinoma.