cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns and variations in the relationship between infant mortality and socioeconomic status.

Abstract This study utilizes an ecological approach based on census tracts of residence to examine the relationship between infant mortality and socioeconomic status in metropolitan Ohio at two points in time (1959–61 and 1969–71). The data presented clearly indicate that the infant mortality rate continues to exhibit a pronounced inverse association with a wide variety of socio‐economic variables. Although there were some notable exceptions and/or variations from the general patterns, a basic inverse relationship was generally found to be characteristic of both neonatal and postnatal components of infant mortality, for both males and females, and for both major exogenous and endogenous causes of death. Of all the variables examined, the one factor that emerged as the strongest and most consistent determinant of census tract variations in infant mortality was the proportion of low income families. Thus, the overriding conclusion suggested by this study is that in spite of such things as continued advances...
Numerical Constants for Isolated Vortices in Superconductors

For isolated vortex lines in high-$\ensuremath{\kappa}$, type-II superconductors, Abrikosov derived the expressions $B(0)={\ensuremath{\kappa}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}(\mathrm{ln}\ensuremath{\kappa}+{C}_{0}){H}_{c2}$ and ${H}_{c1}=\frac{1}{2}{\ensuremath{\kappa}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}(\mathrm{ln}\ensuremath{\kappa}+{C}_{1}){H}_{c2}$, but the numerical values he provided for the constants ${C}_{0}$ and ${C}_{1}$ were previously found to violate an identity ${C}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{C}_{0}\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}={C}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}g0$. The constants are reevaluated, giving ${C}_{0}=\ensuremath{-}0.282$, ${C}_{1}=0.497$, ${C}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}=0.279$. Furthermore, for superconductors containing a high concentration of magnetic impurities, it was previously shown that the electric field generated at the center of an isolated vortex in flux-flow situations is proportional to ${H}_{c2}$ and the flux-flow velocity $v$. The proportionality constant ${C}_{E}$ in the high-$\ensuremath{\kappa}$ limit is numerically evaluated here to be 0.951, which, together with the value for ${C}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$, determines the flux-flow resistivity ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{f}=0.381{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{n}\frac{〈B〉}{{H}_{c2}}$ in the low-applied-field limit when vortices are very far apart.
Identification of exposure markers in smokers' breath

Volatile organic compounds present in the exhaled breath of 26 smokers and 43 non-smokers were evaluated in an effort to identify possible biochemical markers resulting from the exposure to cigarette smoke. The total ion current profiles obtained from gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which contained about 230 GC-MS peaks, were first analyzed by using standard statistical procedures to select a subset of 22 peaks. The importance of the peaks was ranked using factor analysis, which further reduced the dimensionality of the data, and discriminant analysis served to develop classification functions. One peak, 2,5-dimethyl furan, had sufficient discriminatory power in the GC-MS profiles to allow almost complete differentiation (96% correct classification) between the smokers and non-smokers groups. In addition, several other compounds were able to separate the groups with a high level of accuracy.
On the Backs of Animals: The Valorization of Reason in Contemporary Animal Ethics

Despite the fact that feminists have compellingly drawn connections between traditional notions of reason and the oppression of women and nature, many animal ethicists fail to deeply incorporate these insights. After detailing the links between reason and the oppression of women and animals, I argue that the work of philosophers such as Tom Regan and Peter Singer fails to reflect that what feminists have called is not the mere inclusion of emotion, but a recognition of the inherent continuity between the two. To ignore this continuity, I conclude, risks reinscribing the very suffering we seek to eliminate.
Enhanced integumental and ocular amelanosis following the termination of cyclosporine administration

The Smyth delayed amelanotic line of chickens display symptoms commonly associated with human vitiligo. Administration of the immunosuppressive compound, cyclosporine, significantly delayed the mean age of onset and incidence of integumental pigment losses in this mutant line of vitiliginous chickens. Associated ocular pathology was also less severe in treated chicks. Termination of cyclosporine administration resulted in enhanced integumental and choroidal amelanosis, choroidal inflammation, and chorioretinal damage beyond that observed in nontreated controls. These results suggest that withdrawal of cyclosporine in treatment of this spontaneous autoimmune disease may exacerbate associated symptoms.
Synthesis and characterization of diametrically substituted tetra-O-n-butylcalix[4]arene ligands and their chelated complexes of titanium, molybdenum, and palladium.

The ligation properties of three new upper-rim-substituted calix[4]arene ligands, 5,17-bis(hydroxymethyl)-tetra-n-butoxycalix[4]arene ((HOCH2)2-nBu4Clx, 7), 5,17-bis((diphenylphosphinito)methoxy)-tetra-n-butoxycalix[4]arene ((PPh2OCH2)2-nBu4Clx, 8), and 5,17-bis((diphenylphosphino)methyl)-tetra-n-butoxycalix[4]arene ((PPh2CH2)2-nBu4Clx, 10) are reported herein. The newly prepared compounds differ from previously reported diametrically substituted calix[4]arene derivatives in that the lower-rim substituent was n-butyl. The presence of this lower-rim substituent did not reduce the inherent crystallinity of these complexes as purification of all materials occurred via simple crystallizations. The key precursor for the syntheses of 8 and 10 was 7, acquisition of which occurred in six steps starting from tetra-tert-butylcalix[4]arene, 1. Calix[4]arene derivatives include, tetra-n-butoxycalix[4]arene (nBu4Clx, 3), 5,11,17,23-tetrabromo-tetra-n-butoxycalix[4]arene (Br4-nBu4Clx, 4), 5,17-dibromo-tetra-n-butoxycal...
Signaling Network Model of Chromatin

We suggest that common principles underlie both cellular signaling networks and chromatin. To exemplify similarities, we focus on signaling complexes that form at membrane receptors and on nucleosomes. Multiple signal-transducing modifications on side chain residues of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and histone proteins are used to create docking sites that facilitate proximal relations of enzymes and their substrates. We argue that multiple histone modifications, like RTK modifications, promote switch-like behavior and ensure robustness of the signal, and we compare this interpretation with the histone code hypothesis. This view provides insight into chromatin function and epigenetic inheritance.
Impact of Trona-Based SO2 Control on the Elemental Leaching Behavior of Fly Ash

Trona (Na3HCO3CO3·2H2O) injection has been used to control SO2 emissions in coal-fired power plants. This study evaluated the impact of trona injection on fly ash physical and chemical characteristics, especially the leaching characteristics. One set of paired coal fly ash samples, collected from a full-scale power plant with and without trona injection for SO2 control, was used. The results showed that trona injection introduced significant amounts of soluble sodium compounds into the fly ash, elevated the fly ash pH, reduced the ash surface area, and changed the fly ash morphology. A comparison of 30 constituents in leachates from both ashes demonstrated that trona ash leached significantly greater amounts of Na, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, total inorganic carbon (TIC), and oxyanions, especially As and Se. Effects of the liquid/solid (L/S) ratio, pH, dry storage time, and leaching time on As and Se leaching and speciation were examined. AsV, SeIV, and SeVI were the As and Se species in trona ash leacha...
The effects of exposure to fear stimuli on fear reduction

Abstract The counterconditioning and extinction hypotheses were investigated in systematic desensitization. Rat-phobic college females were assigned to one of five groups. Group I received relaxation training and exposure to the relevant hierarchy. Group II received points, redeemable for money, and the relevent hierarchy. Group III subjects were asked to maintain exposure to scenes comprising the relevant hierarchy. Group IV subjects were instructed to tense various muscles during exposure to scenes in the relevant hierarchy. Group V subjects served as a control condition and were asked to view scenes in an irrelevant hierarchy. The post-treatment avoidance test data indicate that the probable mechanism accounting for change when anxiety is moderate, is extinction. Some qualifications on this interpretation involve initial levels of arousal and an attention variable.
The effects of ADR1 and CCR1 gene dosage on the regulation of the glucose-repressible alcohol dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The dosage of the transcriptional activator ADR1 was varied in order to study the regulation of the glucose-repressible alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH II) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ADH II activity during glucose growth conditions was shown to increase linearly with increasing ADR1 gene dosage. In contrast, under derepressed growth conditions a 100-fold increase in ADR1 copy number resulted in only a 4-fold increase in ADH II expression. Saturation of ADH II gene expression by ADR1 under derepressed conditions was shown not to result from decreased ADR1 transcription. Increases in ADH2 gene dosage in conjunction with high ADR1 gene dosages resulted in increased ADH II activity, indicating that ADH2 was the limiting factor during derepression. Under glucose-repressed conditions the activator CCR1 was not required for ADR1 activity. During derepression increasing ADR1 dosage could partially compensate for a CCR1 defect. Increasing CCR1 gene dosage, however, had no effect on ADH2 expression regardless of the ADR1 allele present. These results suggest that CCR1 acts through ADR1 in controlling ADH2 expression. It was also observed that high numbers of ADR1, or a few copies of ADR1-5c, substantially increased the cell doubling time under ethanol growth conditions, indicating that increased ADR1 activity is toxic.
Individual Prediction in Prostate Cancer Studies Using a Joint Longitudinal Survival–Cure Model

Patients treated for prostate cancer are monitored by periodically measuring prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after treatment. Increases in PSA are suggestive of cancer recurrence and are used in making decisions about possible new treatments. The data from studies of such patients typically consist of longitudinal PSA measurements, censored event times, and baseline covariates. Methods for the combined analysis of both longitudinal and survival data have been developed in recent years, with the main emphasis on modeling and estimation. We analyze data from a prostate cancer study in which the patients are treated with radiation therapy, using a joint model extended by adding a mixture structure to the model. Here we focus on using this model to make individualized predictions of disease progression for censored and alive patients. In this model, each patient is assumed to be either cured by the treatment or susceptible to clinical recurrence. The cured fraction is modeled as a logistic function of baselin...
The Relationship between Computer-Related Discomfort and Everyday Activities

Computer use is a risk factor for musculoskeletal discomfort which is associated with reduced productivity and work performance. However, little is known about the effect of computer-related discomfort on the performance of daily activities. This paper describes the severity of discomfort and problems with daily activities and demonstrates the associations between discomfort and daily activities. 75 computer-users rated the severity of their computer-related discomfort and the severity of daily activity problems. Analysis suggested that while the majority of computer users experienced mild discomfort and no problems with daily activities, a minority experienced moderate to severe discomfort and problems. Multiple regression analyses indicated that severity of discomfort was associated with severity of problems and that the back and right arm/hand had the greatest frequency of associations with problems of daily activities. These results underline the toll that computer-related discomfort can have on all a...
Stratification of microorganisms and nutrients in the surface microlayer of small freshwater ponds

Using two different surface microlayer sampling devices (the Harvey and Burzell glass plate and the Garrett screen), two microlayer fractions could be distinguished. The first was from 0 to 50 µm and the second was from 51 to 320 µm. Significantly different (p < 0.05) concentrations of dissolved nutrients between the two microlayer fractions strongly suggests stratification within the surface microlayer. This apparent stratification is also examined for phototrophs, bacteria and other material found within the surface microlayer.
Rate coefficients for the reaction of methylglyoxal (CH 3 COCHO) with OH and NO 3 and glyoxal (HCO) 2 with NO 3

Abstract. Rate coefficients, k, for the gas-phase reaction of CH3COCHO (methylglyoxal) with the OH and NO3 radicals and (CHO)2 (glyoxal) with the NO3 radical are reported. Rate coefficients for the OH + CH3COCHO (k1) reaction were measured under pseudo-first-order conditions in OH as a function of temperature (211–373 K) and pressure (100–220 Torr, He and N2 bath gases) using pulsed laser photolysis to produce OH radicals and laser induced fluorescence to measure its temporal profile. k1 was found to be independent of the bath gas pressure with k1(295 K) = (1.29 ± 0.13) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and a temperature dependence that is well represented by the Arrhenius expression k1(T) = (1.74 ± 0.20) × 10−12 exp[(590 ± 40)/T] cm3 molecule−1 s−1 where the uncertainties are 2σ and include estimated systematic errors. Rate coefficients for the NO3 + (CHO)2 (k3) and NO3 + CH3COCHO (k4) reactions were measured using a relative rate technique to be k3(296 K) = (4.0 ± 1.0) × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and k4(296 K) = (5.1 ± 2.1) × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. k3(T) was also measured using an absolute rate coefficient method under pseudo-first-order conditions at 296 and 353 K to be (4.2 ± 0.8) × 10−16 and (7.9 ± 3.6) × 10−16 cm3 molecule−1 s−1, respectively, in agreement with the relative rate result obtained at room temperature. The atmospheric implications of the OH and NO3 reaction rate coefficients measured in this work are discussed.
Teaching Global Studies to All Undergraduates: A Required First-Year Course

Abstract Global studies is an area that is foundational for a twenty-first century college degree. At Elon University, all first-year students take an interdisciplinary course called “The Global Experience” (GST 110) to set the tone for a globally-engaged liberal arts education. Personal and social responsibilities, which are goals of Elon’s core curriculum, provide the context for the course. Students analyze and evaluate the relationships that both connect and obstruct human interaction in an increasingly connected, technological, and rapidly changing world. In this article we explain the opportunities and challenges of delivering a course that has proved its flexibility and durability over many years.
How's of why's and why's of how's: Relation of method and cause in inquiry

This paper carries forward my work on the dialogic structure of semiotics, the general purpose of which is to account for the pro cedures for increasing knowledge and information on any given topic with respect to contextual universes of discourse. This forward move requires that fundamental principles of the interrogative structure of dialogue be recovered or abstracted from the various grounds of discipline-specific inquiries into the problem of inquiry. Although a typology of questions, which appears to have some universal significance, has been tentatively established based on linguistic in vestigation of natural languages, these basic "types" can be shown to have, as a whole, a more general reference, and are classified as follows:
Weak Dirichlet Boundary Conditions for Wall-Bounded Turbulent Flows

Abstract In turbulence applications, strongly imposed no-slip conditions often lead to inaccurate mean flow quantities for coarse boundary-layer meshes. To circumvent this shortcoming, weakly imposed Dirichlet boundary conditions for fluid dynamics were recently introduced in [Y. Bazilevs, T.J.R. Hughes, Weak imposition of Dirichlet boundary conditions in fluid mechanics, Comput. Fluids 36 (2007) 12–26]. In the present work, we propose a modification of the original weak boundary condition formulation that consistently incorporates the well-known “law of the wall”. To compare the different methods, we conduct numerical experiments for turbulent channel flow at Reynolds number 395 and 950. In the limit of vanishing mesh size in the wall-normal direction, the weak boundary condition acts like a strong boundary condition. Accordingly, strong and weak boundary conditions give essentially identical results on meshes that are stretched to better capture boundary layers. However, on uniform meshes that are incapable of resolving boundary layers, weakly imposed boundary conditions deliver significantly more accurate mean flow quantities than their strong counterparts. Hence, weakly imposed boundary conditions present a robust technique for flows of industrial interest, where optimal mesh design is usually not feasible and resolving boundary layers is prohibitively expensive. Our numerical results show that the formulation that incorporates the law of the wall yields an improvement over the original method.
Fetal membrane distention: I. Differentially expressed genes regulated by acute distention in amniotic epithelial (WISH) cells.

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to identify genes with expression up-regulated by acute distention in the human fetal membranes. Study Design: Fetal membrane explants were distended reproducibly in a novel device in vitro for 4 hours, and suppression subtractive hybridization was used to identify the candidate genes for up-regulation of expression in response to this stimulus. The up-regulation in response to distention was confirmed by quantitative Northern blot analysis both after a 4-hour in vitro distention and after labor in vivo. Results: Suppression subtractive hybridization identified 3 genes with expression up-regulated by acute distention: an interferon-stimulated gene encoding a 54-kd protein, the gene for huntingtin-interacting protein 2 (a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme), and a novel transcript. Expression of each of the distention-responsive genes found to be up-regulated in vitro was also up-regulated in fetal membranes in association with labor. Conclusions: Suppression subtractive hybridization was successfully applied to a complex tissue, the human fetal membranes, and 3 novel distention-responsive genes were identified. Both acute in vitro distention and labor in vivo up-regulate expression of at least 3 genes in the human fetal membranes. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;182:60-7.)
Bullet Ray Vision

Prior to 2000 ray tracing was typically considered an expensive computation. As a result, many developers strove to minimize the cost of ray tracing in their applications. Today many older applications can be substantially improved by being re-designed to take advantage of modern, faster ray tracing algorithms. This work examines the integration of modern ray tracing techniques with a classic ballistic penetration algorithm and demonstrates the benefit gained. We also present a unique visualization of the ballistic penetration.
UPS measurements of molecular energy level of condensed gases

Abstract There have been numerous attempts to use ultraviolet photoemission spcctroscopy (UPS) to monitor the chemical states of adsorbed gas molecules on metal surfaces. To interpret the data correctly, one has to determine the effect of photoemission on the measured energy levels of the molecule. We have measured the UPS spectra of seven gases (C 6 H 6 , C 5 H 5 N, CH 3 OH, C 2 H 5 OH, H 2 CO, H 2 O, NH 3 ) condensed on a LN 2 cooled MoS 2 substrate at hv = 21.2 eV. The inertness of the MoS 2 substrate assures that no strong chemical bonding exists between the substrate and adsorbed molecules. For each gas, the spectrum of the condensed phase is similar to the corresponding spectrum of the gas phase except all the energy levels are shifted up by the same amount. This shift ranges from 1 to 1.65 eV for the gases studied. The energy shift is attributed to the dielectric screening of the hole produced during the optical excitation.
Development of a hospital-based proton beam treatment center

Radiation oncologists recognize a continuing need to improve the radiation dose distribution between a cancer and the surrounding normal tissue. A most promising method of accomplishing this goal is the use of charged particle beam irradiation, the clinical use of which has been investigated for the past 40 years. Since the first clinical studies began at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in 1954, more than 5,000 patients have been treated with protons, using accelerators designed for physics laboratories. Superior results are reported for the control of selected diseases by the ten facilities which are currently investigating proton radiation therapy. The findings have resulted in expansion plans in several of these facilities, and in the formulation of plans for two new facilities. We report on the planned development of a new facility at Loma Linda University, which has contracted with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for the design and fabrication of a 250 MeV synchrotron and its beam transport and delivery systems. This facility will be the first in the world to employ a proton accelerator dedicated to medical service and research. As such, it will be available as an international resource to develop and improve the modality.
‘We're a Winner’: Popular Music and the Black Power Movement

Ideological conviction and emotional courage are critical characteristics of successful political and social movements. The Black Power Movement (BPM), which rose out of the struggle for political and social rights associated with the Civil Rights Movement (CRM), possessed characteristics of ideological conviction and emotional courage. In contrast to the CRM, the BPM called for a more active political challenge and cultural consciousness-based programs to accompany the struggle for rights. The BPM, which called for blacks to unite and organize around a powerful sense of self and community, exemplifies influences that inspire and drive social movements, such as strong identification with cultural consciousness and political solidarity. Social movements are typically viewed through the lens of political systems and individual action, but culture is critical to movement analysis. This article links culture and politics by employing music to represent culture and political opportunity structure to explore so...
Mammalian Male Mutation Bias: Impacts of Generation Time and Regional Variation in Substitution Rates

In mammals, males undergo a greater number of germline cell divisions compared with females. Thus, the male germline accumulates more DNA replication errors, which result in male mutation bias-a higher mutation rate for males than for females. The phenomenon of male mutation bias has been investigated mostly for rodents and primates, however, it has not been studied in detail for other mammalian orders. Here we sequenced and analyzed five introns of three genes (DBX/DBY, UTX/UTY, and ZFX/ZFY) homologous between X and Y chromosomes in several species of perissodactyls (horses and rhinos) and of primates. Male mutation bias was evident: substitution rate was higher for a Y chromosome intron than for its X chromosome homologue for all five intron pairs studied. Substitution rates varied regionally among introns sequenced on the same chromosome and this variation influenced male mutation bias inferred from each intron pair. Interestingly, we observed a positive correlation in substitution rates between homologous X and homologous Y introns as well as between orthologous primate and perissodactyl introns. The male-to-female mutation rate ratio estimated from concatenated sequences of five perissodactyl introns was 3.88 (95% CI = 2.90-6.07). Using the data generated here and estimates available in the literature, we compared male mutation bias among several mammalian orders. We conclude that male mutation bias is significantly higher for organisms with long generation times (primates, perissodactyls, and felids) than for organisms with short generation times (e.g., rodents) since the former undergo a greater number of male germline cell divisions.
Population genetic implications from DNA polymorphism in random human genomic sequences.

Denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) in combination with dye-terminator sequencing was used to survey 516 random genomic sequence tagged sites (STSs) for biallelic polymorphisms in 24 representatives of the major ethnic groups residing in the United States. Of the 301 polymorphic STSs (58.3%), 172 contained a single simple sequence polymorphism (SSP), while 78, 35, and 16 contained 2, 3, and 4-6 SSPs, respectively. Of the 541 SSPs identified, 342 (63%), 152 (28%), and 47 (9%) were transitions, transversions, and insertions or deletions, respectively. Only 21% of the STSs contained SSPs with a minor-allele frequency >20%. The nucleotide diversity estimate for random genomic sequences theta = 8.23 x 10(-4) was on average 50% higher than that for intragenic non-coding regions of the human genome ( theta = 5.52 x 10(-4). The discrepancy in Tajima's D statistic between 22 autosomal genes (D=-1.304+/-0.622, mean+/-SD) and random STSs (D=-0.27) suggests that, in the absence of significant mutation rate heterogeneity, the more negative values for genes are a consequence of directional selection rather than population growth.
Antitumor mechanism of action of a cyclopropyl antiestrogen (compound 7b) on human breast cancer cells in culture

Cyclopropyl compound 7b [(Z)-1,1-dichloro-2-[4-[2-(dimethylamino)ethoxy] phenyl]-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-cyclopropane] has been shown to be a pure antiestrogen in mouse uterine tissue. Antitumor activity was examined by evaluating the influence of 7b on the proliferation, estrogen receptor (ER) affinity and cell-surface morphology of ER-positive and ER-negative human breast cancer cells in culture. The antiproliferative potency of 7b was found to be equal to tamoxifen in ER-positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Further, the antiproliferative activities of 7b and tamoxifen were reversed by coadministration of estradiol. Accordingly, the antiproliferative activity of compound 7b appears to be estrogen-mediated since it did not influence the growth of either ER-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cells or A-549 human lung cancer cells in culture. An ER-dependent mechanism of action is also supported by the specific binding affinity of 7b for ER in MCF-7 cells. Further, a study of cell surface morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that 7b reduced the density and distribution of microvilli (MV) on MCF-7 cells, which was reversed by coadministration of estradiol. Compound 7b did not alter the cell surface morphology of ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, 7b inhibited the growth of ER-positive MCF-7 cells in an estradiol-reversible manner, and had no effect on either ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells or A-549 lung cancer cells. The results of this study confirm an antiestrogenic mechanism of action for 7b as previously observed in vivo and suggest that 7b would be effective in the treatment of estrogen-dependent breast cancer or as a prophylactic treatment for women with a high risk of breast cancer development.
Recording ionic events from cultured, DiI-labelled myenteric neurons in the guinea-pig proximal colon.

Abstract To date investigations of enteric neurons by patch clamping/calcium imaging have been limited by studying unidentified heterogeneous populations of neurons. In DiI-labelled colonic myenteric neurons, the feasibility of recording ionic events was determined by applying DiI either to the mucosa or the circular muscle, dispersing neurons after 48 h organotypic culture, and patch-clamping/calcium imaging labeled neurons after 3–7 days in culture. Myenteric neurons with diffuse DiI fluorescence were typically smooth and agranular. Neurons labeled after DiI was applied to circular muscle, fired in either a phasic or a tonic manner, and exhibited fast afterhyperpolarizations (100–300 ms duration) at the end of a depolarizing pulse. They expressed a fast inward current and at least three different outward currents. Action potentials elicited in DiI-labeled sensory neurons were followed by a prolonged afterhyperpolarization (AH, 4–6 s). The offset of a suprathreshold depolarizing step elicited a prolonged outward tail current that approximated the timecourse of the prolonged AH. In addition, in response to membrane depolarization in DiI-labeled neurons loaded with fura-2, robust Ca2+ transients were recorded using the perforated patch technique. These results demonstrate that DiI labeling of cultured myenteric neurons is feasible, and patch clamp/Ca2+ fluorescence recordings can be made from specific populations of cultured DiI-labeled colonic myenteric neurons.
Variations in pulse-height spectrum and pulse timing in CdZnTe pixel array detectors

Variations in pulse-height spectrum and pulse timing in CdZnTe pixel array detectorsJoshua D. Eskin, H. Bradford Barber, and Harrison H. BarrettThe University of Arizona, Department ofRadiology and Optical Sciences Center,Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ 85724ABSTRACTThe signal generated in pixel array detectors for gamma-ray imaging can be strikingly different from the signal seenin single-element detectors. When the pixel size is small compared with the detector thickness, the signal induced in the
TU-tagging: cell type specific RNA isolation from intact complex tissues

We found that the combination of spatially restricted uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRT) expression with 4-thiouracil delivery can be used to label and purify cell type-specific RNA from intact complex tissues in Drosophila melanogaster. This method is useful for isolating RNA from cell types that are difficult to isolate by dissection or dissociation methods and should work in many organisms, including mammals and other vertebrates.
Induction of mutations in habrobracon sperm with mitomycin C.

Abstract Males injected with mitomycin C were mated on three successive days. The dominant lethal frequency increased progressively from brood to brood, but the recessive lethal frequency appeared to remain essentially unchanged. Temperature-sensitive recessive lethal mutations are induced by mitomycin C in sperm.
Effects of internal radiative transfer on natural convection and heat transfer in a vertical crystal growth configuration

Abstract The paper examines the effect of internal radiation on the process of growing a single crystal. A two-dimensional model of the vertical growth configuration is used to simulate the vertical Bridgman method. The differential approximation is used to model radiative transfer on the spectral basis and account for interactions within the crystal and the melt. Boundary conditions for semitransparent crystals which cover the range from opaque to transparent are developed. The governing model equations are solved numerically using a finite-difference method. The solutions show the notable reduction of the temperature difference near the crystal-melt interface and of the intensity of natural convection in the melt with the decrease in the opacity of the crystal. Radiation from the sidewall is found to be a factor in influencing the natural convection flow structure in the melt. The calculations show that there is relatively little difference between the spectral-band predictions and the gray model results based on the geometric mean absorption coefficient. The results obtained indicate the necessity to consider internal radiative transfer for improving the accuracy of models to simulate single crystal growth.
Muir-Torre syndrome: case report of a patient with concurrent jejunal and ureteral cancer and a review of the literature.

Abstract Background: Muir-Torre syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant genodermatosis, first described in 1967, characterized by the presence of sebaceous tumors and an internal malignancy in the absence of other predisposing factors. Objective: Our purpose was to review and update published literature on Muir-Torre syndrome. Methods: We describe a 66-year-old white man with a history of sebaceous tumors and newly diagnosed transitional cell cancer of the right ureter and adenocarcinoma of the jejunum. The literature on Muir-Torre syndrome is reviewed by means of MEDLINE search and available published reports and updated. Results: Only 205 cases of Muir-Torre syndrome with 399 internal malignancies have been reported. The common presentation is the presence of sebaceous tumors along with a low-grade visceral malignancy. Sebaceous tumors appeared before the internal malignancy in 45 cases (22%), concurrently in 12 (6%), and after the internal malignancy in 114 (56%). In 33 (16%) of 205 patients, a temporal relationship was not reported. The total number of sebaceous gland carcinomas reported is 44; 17 of 44 were neoplasms of the meibomian gland. Keratoacanthomas have been noted in 48 (23%) of 205 patients. Gastrointestinal cancers are the most common internal malignancies (61%), followed by genitourinary (22%). Conclusion: The presence of sebaceous tumors warrants a search for an internal malignancy. In patients with Muir-Torre syndrome, regular follow-up and search for new malignancy is mandatory. Evaluation and monitoring of the family members of patients are also necessary. Patients and their families should be counseled for genetic testing. Genetic analysis of the primary tumor and skin lesions should be arranged as an added research tool if possible to better understand the disease. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;41:681-6.)
Increased number of aldosterone-sensitive NTS neurons in Dahl salt-sensitive rats

Abstract Dahl salt-sensitive rats develop severe hypertension during a high-sodium diet, but the basis of their salt-sensitive phenotype is not completely understood. A subset of neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) are uniquely sensitive to the adrenal steroid hormone aldosterone, which is critically involved in sodium homeostasis, due to their expression of the enzyme 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD2). The number of HSD2 neurons in the NTS was counted in prehypertensive 7-week-old Dahl salt-sensitive rats and compared with two control strains: Dahl salt-resistant and Sprague–Dawley rats. Dahl salt-sensitive rats had more HSD2 neurons than age-matched Dahl salt-resistant and Sprague–Dawley rats (24% and 21%, respectively). Cell counts were also made in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats; the number of HSD2 neurons in both of these strains was similar to the values obtained for Sprague–Dawley rats. The increased number of HSD2-immunoreactive neurons counted in Dahl salt-sensitive rats suggests that they may have a greater number of aldosterone-sensitive NTS neurons. Alternatively, an increase in HSD2 expression in Dahl salt-sensitive rats could increase the overall immunoreactivity, permitting detection of more of these neurons. In either case, the roughly 20% increase in HSD2 neurons in the NTS of prehypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats is a novel factor associated with their salt-sensitive phenotype. These neurons may play a role in regulating sodium appetite, which is abnormally suppressed in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.
Consensus analysis with large and multiple communication delays using spectral delay space concept

In this study, we consider the consensus problem for a group of second-order agents interacting under a fixed, undirected communication topology. Communication lines are affected by two rationally independent delays. The first delay is assumed to be in the position information channels, whereas the second delay is in the velocity information exchange. The delays are assumed to be large and uniform throughout the entire network. The stability analysis of such systems becomes quickly intractable as the number of agents increases and the delays enlarge. To resolve this dilemma, we first reduce the complexity of the problem dramatically, by decomposing the characteristic equation of the system into a set of second-order factors. Then, we assess the stability of the resulting subsystems exactly and exhaustively in the domain of the time delays using the cluster treatment of characteristic roots (CTCR) paradigm. CTCR requires the determination of all the potential stability switching loci in the domain of the d...
Dimerization of the Bacterial Biotin Carboxylase Subunit Is Required for Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase Activity In Vivo

Acetyl coenzyme A (acteyl-CoA) carboxylase (ACC) is the first committed enzyme of the fatty acid synthesis pathway. Escherichia coli ACC is composed of four different proteins. The first enzymatic activity of the ACC complex, biotin carboxylase (BC), catalyzes the carboxylation of the protein-bound biotin moiety of another subunit with bicarbonate in an ATP-dependent reaction. Although BC is found as a dimer in cell extracts and the carboxylase activities of the two subunits of the dimer are interdependent, mutant BC proteins deficient in dimerization are reported to retain appreciable activity in vitro (Y. Shen, C. Y. Chou, G. G. Chang, and L. Tong, Mol. Cell 22:807-818, 2006). However, in vivo BC must interact with the other proteins of the complex, and thus studies of the isolated BC may not reflect the intracellular function of the enzyme. We have tested the abilities of three BC mutant proteins deficient in dimerization to support growth and report that the two BC proteins most deficient in dimerization fail to support growth unless expressed at high levels. In contrast, the wild-type protein supports growth at low expression levels. We conclude that BC must be dimeric to fulfill its physiological function.
REPELLENCY OF PHEROMONES RELEASED BY FEMALES OF HELIOTHIS ARMIGERA AND H. ZEA TO FEMALES OF BOTH SPECIES

An olfactometer was used to determine the effect of pheromones released by females of the bollworms Heliothis armigera (Hubner) and H. zea (Boddie) on females of the same species. Four combinations of virgin and mated females were tested for repellency of one to the other. Evidence is presented that females of the two bollworms were repelled by females of the same species. In addition, extracts of virgin female abdomens of each species repelled virgin females of the other species. RESUME Repulsion provoquee par les pheromones liberees par les femelles d'Heliothis armigera et H. zea sur les femelles de ces deux especes L'examen en olfactometre a porte sur les reactions face a d'autres femelles de la meme espece, de femelles vierges ou ayant copule d'Heliothis armigera Hubner et H. zea Boddie. Le lot comprenait 8 femelles, vierges ou ayant copule en presence d'une femelle vierge ou ayant copule. Les 4 combinaisons possibles de femelles vierges et de femelles ayant copule ont ete examinees avec 12 repetitions pour chaque espece. Un extrait de l'extremite de l'abdomen de femelles vierges d'une espece a ete presente aux femelles de l'autre espece pour examiner les possibilites de reactions interspecifiques aux pheromones. Pour chaque espece, les reactions interspecifiques de repulsion entre femelles ont ete hautement significatives par rapport aux temoins, a l'exception toutefois des reactions de femelle ayant copule face a des femelles ayant elles aussi copule. Les repulsions moyennes chez H. armigera et H. zea pour les 8 femelles de chaque experience ont ete: a) vierges en presence d'une vierge: 7,33 et 7,66; b) vierges en presence d'une femelles ayant copule: 5,76 et 5,58; c) femelles ayant copule en presence d'une vierge: 4,67 et 4,83. Les differences sont hautement significatives entre chaque paire de moyennes et entre chaque paire et le lot temoin; 3,17; 3.17; 3,42; 4,00 pour H. armigera; 3,17; 3,50; 2,83 et 3,75 pour H. zea. Les femelles vierges des deux especes, H. armigera et H. zea ont presente une reaction de repulsion en presence d'un extrait de l'abdomen de l'autre espece; les repulsions moyennes etant respectivement 5,53 et 5,33 contre 3,83 et 3,58 pour le lot tremoin. On peut en conclure que ces repulsions doivent entrainer une tendance a la repartition uniforme.
High aggression in rats is associated with elevated stress, anxiety-like behavior, and altered catecholamine content in the brain

The social defeat paradigm involves aggressive encounters between Long-Evans (L-E) (resident) and Sprague-Dawley (S-D) (intruder) rats. Successful application of chronic social defeat stress in S-D rats is dependent upon selection of highly aggressive L-E rats. Half of the L-E rats screened for aggression did not meet the criterion for aggression (L-E rats performing a defeat, characterized by the intruder surrendering or acquiring a supine position for at least 3s). The observation of the differences in the level of aggression between age and weight matched L-E rats was quite compelling which led us to the present study. Herein, we measured behavioral differences between aggressor and non-aggressor L-E rats. We analyzed their anxiety-like behavior using open-field and elevated plus maze tests. We also measured aggression/violence-like behavior using two tests. In one, time taken to defeat the intruder S-D rat was recorded. In the second test, time taken to attack a novel object was compared between the two groups. We observed a significant increase in anxiety-like behavior in aggressor rats when compared to the non-aggressive group. Furthermore, time taken to defeat the intruder rat and to attack a novel object was significantly lower in aggressive L-E rats. Biochemical data suggests that heightened anxiety-like behavior and aggression is associated with increased plasma levels of corticosterones and elevated oxidative stress. Significant alterations in dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) were observed within the hippocampus, amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex, suggesting potential involvement of dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems in regulation of aggressive behaviors.
Efficiency of Chinook Salmon Spawning in Fall Creek, California

Abstract The spawning efficiency of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Fall Creek, a tributary of the Klamath River in northern California, was measured during four runs, 1950–1954, inclusive. In these years the following numbers of pairs of spawners were allowed to enter the stream: 750, 500, 300, and 300, respectively. Estimates of the total egg production of these fish were based on sampling. The numbers of downstream migrant fingerlings resulting from each of these spawning runs were computed by trapping the migrants in a known fraction of the stream flow. The percentages of potential eggs resulting in migrants leaving Fall Creek in the years sampled were 7, 10, 9, and 32, respectively. There appears to be an inverse correlation between the size of floods during incubation and the efficiency of spawning.
History education in transit: where to for Kazakhstan?

This study examines the post‐socialist transition in the secondary education history programme in Kazakhstan from 1990 to the present. The article examines the influence of policy talk and action upon official educational policy, and how the deployment of a new national narrative is being used to construct a de‐Sovietized‐re‐Kazakhified national identity. Educational objectives in calling for de‐Russification and de‐Sovietization are considered in the light of two other objectives: to de‐politicize and de‐ideologize the curriculum following the break‐up of the Soviet Union. I argue that there are two parallel projects at work that both support a more Kazakhified history curriculum and counter‐balance an ethno‐nationalizing programme by developing the World History programme. This study is based on 10 months of in‐country fieldwork encompassing document review, interviews and classroom observations in Kazakh and Russian medium of instruction schools.
Police Accountability and the Media

This article explores First Amendment theory and the role of the media in generating police accountability through public understanding of police organizations. We argue that free speech theory can and should look beyond “abridgment” issues and raise questions about the civic responsibility of the press to inform the public about key governmental institutions. The media's concern with crime news, we found, vastly overshadows its coverage of the police us a complex, in-teresting, and expensive governmental agency. Reporting about police institutional patterns and policies contributes more toward fulfilling First Amendment values-not only that of “checking” police excesses, but of facilitating the goal of enlightened citizen participation in local government. Those who won our independence believed…that public discussion is a political duty; and that this should be a fundamental principle of American government. They recognized the risks to which all human institutions are subject.
Closed strings as imaginary D-branes

Abstract Sen has recently drawn attention to an exact time-dependent boundary conformal field theory with the space–time interpretation of brane creation and annihilation. An interesting limit of this BCFT is formally equivalent to an array of D-branes located in imaginary time. This raises the question: what is the meaning of D-branes in imaginary time? The answer we propose is that D-branes in imaginary time define purely closed string backgrounds. In particular we prove that the disk scattering amplitude of m closed strings off an arbitrary configuration of imaginary branes is equivalent to a sphere amplitude with m +1 closed string insertions. The extra puncture is a specific closed string state, generically normalizable, that depends on the details of the brane configuration. We study in some detail the special case of the array of imaginary D-branes related to Sen's BCFT and comment on its space–time interpretation. We point out that a certain limit of our set-up allows to study classical black hole creation and suggests a relation between Choptuik's critical behavior and a phase-transition a la Gregory–Laflamme. We speculate that open string field theory on imaginary D-branes is dual to string theory on the corresponding closed string background.
Re-configurable embedded core test protocol

We report on a new, reconfigurable, packet-based, embedded test protocol that supports several popular test methodologies (boundary scan, full-scan and BIST among others) for testing multi-core SOCs. Unlike the conventional SOC test methods that require use of an expensive automatic test equipment, our proposal uses on-chip embedded cores that serve as microtesters. The protocol is implemented using two embedded cores: Test Server and Test Client. The Test Server delivers test parameters as test packets to Test Clients. Experimental results show that our new test protocol can be implemented with low (less than 2%) hardware overhead. Since hardware overhead for our test protocol does not grow as the size of SOCs, it will be even lower for large SOCs.