cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An oligogene family encodes actins in the housefly, Musca domestica.

Abstract Southern hybridization analyses of genomic DNA and dot-blot reconstruction experiments indicated that 5-6 members comprise the actin gene family in the housefly, Musca domestica . Hybridization data failed to reveal conservation between housefly and fruitfly sequences flanking actin genes at their 3′ ends, in marked contrast to the high degree of conservation observed in these regions of orthologous actin genes in vertebrates. Hybridization analysis of genomic DNA isolated from individual houseflies revealed polymorphism within actin-associated sequences. A representative genomic library was constructed in lambda EMBL3 and screened using a heterologous actin coding sequence probe. Of nearly 20 recombinants isolated, 6 represented overlapping clones and the remainder proved to be inviable.
Mascons, Mare Rock and Isostasy

THE nature of the large positive gravity anomalies discovered on the Moon1 (mascons) has been the subject of lively discussion. The high density (3.1 to 3.5 g cm−3) of mare rocks at Tranquillity Base2 supports one hypothesis—that mascons are surface sheets of high density volcanic rock3. The non-isostatic conditions of the mascon areas shown by the free-air anomalies4,5 may have terrestrial analogues. in some regions of recent volcanism where breaks in the crust have allowed dense basalts to pile up on the surface faster than isostatic balance can be maintained.
Nonlinear filtering with pipeline and array processors

Monte Carlo analysis of the combined phase amplitude demodulator problem will be discussed. The effect of machine architectural differences on the nonlinear filtering algorithms will be emphasized. Two machines will be considered; the CDC Star 100 and the Floating Point System's AP120B, which are respectively pipeline and multiprocessor array, in the context of numerical realization of the optimal nonlinear filter for the demodulation problem.
Phlogopite-chlorite reaction mechanisms and physical conditions during retrograde reactions in the Marble Formation, Franklin, New Jersey

A retrograde assemblage in a specimen from the Franklin Marble Formation containing an unusual occurrence of three micas has been studied. Microprobe analyses of the margarite, muscovite and phlogopite reveal significant sodium and fluorine but otherwise show little mutual solid solution. The conditions that prevailed during the retrogression estimated from phase equilibria are T=370–450° C and $$X_{{\text{CO}}_{\text{2}} }$$ =0.03–0.3 at an assumed pressure of 2 kb. Examination of the phlogopite by TEM revealed replacement of phlogopite by chlorite. The chlorite occurred as small packets of layers interlayered with phlogopite. AEM analyses revealed that the chlorite composition approximates that of clinochlore. Transformations from a single phlogopite layer to one chlorite layer (a 1∶1 reaction) and also from two phlogopite layers to one chlorite layer (a 2∶1 reaction) have been observed. Both reactions result in a large volume change causing local strain at transition fronts. An apparently strain-free, volume-preserving transformation of 14 phlogopite layers terminating against 10 chlorite layers was observed which indicates that pervasive replacement may occur through a combination of both reactions. Topological and site occupancy changes during the transformation suggest that the reaction involves not only gain and loss of layer units, but also considerable local rupturing and reformation of bonds, concomitant with ion diffusion and interchange. Dislocations (layer terminations) at the transition front imply the existence of pathways for the fluid flow and ion transport required for mass balance.
The Use of Protective Behaviors in Relation to Gambling Among College Students

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a measure of gambling protective behaviors and examine the relationship between indices of gambling behavior, including frequency, quantity and problem severity, and the use of gambling protective behaviors. Undergraduates from a large public university (N = 4,014) completed a web-based screening survey comprising measures of gambling and health behaviors, from which those who gambled within the past 6-months (n = 1,922, 48 % of the entire sample) were invited to complete the baseline assessment, including the Gambling Protective Behavior Scale (GPBS). The GPBS was determined to have two subscales, primarily consisting of harm reduction strategies that reduce the money or time spent on gambling, or avoidance strategies that help to minimize engagement in gambling activities. Hierarchical multiple regressions found participants’ sex moderated the relationship between use of protective behavioral strategies and gambling outcomes. However, effects were in the opposite direction to those hypothesized. Specifically, because women gambled less, had lower gambling problem severity, and reported more frequent use of gambling avoidance protective behaviors, the relationship between use of gambling protective behaviors and gambling outcomes was stronger for men than women. Men who used more avoidance strategies gambled less frequently compared to men who used fewer avoidance strategies. Similarly, men who used more harm reduction strategies spent fewer dollars on gambling and had lower scores on gambling problem severity compared to men using fewer harm reduction strategies for women these relationships were less pronounced. Implications of incorporating specific gambling protective behavioral strategies into prevention and treatment programs are discussed.
Comparability of MMPI-2 Scales and Profiles Over Time

This study investigated Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) scale and profile comparablilty for MMPI-2 profiles completed on 2 separate occasions by mental health patients receiving treatment at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (n = 114). Patients were predominantly men (96.5%), with an average age of 44.08 and an average of 12.39 years of education at the time of initial testing. MMPI-2 tests were completed on 2 separate occasions as a routine part of treatment with a mean interval between test administrations of 688 days. Findings were analyzed for the complete sample and for 3 subsamples with different test-retest intervals. MMPI-2 scale test-retest correlation coefficients for the entire sample ranged from .48 to .69 for the Basic scales, .49 to .80 for the Supplementary scales, and .56 to .78 for the Content scales with scale high-point agreement = 38.60%, high 2-point agreement = 16.67%, and high 3-point agreement = 19.30%. High-point agreement for subsets of participants with well-defined high points, 2-points and 3-points was 41.07%, 27.50%, and 25.93% respectively. Pearson r correlation coefficients for T scores across the Basic scales for pairs of profiles averaged .78, suggesting similarity of profile shape across testing occasions. MMPI-2 profiles were also examined in relation to Skinner and Jackson's 3 modal MMPI profile types.
Analysis of a circular microstrip disk antenna with a thick dielectric substrate

The problem of a circular microstrip disk excited by a probe is solved using rigorous analysis. The disk is assumed to have zero thickness, and the current on the probe is taken to be uniform. Using vector Hankel transforms the problem is formulated in terms of vector dual-integral equations, from which the unknown current can be solved for. Due to the singular nature of the current distribution arising from probe excitation, the direct application of Galerkin's basis function expansion method gives a slowly convergent result. Therefore the singular part of the current is removed since the singularity is known a priori. The unknown current to be solved for is then regular and tenable to Galerkin's method of analysis. It is shown that this analysis agrees with the single-mode approximation when the dielectric substrate layer is thin, and that it deviates from the single-mode approximation when the substrate layer is thick. Excellent agreement of both the computed real and imaginary parts of the input impedance with experimental data is noted. The radiation patterns and the current distributions on the disk are also-presented.
Risk Assessment of Nuclear Steam Turbine Destructive Overspeed

In electric power generation facilities, steam turbine disk rupture due to overspeed can produce high-energy projectiles that may penetrate the turbine casing and damage other plant systems. While such projectiles could seriously damage a fossil fired plant, the risks are even greater for nuclear plants where a projectile could strike safety related systems. Plant maintenance personnel routinely test overspeed protection systems according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule, but such tests require interruptions in normal steady state operation, and sometimes lead to undesirable events such as reactor SCRAMs. This risk evaluation of steam turbine destructive overspeed for nuclear power generation units reexamines the probability of an overspeed protection system failure, with the goal of optimizing maintenance practices and providing a basis for overspeed trip system testing intervals. Industry reliability databases and plant maintenance records are utilized to develop component and system failure probabilities and models that account for the impact of condition monitoring and periodic testing on overspeed protection system availability.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Physical Disease and Schizophrenia

Researchers have long speculated about the existence of a relationship between physical disease and schizophrenia. Psychodynamic and life-stress theories offer opposing predictions about the nature of this relationship. Unfortunately, the empirical research on this topic is often contradictory and frequently plagued by various methodological inadequacies. Despite the theoretical controversy and methodological problems, the present review of the empirical literature suggests that patients with schizophrenia may be at increased risk for breast cancer and possibly for cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, patients with schizophrenia seem to be at reduced risk for developing either rheumatoid arthritis or lung cancer. The epidemiological investigations are worth pursuing since the convincing demonstration of a relationship between schizophrenia and a particular physical disease would yield valuable information about the pathogenesis of both disorders. Future research on this topic will need to consider the possible mediating effects of third variables, such as smoking habits, which may be associated with schizophrenia and which also are, independently, recognized as risk factors for particular physical disorders.
Strategy-dependent Dissociation of the Neural Correlates Involved in Pain Modulation

Background—Cognitive strategies are a set of psychological behaviors used to modulate one's perception or interpretation of a sensation or situation. While the effectiveness of each cognitive strategy seems to differ between individuals, they are commonly used clinically to help patients with chronic pain cope with their condition. The neural basis of commonly used cognitive strategies is not well understood. Understanding the neural correlates that underlie these strategies will enhance our understanding of the analgesic network of the brain and the cognitive modulation of pain. Methods—The present study examines patterns of brain activation during two common cognitive strategies, external focus of attention, and reappraisal, in chronic pain patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results—Behavioral results revealed inter-individual variability in the effectiveness of one strategy versus another in the patients. Functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed distinct patterns of activity when the two strategies were used. During external focus of attention, activity was observed mainly in cortical areas including the postcentral gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, middle occipital gyrus and precentral gyrus. The use of reappraisal evoked activity in the thalamus, and amygdala in addition to cortical regions. Only one area, the postcentral gyrus was observed to be active during both strategies. Conclusions—The results of this study suggest that different cognitive behavioral strategies recruit different brain regions to perform the same task: pain modulation.
Caring for the Burn Patient: The Perioperative Nurse

Imagine traveling through an extended hallway accompanied by strangers dressed in green garments speaking a language you have never heard before. Now imagine traveling that same path, but this time with a confident nurse alongside you translating the language for you and advocating for you during the journey. For the burn patient, especially one who has suffered severe burns, the hospital environment can be a daunting experience. Burn patients often feel afraid and intensely vulnerable. The perioperative nurse has the unique opportunity to empower and positively impact patients and their outcome by assisting and guiding them through this challenging and difficult process. The skilled perioperative nurse has available a wide variety of talents and tools such as critical thinking, problem-solving, technical expertise, and genuine, compassionate caring. The role of the perioperative nurse encompasses three phases of the patient’s surgical or procedural journey: the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods. Each phase of the experience has its own unique aspects and priorities, but all are designed to be carefully interwoven and in concert with each other while moving the patient through the process toward a desired outcome or goal. During the preoperative phase the nursing tasks focus on providing preoperative education and teaching, monitoring of the patient’s physical and emotional well-being, and assisting the surgeon and anesthesia provider with the informed consent process. This preoperative phase is where the patient is readied for surgery including being given a thorough preoperative assessment that may include history and physical examination, laboratory studies, radiographs, and review of any medications, blood transfusions, or equipment ordered.
Abstract P2-19-04: Anti-Jak2 and Breast Cancer Activity of NIM811, a Non-Immunosuppressive Cyclosporine A Analog

Cyclophilin A (CypA) is a member of the immunophilin family of peptidyl prolyl isomerases (PPI) that catalyze the cis-trans interconversion of proline imide bonds of peptides. In this role, cyclophilins have been found to function as signaling switches, regulating the activity of receptors, kinases and transcription factors. The PPI activity of CypA is inhibited by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A (CsA), and in turn the CypA-CsA complex inhibits calcineurin-mediated NFAT activation. Our laboratory has recently demonstrated that CypA is necessary for the prolactin (PRL)-induced activation of Jak2/Stat5 signaling and gene expression (Cancer Res 68:7769, 2008). In addition, we have also shown that CsA inhibits the in vitro and in vivo growth and progression of both ER+ and ER-breast cancer cell lines. Here, we show that the non-immunosuppressive CsA analog NIM811 blocked PRL-stimulated activation of the Jak2/Stat5 pathway, and the kinases AKT and MAPK in T47D cells. NIM811 also inhibited ER+, ER-, and Her2+ breast cancer cell proliferation, survival, motility and anchorage independent growth in a dose-dependent manner. NIM811 inhibited PRL induced gene expression, such as CISH and Cyclin D1. NIM811 also blocked the PRL-induced association between Stat5 and cMyb, and at higher doses, triggered PARP cleavage. In summary, these results indicate that non-immunosuppressive cyclophilin inhibitor NIM811 has significant potential as a novel for breast cancer therapeutic. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-19-04.
Short Form Glutathione Peroxidase 4 Is the Essential Isoform Required for Survival and Somatic Mitochondrial Functions

Glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4) is an essential antioxidant enzyme having multiple functions. A long form Gpx4 protein and a short form Gpx4 protein, which are distinguishable by the presence or lack of a mitochondrial signal peptide at the N terminus, are generated from the Gpx4 gene. In this study, we generated transgenic mice using mutated GPX4 genes encoding either the long form Gpx4 (lGPX4 gene) or the short form Gpx4 (sGPX4 gene). Our results showed that transgenic mice with the sGPX4 gene had increased Gpx4 protein in all tissues and were protected against diquat-induced apoptosis in liver. Moreover, the sGPX4 gene was able to rescue the lethal phenotype of the mouse Gpx4-null mutation. In contrast, transgenic mice with the lGPX4 gene had increased Gpx4 protein only in the testes, and the lGPX4 gene failed to rescue the lethal phenotype of the mouse Gpx4-null mutation. In Gpx4-null mice rescued by the sGPX4 gene, the Gpx4 protein was present in mitochondria isolated from somatic tissues, and the submitochondrial distribution pattern of the Gpx4 protein in these mice was identical to that in wild-type mice. Interestingly, the male Gpx4-null mice rescued by the sGPX4 gene were infertile and exhibited sperm malformation. Together, our results demonstrated for the first time that the short form Gpx4 protein is present in somatic tissue mitochondria and is essential for survival and protection against apoptosis in mice, whereas the long form Gpx4 protein is important for male fertility.
Ab Initio Studies of MgNen+ Complexes with n = 1−4

MgNe n + complexes, with n = 1-4, are investigated by performing ab initio calculations, using the MP2-(full)/6-31 11+G(3df) method, as implemented by the Gaussian 98 computer program. The complexes are found to be stableand the agreement with the experimental data available for n = 1 is good. Accordingly, the predicted geometries of larger clusters should be reliable.
825. Primary Canine Marrow Cells Support HIV-1 Vector Mediated Expression of Functional Human Factor VIII

We have tested primary canine marrow mononuclear cells (MNC) as a potential target for gene therapy of hemophilia A by investigating their ability to support the expression of functional transgenic factor VIII (FVIII). . To this end, B-domain deleted human FVIII (BDFVIII) transgene was expressed in HIV-1 vectors from the viral LTR promoter or constitutively active internal cellular promoters: the mouse phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) or elongation factor 1|[alpha]| (EF1|[alpha]|) promoters. The vector that expressed BDFVIII from the LTR also encoded a functional single-exon Tat protein (Tat72) [Srinivasakumar and Schuening (2000) J. Virol. 74:6659-6668]. The promoters expressed transgenes at high levels in hematopoietic cells, as has been previously shown [Srinivasakumar et. al., (2002). J. Virol. 76:7334-7342]. Vector stocks for each of the above vectors were prepared by transient transfection of 293T cells [Srinivasakumar (2002) Methods Mol. Med. 69:275-302] and their titers were determined by real-time quantitative PCR of genomic DNA isolated from vector infected indicator cells. Each vector stock was then used for infection of primary canine marrow MNC by three spin-infections over 2 days on CH296-coated 6-well plates. The medium was replaced at the end of the transduction procedure. Conditioned medium was harvested 3-days after transduction and assayed for functional FVIII activity using the Coamatic Factor VIII kit (Chromogenix, Monza, Italy). Measured factor VIII activity in conditioned medium was normalized to input vector titer. The results, shown in the figure below, indicate that vector-derived FVIII could be detected in the supernatants of canine marrow MNCs transduced with any of the three HIV-1 vectors. Highest levels of functional FVIII were obtained with the Tat-encoding bicistronic HIV-1 vector. These results demonstrate that canine marrow MNC support expression and secretion of functional human FVIII. Further experiments are warranted to determine if the levels of FVIII observed in vitro will translate into therapeutic benefit in vivo in canine models of hemophilia A. (See Figure)
Apocryphal Lorca. Translation, Parody, Kitsch

Apocryphal Lorca. Translation, Parody, Kitsch, by Jonathan Mayhew, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2009, 222 pp., $45 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-226-51203-7 For many of us who pledge our allegian...
Metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell operated at 400–600 °C

Abstract A metal-supported SOFC with a samarium doped ceria (SDC)/scandia-stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) bilayer electrolyte was fabricated by a combination of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and wet ceramic processes. The cell performance and aging characteristics during operation were analyzed by both AC impedance spectroscopy and current-voltage measurements in the temperature range from 400 °C to 600 °C. The power generation characteristics of this metal-supported SOFC at low temperatures should allow for rapid start-up and help to reduce the performance deterioration seen in high temperature SOFCs due material oxidation and instability. In this paper, our early research results are presented.
Populations ofRhizobium japonicum associated with the surfaces of soil-grown roots

Populations of nativeRhizobium japonicum 123 in the rhizospheres of field and pot grown plants as determined by immunofluorescence were calculated on the basis of root surface area. The density ofR. japonicum 123 on the root fluctuated between a few hundred to over a thousand per square centimeter of root surface. As root volume expanded rapidly, the Rhizobium density fell to less than one hundred per unit area. There was no appreciable effect due to different plant, nitrogen amendment, or addition of another strain ofR. japonicum, on the surface density of the nativeR. japonicum population on roots. Nor did the native population influence the added strain. Direct examination of root surface segments revealed that naturalized rhizobia existed sparsely on root surfaces in the form of short rods. They were observed to be attached sideways or in a polar manner on root hairs, epidermal cells, and at junctions of tap and lateral roots. There was no evidence of specific stimulation of the homologous Rhizobium by the host plant as a prelude to nodulation.
Calcium sparks in skeletal muscle fibers.

Abstract Ca 2+ sparks monitor transient local releases of Ca 2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) into the myoplasm. The release takes place through ryanodine receptors (RYRs), the Ca 2+ -release channels of the SR. In intact fibers from frog skeletal muscle, the temporal and spatial properties of voltage-activated Ca 2+ sparks are well simulated by a model that assumes that the Ca 2+ flux underlying a spark is 2.5 pA (units of Ca 2+ current) for 4.6 ms (18 °C). This flux amplitude suggests that 1–5 active RYRs participate in the generation of a typical voltage-activated spark under physiological conditions. A major goal of future experiments is to estimate this number more precisely and, if it is two or more, to investigate the communication mechanism that allows multiple RYRs to be co-activated in a rapid but self-limited fashion.
Structure--activity and metabolism studies on organophosphate teratogens and their alleviating agents in developing hen eggs with special emphasis on Bidrin.

Bidrin (3-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyl-cis-crotonamide dimethyl phosphate) is teratogenic in hen eggs when injected into the yolk sac at a dosage of 0.03 mg per egg or higher; the cis-crotonamide isomer is the active teratogenic component. The response is dose dependent and the effect is at a maximum with injection on or about day 4 of incubation. Signs include straight legs, micromelia, short spine, wry neck, parrot beak, abnormal feathering, edema and, more rarely, syndactyly and visceral hernia. Many other organophosphates are teratogenic, including the Bidrin metabolites that are not hydrolysis products, but no simple structure-activity relationship is evident. Nicotinic acid, nicotinamide and certain of their precursors, analogs and derivatives are active alleviating agents for Bidrin-induced teratogenesis. The active nicotinic acid analogs are those that may be converted to nicotinic acid or nicotinamide, while the inactive analogs probably are not converted to these products. Treatment with nicotinamide prior to incubation and up to day 10 of incubation greatly alleviates teratogenesis. At equimolar levels, nicotinamide and pyridine nucleotide coenzymes show the same alleviating activity, the only exception to this relationship being the 3-acetyl-pyridine analog of the coenzyme. It is not known whether the active alleviating agent is a pyridine nucleotide or any one of several 3-pyridyl compounds. Bidrin is rapidly biodegraded in the egg; successive N-demethylation occurs through the N-hydroxymethyl analogs to yield the unsubstituted amide. Extensive hydrolysis is also involved. Bidrin metabolism between days 4 and 10 of incubation is not affected by nicotinamide; thus, the alleviating agents do not appear to act by altering the metabolism of the teratogenic agents. The metabolism of nicotinic acid is unaffected by the terattogen, Bidrin. Therefore, the alleviating action of nicotinic acid analogs for Bidrin teratogenesis results from mechanisms different from those involving altered rates of metabolism of the teratogen or the alleviating agents.
Strategies for Transforming Human Service Organizations into Learning Organizations: Knowledge Management and the Transfer of Learning

This analysis describes the nature of a learning organization, defines the boundaries of evidence-informed practice, identifies the elements of knowledge management, and specifies the elements of the transfer of learning. A set of principles are presented to guide managers in transforming human service organizations into learning organizations along with a set of implementation strategies that can inform participants of the values and benefits of knowledge management. This analysis features concepts and principles adapted and synthesized from research in diverse fields, such as evidence-based health care and the for-profit sector related to learning organizations, knowledge management, and the transfer of learning.
Metabolic activation capacity of neonatal mice in relation to the neonatal mouse tumorigenicity bioassay

The neonatal mouse tumorigenicity bioassay is a well-developed animal model that has recently been recommended as an alternative tumorigenicity bioassay by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) for Technical Requirements for the Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. There are sufficient data to conclude that this animal model is highly sensitive to genotoxic chemical carcinogens that exert their tumorigenicity through mechanisms involving the formation of covalently bound exogenous DNA adducts that lead to mutation. On the other hand, it is not sensitive to chemical carcinogens that exert tumorigenicity through a secondary mechanism. The metabolizing enzymes present in the neonatal mouse, particularly the cytochromes P450, are critical factors in determining the tumorigenic potency of a chemical tested in this bioassay. However, compared to the metabolizing enzymes of the adult mouse and rat, the study of the metabolizing enzymes in neonatal mouse tissues has been relatively limited.
Prospective Randomized Evaluation of Intrathoracic Intercostal Nerve Block with Bupivacaine on Postoperative Ventilatory Function

Abstract This prospective and randomized study demonstrates the beneficial effect of intrathoracic intercostal block with bupivacaine on the recovery of pulmonary function after thoracotomy. A significantly ( p
Biaxial mechanical properties of swine uterosacral and cardinal ligaments

Mechanical alterations to pelvic floor ligaments may contribute to the development and progression of pelvic floor disorders. In this study, the first biaxial elastic and viscoelastic properties were determined for uterosacral ligament (USL) and cardinal ligament (CL) complexes harvested from adult female swine. Biaxial stress-stretch data revealed that the ligaments undergo large strains. They are orthotropic, being typically stiffer along their main physiological loading direction (i.e., normal to the upper vaginal wall). Biaxial stress relaxation data showed that the ligaments relax equally in both loading directions and more when they are less stretched. In order to describe the experimental findings, a three-dimensional constitutive law based on the Pipkin-Rogers integral series was formulated. The model accounts for incompressibility, large deformations, nonlinear elasticity, orthotropy, and stretch-dependent stress relaxation. This combined theoretical and experimental study provides new knowledge about the mechanical properties of USLs and CLs that could lead to the development of new preventive and treatment methods for pelvic floor disorders.
Comparison of protein, microRNA, and mRNA yields using different methods of urinary exosome isolation for the discovery of kidney disease biomarkers.

Urinary exosomes are 40–100nm vesicles containing protein, mRNA, and microRNA that may serve as biomarkers of renal dysfunction and structural injury. Currently, there is a need for more sensitive and specific biomarkers of renal injury and disease progression. Here we sought to identify the best exosome isolation methods for both proteomic analysis and RNA profiling as a first step for biomarker discovery. We used six different protocols; three were based on ultracentrifugation, one used a nanomembrane concentrator–based approach, and two utilized a commercial exosome precipitation reagent. The highest yield of exosomes was obtained using a modified exosome precipitation protocol, which also yielded the highest quantities of microRNA and mRNA and, therefore, is ideal for subsequent RNA profiling. This method is likewise suitable for downstream proteomic analyses if an ultracentrifuge is not available and/or a large number of samples are to be processed. Two of the ultracentrifugation methods, however, are better options for exosome isolation if an ultracentrifuge is available and few samples will be processed for proteomic analysis. Thus, our modified exosome precipitation method is a simple, fast, highly scalable, and effective alternative for the isolation of exosomes, and may facilitate the identification of exosomal biomarkers from urine.
STUDIES ON DISSOLVED CARBOHYDRATE IN CAPE COD WATERS. III. SEASONAL VARIATION IN OYSTER POND AND WEQUAQUET LAKE, MASSACHUSETTS1

Annual variations in dissolved carbohydrate (DCHO) concentration were found in two lakes between January 1964 and April 1965. In Oyster Pond, a highly productive coastal pond, average monthly concentrations of DCHO in surface water of the north basin varied from about 1.3 to 2.9 mg/liter between February 1964 and April 1965. Lowest concentrations were found during phytoplankton blooms in February. The seasonal curve for DCHO in the morning was almost a mirror image of that for chlorophyll a. Concentrations of DCHO were greater in the afternoon than in the morning, but daily increases did not appear to be related to chlorophyll a concentrations. In the south basin, average monthly concentrations of DCHO increased during summer stagnation (April–September 1964) from 1.5 to 4.2 mg/liter. A high concentration was associated with a bloom of the green bacterium Chlorobium. Concentrations of DCHO in Wequaquet Lake, a less productive body of freshwater, also changed seasonally but were always lower than in Oyster Pond. No DCHO was detected between April and August in surface water in the morning, and the highest concentration (1.2 mg/liter) occurred in February 1965.
Linear response of a surface space-charge layer in an anisotropic semiconductor

A general linear-response theory is formulated for the quasi-two-dimensional system associated with a surface space-charge layer in a semiconductor whose ellipsoidal energy surfaces are arbitrarily oriented relative to the surface. The response of the system to a self-consistent electromagnetic disturbance is described in terms of the microscopic conductivity tensor. The gauge invariance of the response is established explicitly. The effect of collision of electrons with impurities or lattice imperfections is accounted for by introducing a relaxation term into the equation of motion of the density matrix. The theory is applied to a study of optical absorption in a semiconducting surface space-charge layer. The importance of the diffusion current caused by collisions is pointed out, and some of the numerical results are presented.
Assessment of wadeable stream resources in the driftless area ecoregion in Western Wisconsin using a probabilistic sampling design.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), with support from the U.S. EPA, conducted an assessment of wadeable streams in the Driftless Area ecoregion in western Wisconsin using a probabilistic sampling design. This ecoregion encompasses 20% of Wisconsin’s land area and contains 8,800 miles of perennial streams. Randomly-selected stream sites (n = 60) equally distributed among stream orders 1–4 were sampled. Watershed land use, riparian and in-stream habitat, water chemistry, macroinvertebrate, and fish assemblage data were collected at each true random site and an associated “modified-random” site on each stream that was accessed via a road crossing nearest to the true random site. Targeted least-disturbed reference sites (n = 22) were also sampled to develop reference conditions for various physical, chemical, and biological measures. Cumulative distribution function plots of various measures collected at the true random sites evaluated with reference condition thresholds, indicate that high proportions of the random sites (and by inference the entire Driftless Area wadeable stream population) show some level of degradation. Study results show no statistically significant differences between the true random and modified-random sample sites for any of the nine physical habitat, 11 water chemistry, seven macroinvertebrate, or eight fish metrics analyzed. In Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, 79% of wadeable stream lengths were accessible via road crossings. While further evaluation of the statistical rigor of using a modified-random sampling design is warranted, sampling randomly-selected stream sites accessed via the nearest road crossing may provide a more economical way to apply probabilistic sampling in stream monitoring programs.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy Versus Single-Fraction External Beam Radiation in Painful Vertebral Body Metastases

Purpose/Objective(s): Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with or without whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is currently a widely accepted method of treatment for brain metastases. Studies on WBRT in combination with SRS have shown conflicting results. To aid in evidence synthesis and interpretation, we created a decision model to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of adding WBRT to SRS. Materials/Methods: We created a decision tree informed by three randomized trials of patients with brain metastases. WBRT + SRS vs SRS alone was the decision modeled (i.e., the decision node), followed by potentially occurring events (i.e., chance nodes) that included outcomes such as cognitive decline, recurrence, and salvage. The model had a one year time horizon. We produced summary estimates weighting the result from each trial by the inverse of its variance, in accord with standard methods. Costs used were from the healthcare perspective and were determined from Medicare 2012 reimbursement rates. Utilities and utility decrements (preference-weighted measures of health-related quality of life scaled from 0 to 1) were derived from published EQ-5D scores for chronic conditions. One-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine robustness of the decision analysis model. Results: Compared to SRS alone, WBRT + SRS had a higher average cost ($28,050 vs $29,550) and a lower average health-related quality of life (utility 0.50 vs 0.41), yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $15,970 per quality-adjusted life year. Therefore, SRS alone dominated the WBRT + SRS strategy because it was both cheaper and delivered a higher quality of life. Sensitivity analyses revealed that altering assumptions regarding the following inputs could change the preferred decision: utility decrement after WBRT and utility decrement after recurrence. As the utility decrement from treatment with WBRT decreased (below 0.016), WBRT + SRS became the dominant strategy. Similarly, as the utility decrement from recurrence increased (above 0.440), WBRT + SRS became the dominant strategy. Conclusions: Our preliminary results demonstrate that SRS alone may be a more cost-effective method of treatment for brain metastases, likely due to smaller utility decrements. This should be further explored with multiway sensitivity analyses, threshold analyses, and larger randomized trials. Recommendations to patients should be on a case by case basis, taking into account patient preferences and ability to follow-up after treatment. For patients who decline WBRT, SRS alone may be a reasonable treatment modality for brain metastases. Author Disclosure: C. Min: None. H.T. Gold: None. A. Narayana: None. S.C. Formenti: None.
Cardiovascular Response During a Word Association Test and an Interview

Previous work has demonstrated a consistent increase in diastolic blood pressure during an interview relative to a word association test. A consideration of normal cardiovascular mechanisms suggests that such increased diastolic pressure could be associated with decreased forearm blood flow. This expectation is at variance with previous studies in which psychological stimuli have been associated only with increased forearm blood flow. Forearm blood flow and pulse rate were measured during rest periods and during a word association test and an interview in 8 normal volunteers and 8 psychiatric inpatients. Twelve of the 16 Ss showed a decrease in forearm blood flow during the interview, thus confirming our expectation. That this decrease is an active response, rather than a passive fall, is suggested by the finding of increased heart rate during the interview. The cardiovascular responses of the patient group differed in some respects from those of the normal group. We hypothesize that the attentional deficit of the schizophrenics in the patient sample may have contributed to this difference.
Parallel backpropagation learning algorithms on CRAY Y-MP8/864 supercomputer

Abstract Parallel backpropagation neural networks learning algorithms have been developed employing the vectorization and microtasking capabilities of vector MIMD machines. They have been implemented in C on CRAY Y-MP/864 supercomputer under UNICOS operating system. The algorithms have been applied to two different domains: engineering design and image recognition, and their performance has been investigated. A maximum speedup of about 6.7 is achieved using eight processors for a large network with 5950 links due to microtasking only. When vectorization is combined with microtasking, a maximum speedup of about 33 is realized using eight processors.
Effects of Fluidized Bed Combustion Residue on the Health and Performance of Sheep Grazing Hill Pastures

The effect of application of fluidized bed combustion residue (FBCR), a product resulting from the removal of S from high-S coals, was compared with application of dolomitic limestone, or no treatment, on the performance of ewes (Ovis aries) grazing hill pastures over a 3-yr period. Pastures were treated with FBCR and limestone twice per annum and ewes with their lambs grazed at two stocking rates from late April to October (...)
Molecular simulation of gas transport in poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne]

The bonded constants in the DREIDING force field have been parameterized for poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] (PTMSP) from AM1 calculations of the dimer. The resultant force field has been validated through the simulation of amorphous cell density and x-ray data (d-spacing) and used to obtain diffusion coefficients for five gases (He, O2, N2, CH4, and CO2) from 0.5 ns NVT molecular dynamics using the Einstein relationship. In addition, solubility coefficients of these gases have been obtained from the particle insertion method of Bezus et al. and from a fixed-pressure Monte Carlo method which was also used to calculate sorption isotherms. In general, there is good to excellent agreement between experimental and simulated values of the diffusion and solubility coefficients for He, O2, N2, and CH4. Sorption isotherms and dual-mode parameters calculated from the simulation results for O2, N2, and CH4 agree very favorably with experimental data (no experimental data was available for He). In the case of CO2, diffusion and solubility coefficients as well as sorption isotherms are underestimated. The less satisfactory results for CO2 have been tentatively attributed to inadequacy of the generic nonbonded Lennard-Jones potential terms of DREIDING used in this study. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 519–536, 1998
Concepts and languages for privacy-preserving attribute-based authentication

Existing cryptographic realizations of privacy-friendly authentication mechanisms such as anonymous credentials, minimal disclosure tokens, self-blindable credentials, and group signatures vary largely in the features they offer and in how these features are realized. Some features such as revocation or de-anonymization even require the combination of several cryptographic protocols. The variety and complexity of the cryptographic protocols hinder the understanding and hence the adoption of these mechanisms in practical applications. They also make it almost impossible to change the underlying cryptographic algorithms once the application has been designed. In this paper, we aim to overcome these issues and simplify both the design and deployment of privacy-friendly authentication mechanisms. We define and unify the concepts and features of privacy-preserving attribute-based credentials (Privacy-ABCs), provide a language framework in XML schema, and present the API of a Privacy-ABC system that supports all the features we describe. Our language framework and API enable application developers to use Privacy-ABCs with all their features without having to consider the specifics of the underlying cryptographic algorithms-similar to as they do today for digital signatures, where they do not need to worry about the particulars of the RSA and DSA algorithms either.
Mixed convective flows around a slowly rotating isothermal sphere

Etude theorique des ecoulements de convection mixte engendres par une sphere chaude tournante isotherme immergee dans un fluide infini de Boussinesq. Presentation de resultats numeriques sur la structure des ecoulements, la distribution des vitesses, les champs de temperature, la repartition des nombres de Nusselt dans un large domaine de valeurs des nombres de Grashof et de Reynolds
Reciprocal Biotic Control on Hydrology, Nutrient Gradients, and Landform in the Greater Everglades

Restoration can be viewed as the process of reestablishing both exogenous drivers and internal feedbacks that maintain ecosystems in a desirable state. Correcting exogenous and abiotic drivers is clearly necessary, but may be insufficient to achieve desired outcomes in systems with self-organizing biotic feedbacks that substantially influence ecological stability and timing of responses. Evidence from a broad suite of systems demonstrates the prevalence of biotic control over key ecosystem attributes such as hydroperiod, nutrient gradients, and landform that are most commonly conceived of as exogenously controlled. While a general theory to predict conditions under which biotic controls exert such strong feedbacks is still nascent, it appears clear that the Greater Everglades/South Florida landscape has a high density of such effects. The authors focus on three examples of biotic control over abiotic processes: hydroperiod and discharge controls exerted by peat accretion in the ridge-slough landscape; pho...
Land use and zoning in the central business district

Abstract A model of a small, open central business district (CBD) is used to derive the conditions that define the market-equilibrium and rent-maximizing CBD. It is shown that, in general, the market equilibrium CBD radius differs from the rent-maximizing CBD radius. Land-use zoning will, under certain conditions, increase the aggregate net return on CBD land.
Feeding ecology of waterfowl wintering on evaporation ponds in California

We examined the feeding ecology of Northern Pintails (Anas acuta), Northern Shovelers (A. clypeata), and Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) wintering on drainwater evaporation ponds in California from 1982 through 1984. Pintails primarily consumed midges (Chironomidae) (39.3%) and widegeongrass (Ruppia maritima) nutlets (34.6%). Shovelers and Ruddy Ducks consumed 92.5% and 90.1% animal matter, respectively. Water boatmen (Corixidae) (51.6%), rotifers (Rotatoria) (20.4%), and copepods (Copepoda) (15.2%) were the most important Shoveler foods, and midges (49.7%) and water boatmen (36.0%) were the most important foods of Ruddy Ducks. All three species were opportunistic foragers, shifting their diets seasonally to the most abundant foods given their behavioral and morphological attributes.
Enhancement of Fretting Fatigue Strength through Stress-Relieving Slot #

Abstract Fretting is a complex phenomenon which enhances the stress/strain state in the contact region between two bodies due to micro-slip, and decreases the fatigue resistance of materials. Conventional fretting fatigue configurations generally involve the contact between cylindrical or flat with rounded edges pad and flat substrate (i.e., specimen) loaded by cyclic load. This study investigated the effects of stress-relieving slots, in a flat pad with rounded edge, on the fretting fatigue behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloy using the finite element analysis. Several fretting fatigue crack initiation parameters were analyzed using the computed stress/strain state. All parameters decreased in the presence of the slots. Further, the analysis showed that the slot length has the most dominant effect on crack initiation parameters. An optimum size and location of the slots was obtained for the geometry considered in this study. In addition, the analysis was supplemented with experiments to verify the advantage of st...
Inflammatory cytokine regulation of transgene expression in human fibroblast‐like synoviocytes infected with adeno‐associated virus

Objective An ideal gene transfer vector for chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) would provide local transgene expression only when the disease is active. To determine whether adeno-associated virus (AAV) possesses this ability, the effects of inflammatory cytokines on transgene expression were evaluated in human RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Methods Human FLS were infected with AAV in the presence or absence of inflammatory cytokines or synovial fluid obtained from patients with RA. Transgene expression was monitored by either enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or flow cytometry. Transgene messenger RNA (mRNA) was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Results Inflammatory cytokines increased transgene expression in FLS by up to 60-fold. Synovial fluid from patients with RA, but not from patients without arthritis, was also able to increase expression in synoviocytes. Protein expression correlated with transgene mRNA levels. The enhanced expression required the continued presence of cytokines because, upon removal, transgene expression returned to baseline levels. Expression could be repeatedly reinduced by reexposure to cytokines. The effect was not promoter specific and was demonstrated to be phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–dependent. Conclusion These results suggest that expression of a therapeutic transgene can be controlled by the presence of inflammation following AAV gene transfer, making it an attractive vector for chronic inflammatory diseases such as RA.