cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calbindin-D 28K and Calmodulin Regulation of Calcium Transport by Chick Duodenal Basolateral Membranes

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the information that recommends additional mechanism for the regulation of basolateral calcium transfer, which involves calbindin-D28K and calmodulin. Though several molecular responses associated with vitamin D action have been elucidated, the mechanisms by which vitamin D regulates intestinal absorption of calcium remain obscure. The ability of 1,25(OH)2D3 to repair the depressed calcium transport typical of vitamin D-deficient animals has been attributed to hormonal effects exerted at several sites within the enterocyte. In vitamin D- or 1,25(OH)2D3-treated animals, maximal calcium transport rates are increased by 2-3-fold relative to comparable membrane preparations from vitamin D-deficient animals. Administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 to vitamin D-deficient chicks results in a rapid (< 4 h) increase in the maximal velocity of calcium transport by defined basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV) preparations. The results showed that the regulatory effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 on intestinal calcium transport in the chick may involve both the de novo synthesis of the intestinal calcium pump and modulation of calcium pump activity by calbindin-D28K.
Above and below the Maya forest.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a strong antioxidant, has antigenotoxic and anticarcinogenic properties currently being investigated in clinical trials. NAC detoxifies free radicals (e.g., the hydroxyl radical, ·OH) that cause DNA changes implicated in disease (e.g., cancer). The ·OH reacts with purines to form mutagenic 8-hydroxypurine (8-OH) and putatively nonmutagenic formamidopyrimidine (Fapy) lesions. Fapy lesions inhibit DNA synthesis likely modulating the mutagenic potential of the 8-OH lesions, which would suggest that the ratio of these oxidized bases is biologically important. However, little is known about how NAC modifies oxidized DNA structure or how such modifications may affect cellular processes, such as replication and transcription. By using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, we found that dietary NAC (5% in the diet for 14 days) affected ·OH-induced structural changes in DNA of the hind leg of the BALB/c mouse. For example, mutagenic 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OH-Gua) was reduced ≈50% (P = 0.02) in mice fed NAC compared with controls. NAC reduced the log10 (8-OH-Gua/FapyGua) ratio from 0.58 ± 0.15 to essentially zero, a virtually neutral redox status. DNA from control mice had a remarkably high variance compared with mice fed NAC. Moreover, the DNA from treated and control mice was distinct with respect to base structure and vertical base-stacking interactions. The findings showing that NAC lowered the concentration of 8-OH-Gua, the log ratio, and the variance (previously associated with neoplastic changes) suggest that NAC reduces the mutagenic potential of oxidized DNA. These benefits could be offset by the other structural changes found after NAC exposure, which may affect the fidelity of DNA synthesis.
Postdischarge Adverse Events Among Patients Who Received Home Health Care Services

Adverse events that occur in urban and rural adults during the posthospitalization period have become a major public health concern. However, postdischarge adverse events for patients receiving hom...
Cancer-Related Debt and Mental-Health-Related Quality of Life among Rural Cancer Survivors: Do Family/Friend Informal Caregiver Networks Moderate the Relationship?:

Social connectedness generally buffers the effects of stressors on quality of life. Is this the case for cancer-related debt among rural cancer survivors? Drawing on a sample of 135 rural cancer survivors, we leverage family/friend informal caregiver network data to determine if informal cancer caregivers buffer or exacerbate the effect of cancer-related debt on mental-health-related quality of life (MHQOL). Using data from the Illinois Rural Cancer Assessment, a survey of cancer survivors in rural Illinois, we estimate the association between cancer-related debt and MHQOL and whether informal caregiver network size and characteristics moderate this association. Over a quarter of survivors (27%) reported cancer-related debt, and those who did reported worse MHQOL. However, this association only held for survivors who had an informal caregiver network. These findings supplement what is already known about the role of social connectedness in cancer survivors' health outcomes. We offer possible explanations for these findings.
County Differences in Liver Mortality in the United States: Impact of Sociodemographics, Disease Risk Factors, and Access to Care

Background and Aims Data have demonstrated state-wide variability in mortality rates from liver disease (cirrhosis + hepatocellular carcinoma), but data are lacking at the local level (eg, county) to identify factors associated with variability in liver disease–related mortality and hotspots of liver disease mortality. Methods We used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research data from 2009 to 2018 to calculate county-level, age-adjusted liver disease–related death rates. We fit multivariable linear regression models to adjust for county-level covariates related to demographics (ie, race and ethnicity), medical comorbidities (eg, obesity), access to care (eg, uninsured rate), and geographic (eg, distance to closest liver transplant center) variables. We used optimized hotspot analysis to identify clusters of liver disease mortality hotspots based on the final multivariable models. Results In multivariable models, 61% of the variability in among-county mortality was explained by county-level race/ethnicity, poverty, uninsured rates, distance to the closest transplant center, and local rates of obesity, diabetes, and alcohol use. Despite adjustment, significant within-state variability in county-level mortality rates was found. Of counties in the top fifth percentile (ie, highest mortality) of fully adjusted mortality, 60% were located in 3 states: Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Adjusted mortality rates were highly spatially correlated, representing 5 clusters: South Florida; Appalachia and the eastern part of the Midwest; Texas and Oklahoma; New Mexico, Arizona, California, and southern Oregon; and parts of Washington and Montana. Conclusions Our data demonstrate significant intrastate differences in liver disease–related mortality, with more than 60% of the variability explained by patient demographics, clinical risk factors for liver disease, and access to specialty liver care.
Teaching in an open village: a case study on culturally responsive computing in compulsory education

Background: As teachers work to broaden the participation of racially and ethnically underrepresented groups in computer science (CS), culturally responsive computing (CRC) becomes more pertinent t...
Tracking Multiple Diffusing Particles Using Information Optimal Control

We study the problem of tracking multiple diffusing particles using a laser scanning fluorescence microscope. The goal is to design trajectories for the laser to maximize the information contained in the measured intensity signal about the particles' trajectories. Our approach consists of a two level scheme: in the lower level we use an extremum seeking controller to track a single particle by first seeking it then orbiting around it. In the higher level controller, we decide which particle should be observed at each instant, with the goal of efficiently estimating each particle position while not losing track of any of them. Using simulations, we show that this technique is able to collect photons efficiently and to track multiple particles with low position estimation error.
On the Discovery of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Channel

The discovery and characterization of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is in essence the story of receptor pharmacology in general; arguably one of the greatest journeys in neuroscience, spanning more than 150 years. From its beginnings as the site of action of the poison, curare, and the psychotropic drug, nicotine, to its high-resolution structure, it has touched every subfield of biology. It has shaped how transmitter–receptor interactions are analyzed quantitatively, along the way introducing the scientific community to many novel receptor concepts and kinetic mechanisms, in addition to methods, techniques, and/or their refinement, particularly for understanding single channel behavior. Important to note, is that our knowledge of fast synaptic transmission would not be the same without analysis of nAChRs at the neuromuscular junction. Although determination of nAChR function has benefited from parallel discoveries on other proteins, it can be reasonably argued that all ligand-gated ion channels have their roots somewhere in this receptor. We highlight some of the chronological steps in the discovery and characterization of the receptor, together with some of the key players.
Signal-dependent Regulation of Transcription Factor Activity

Signal dependent regulation of transcription factor activity in the nervous system controls gene expression programs that underlie learning and memory. Transcription factor Sp4 is zinc finger DNA b...
Tourism in Taos and Patzcuaro. A comparison of two approaches to regional development.

Abstract This study examines tourism and regional development in terms of the different institutional structures present in the United States and Mexico. Using the methodology of controlled comparison, the analysis shows that, although Taos and Patzcuaro share many social structural characteristics and have similar tourist sectors, the relatively open institutional structure within New Mexico and the United States contrasts sharply with the relatively closed, “elitist” institutional structure operating in Michoacan and Mexico. As a result, the citizenry of Taos has been possible for the people of Patzcuaro. The different roles of the public and private sectors in Taos and Patzcuaro are particularly significant in this respect and illustrate two quite distinctive approaches, from the national to the regional to the local level, to the problems of tourism and regional development.
Issues Affecting Dietary Adherence

Medical nutrition therapy is an integral part of the treatment plan for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dietary adherence is a key component for successful treatment of CKD. However, a number of factors may inhibit or improve dietary adherence including lifestyle, attitudes toward the disease, economics, cultural barriers, and social support. This chapter reviews these factors and provides strategies for achieving dietary adherence.
Sera and conditioned media contain different isoforms of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) which bind to different classes of PDGF receptor.

Abstract Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is encoded by separate genes for two possible subunit chains (A-chain and B-chain) which can form three possible dimers (AA, AB, and BB). We have recently presented evidence that multiple forms of PDGF receptor exist which distinguish between these isoforms (Hart, C. H., Forstrom, J. W., Kelley, J. D., Smith, R. A., Ross, R., Murray, M. J., and Bowen-Pope, D. F. (1988) Science 240, 1529-1531). We used this specificity to determine the amount of PDGF from different sources which is able to bind to each class of receptor and found that each source had a characteristic isoform composition. Levels of total PDGF activity in sera from different species ranged more than 15-fold, from less than 1 ng/ml in dog, chicken, pig, and calf, to greater than 13 ng/ml in mouse and human. Despite these differences in PDGF content, the total mitogenic activities of the sera were comparable indicating that the relative importance of PDGF as a serum mitogen may vary considerably between species. Analysis of the total PDGF into the amounts of each isoform revealed great differences in composition. PDGF-BB constitutes only about 15% of the total binding activity in human PDGF purified by the method of Raines and Ross (Raines, E. W., and Ross, R. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 5154-5160) but is the predominant isoform in whole blood serum from all other species. In contrast to serum, medium conditioned by cultured PDGF-secreting cell types contained no detectable PDGF-BB except in two cases: medium conditioned by vascular endothelial cells and by cells transformed by simian sarcoma virus. The existence of isoform-specific PDGF receptors and the large variation in PDGF isoform composition dependent upon source may provide an important mechanism through which the effects of PDGF can be targeted to different cell types and/or toward eliciting different cell responses.
Isolation and chemical characterization of a mitogenic lectin from Pisum sativum.

Abstract A mitogenic lectin has been isolated from garden peas (Pisum sativum) by affinity chromatography on Sephadex. The lectin has a molecular weight of 49,000, consists of two pairs of noncovalently linked polypeptide subunits and contains less than 0.5% by weight of carbohydrate. The small subunit (α) has a molecular weight of 7,000 and the large subunit (β) a molecular weight of 17,000. Examination of the tryptic digests of the subunits showed that the α subunit is not a fragment of the β subunit produced by a specific proteolytic cleavage. Pea lectin purified by affinity chromatography is a mixture of two closely related proteins which have the same subunit structure but which differ on a charge basis. The more acidic component (A) of pea lectin was present in about half the amount of the more basic component (B). The charge differences between the two components result exclusively from differences in their α subunits. Pea lectin has two binding sites for mannose (Ka = 1.4 x 103 liters per mole) and methyl α-d-glucoside (Ka = 0.8 x 103 liters per mole).
Thermal Infrared Imaging in Early Breast Cancer Detection

The application of thermal infrared (TIR) imaging in breast cancer study started as early as 1961. However, it has not been widely recognized due to the premature use of the technology, the superficial understanding of the infrared (IR) images, and its poorly controlled introduction into breast cancer detection in the 1970s. Recent advances in image-processing ability and pathophysiological-based understanding of IR images, coupled with the new-generation IR technology, have spurred renewed interest in the use of infrared breast imaging. This chapter provides a survey of recent achievements from these aspects.
On the transistor sizing problem

This paper introduces a new transistor sizing technique for timing optimization in a transistor level netlist. Starting from an initial solution, the widths of the transistors in the netlist are tuned iteratively to meet the specified timing constraints. Efficient heuristics to significantly improve the run time performance are outlined. The improvement of timing and area performance are demonstrated with several real circuits.
Optical properties of a small-particle composite

Room-temperature reflectance measurements over frequencies between the far infrared and the ultraviolet have been made on composites of silver small particles and potassium chloride grains. The optical properties of these composites were obtained by Kramers-Kronig analysis. Comparison of the data with the Maxwell-Garnett theory and the effective-medium approximation showed that the effective-medium approximation better described the data. A sum-rule analysis indicates that the expected linear relationship between the volume fraction of metal and the integrated oscillator strength is obeyed.
Fish mitochondrial genomics: sequence, inheritance and functional variation

Mitochondrial genomic research currently primarily focuses on the analysis and understanding of how mitochondrial mutations produce detrimental phenotypes in humans. Reasons for this focus on negative impacts include the large number of human diseases that are known to result from specific mitochondrial genomes, and the long held belief that mitochondria change only through the accumulation of mutations due to its clonal, maternal inheritance. Recent studies are beginning to challenge these preconceptions and have shown that mitochondrial genomes can have significant positive impacts. Although the number of studies using fishes as models in mitochondrial research is limited, many fish model species provide excellent opportunity for furthering the understanding of mitochondrial genomes, their interactions with the nuclear genome, the potential for understanding the mechanisms of how functional variation effects organisms and how selection for positive functional variation effects population variation.
Lymphoepithelial cysts and cystic lymphangiomas: Under-recognized benign cystic lesions of the pancreas

AIM: To identify their diagnostic and prognostic clinical characteristics in a large series. METHODS: Retrospective review of clinicopathologic and imaging characteristics of patients diagnosed with lymphoepithelial cysts and cystic lymphangiomas of the pancreas at Massachusetts General Hospital. RESULTS: Twelve patients were identified between 1/1/1997 and 8/1/2007. Their median age was 55.5 years (range 19-78 years), and 6 were females. The lesion was incidentally discovered in half of the patients. Contrast enhanced computed tomography demonstrated that the cysts had thin walls, without calcifications, pancreatic duct dilation or pancreatic parenchyma invasion. Endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration (EUS/FNA) confirmed the diagnosis of a lymphoepithelial cyst in 3 patients, one of whom was spared an operation and continues to do well after 6 years. Eleven patients had a resection: 3 pancreaticoduodenectomies, 7 distal pancreatectomies, and 1 enucleation. The median size of the cysts was 3 cm (range 2-20 cm). At a median follow-up of 57 mo no recurrences or other pancreas-related conditions occurred. CONCLUSION: Lymphoepithelial cysts and cystic lymphangiomas of the pancreas can be diagnosed with a combination of contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans and EUS/FNA. If the lesion is asymptomatic, an operation might be avoided.
Unanticipated learning outcomes associated with commitment to change in continuing medical education.

AbstractIntroduction:Educator-derived, predetermined instructional objectives are integral to the traditional instructional model and form the linkage between instructional design and postin-struction evaluation. The traditional model does not consider unanticipated learning outcomes. We explored th
Muricholic Acids Inhibit Clostridium difficile Spore Germination and Growth

Infections caused by Clostridium difficile have increased steadily over the past several years. While studies on C. difficile virulence and physiology have been hindered, in the past, by lack of genetic approaches and suitable animal models, newly developed technologies and animal models allow these processes to be studied in detail. One such advance is the generation of a mouse-model of C. difficile infection. The development of this system is a major step forward in analyzing the genetic requirements for colonization and infection. While important, it is equally as important in understanding what differences exist between mice and humans. One of these differences is the natural bile acid composition. Bile acid-mediated spore germination is an important step in C. difficile colonization. Mice produce several different bile acids that are not found in humans. These muricholic acids have the potential to impact C. difficile spore germination. Here we find that the three muricholic acids (α-muricholic acid, β-muricholic acid and ω-muricholic acid) inhibit C. difficile spore germination and can impact the growth of vegetative cells. These results highlight an important difference between humans and mice and may have an impact on C. difficile virulence in the mouse-model of C. difficile infection.
Mössbauer study of polynuclear hydroxy-bridged iron(III) sulfate complexes

Abstract Mossbauer spectra at 298°, 77° and 4·2°K were observed for the extraction products obtained from the equilibration of an aqueous ferric sulfate solution with a benzene solution of a long-chain primary or secondary amine. The data are consistent with a molecular and magnetic model containing equivalent iron sites in a trinuclear hydroxy-bridged system with interaction between iron (III) centers of S = 5 2 .
Microporous Dermal-Mimetic Electrospun Scaffolds Pre-Seeded with Fibroblasts Promote Tissue Regeneration in Full-Thickness Skin Wounds

Electrospun scaffolds serve as promising substrates for tissue repair due to their nanofibrous architecture and amenability to tailoring of chemical composition. In this study, the regenerative potential of a microporous electrospun scaffold pre-seeded with dermal fibroblasts was evaluated. Previously we reported that a 70% collagen I and 30% poly(Ɛ-caprolactone) electrospun scaffold (70:30 col/PCL) containing 160 μm diameter pores had favorable mechanical properties, supported fibroblast infiltration and subsequent cell-mediated deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM), and promoted more rapid and effective in vivo skin regeneration when compared to scaffolds lacking micropores. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that the efficacy of the 70:30 col/PCL microporous scaffolds could be further enhanced by seeding scaffolds with dermal fibroblasts prior to implantation into skin wounds. To address this hypothesis, a Fischer 344 (F344) rat syngeneic model was employed. In vitro studies showed that dermal fibroblasts isolated from F344 rat skin were able to adhere and proliferate on 70:30 col/PCL microporous scaffolds, and the cells also filled the 160 μm pores with native ECM proteins such as collagen I and fibronectin. Additionally, scaffolds seeded with F344 fibroblasts exhibited a low rate of contraction (~14%) over a 21 day time frame. To assess regenerative potential, scaffolds with or without seeded F344 dermal fibroblasts were implanted into full thickness, critical size defects created in F344 hosts. Specifically, we compared: microporous scaffolds containing fibroblasts seeded for 4 days; scaffolds containing fibroblasts seeded for only 1 day; acellular microporous scaffolds; and a sham wound (no scaffold). Scaffolds containing fibroblasts seeded for 4 days had the best response of all treatment groups with respect to accelerated wound healing, a more normal-appearing dermal matrix structure, and hair follicle regeneration. Collectively these results suggest that microporous electrospun scaffolds pre-seeded with fibroblasts promote greater wound-healing than acellular scaffolds.
Dendritic crystallization in thin films of PEO/PMMA blends: A comparison to crystallization in small molecule liquids☆

Dendritic crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films is reported. The film thickness is kept constant while the PMMA molar mass and blend composition are varied. Some basic features of dendritic growth, such as the diffusion length and tip curvature are discussed. The diffusion coefficient is tuned by varying the molar mass of the non-crystallizable PMMA and the blend composition. The observed dendrite tip radius is on the order of 50 nm and the shape of the growth envelope varies from square to needle-like as the PMMA molar mass or PMMA content is increased. The sidebranch spacing increases with the distance from the dendrite trunk with a power-law relationship that is also dependent on the PMMA molar mass and PMMA content. This coarsening process is similar to that reported for other classes of materials. These similarities (the curved dendrite tip, power-law relationship of the sidebranches, and the sidebranch coarsening processes) indicate that the large scale crystallization morphologies of the polymeric materials we study are similar to those found in crystallization of small molecules and metals.
Incorporation of spatial variability in modeling non-point source groundwater nitrate pollution

A methodology for incorporation of spatial variability in modeling non-point source groundwater nitrate contamination is presented. The methodology combines geostatistical simulation and unsaturated zone modeling for estimating the amount of nitrate loading to groundwater. Three dimensional soil nitrogen variability and 2-dimensional crop yield variability are used in quantifying potential benefits of spatially distributed nitrogen input. This technique, in combination with physical and chemical measurements, is utilized as a means of illustrating how the spatial statistical properties of nitrate leaching can be obtained for different scenarios of fixed and variable rate nitrogen applications.
Monitoring steel strands via ultrasonic measurements

Steel strands are widely used in civil structures as pre- stressing tendons and stay-cables. The structural criticality of strands has led to an increasing interest in developing methods able to monitor applied loads as well as detect potential defects. In this paper ultrasonic guided waves, generated and detected via magnetostrictive sensors, are exploited to address this need. The sensors were developed in collaboration with the US Federal Highway Administration NDE Validation Center. An acousto elastic formulation of the Pochhammer-Chree longitudinal vibrations in cylindrical waveguides is proposed to predict the change of ultrasonic velocity as a function of applied stress. Results from acousto elastic experiments performed on seven- wire strands and on single wires are presented and compared to the theoretical predictions. Ways to enhance the inhernetly-low sensitivity of the acousto elastic measurements are proposed and investigated. The different behavior exhibited by the strand when compared to the single wire suggests the need for widening the theory governing the acousto elastic phenomenon in multi-wire members. The role of the strand anchorages is examined in the context of wave attenuation. The suitability of the guided wave method for the detection of defects is demonstrated including the possibility of inspecting the critical anchored regions.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Modulation of Rubisco activase gene expression during heat stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) involves post-transcriptional mechanisms

Abstract Inhibition of photosynthesis by heat stress involves deactivation of Rubisco and is exacerbated by the low thermal stability of Rubisco's chaperone, activase. Activase structure, activity and protein expression have been the focus of previous work examining the effect of heat stress on this enzyme. Relatively little is known about the response of activase gene expression to moderate heat stress or the extent to which transcriptional mechanisms control acclimation of photosynthesis to heat stress. In the current study, the effect of moderate heat stress on the diurnal expression of three activase genes in cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.), including a newly identified member of the gene family, was examined. All three activase genes displayed a diurnal pattern of expression under optimal growth conditions, as determined by real-time RT-PCR. Although steady-state mRNA levels were reduced in the short-term by heat stress, transcript levels appeared to recover by the next diurnal cycle. Nuclear run-on assays utilizing real-time RT-PCR suggested mRNA stability, not synthesis, was responsible for the observed acclimatization. Identification of activase transcripts with alternative 3′-untranslated regions suggests a possible means for increasing transcript stability and hastening recovery of steady-state mRNA levels during heat stress. Together the results indicate activase gene expression is influenced by post-transcriptional mechanisms that may contribute to acclimation of photosynthesis during extended periods of heat stress.
Adenosquamous carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract: a clinicopathologic study of 12 cases and review of the literature.

Abstract Purpose: Adenosquamous carcinoma is an uncommon, controversial neoplasm. To further comprehend its natural history, the clinical and pathological features of 12 new cases were reviewed and analyzed collectively with those described in the English literature. Materials and Methods: Twelve cases of adenosquamous carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract with adequate follow-up and available microscopic slides and paraffin tissue blocks were identified in the anatomic pathology files of Presbyterian Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center over the period 1983-2001. Results: The 8 men and 4 women ranged in age from 34 to 81 years (mean, 62.8 years). The larynx (5 cases) and the floor of the mouth (4 cases) were the most common sites of origin. Nine patients had cervical lymph nodes positive for carcinoma (8 at diagnosis), 7 experienced local recurrences, and 2 developed distant metastases. Four of 10 (40%) patients with follow-up died of disease. Combining our cases with those in the literature (total of 58 cases) revealed similar findings: 64.7% were associated with positive cervical lymph nodes, 46.7% experienced local recurrences, 23.1% developed distant metastases, and 42.9% died of their disease at a mean follow-up period of 24.7 months. Conclusions: Adenosquamous carcinoma is an aggressive neoplasm with a tendency for early lymph node metastasis, frequent local recurrence, occasional distant metastasis, and death from disease, usually within 2-3 years. Surgery with neck dissection is the treatment of choice. (Am J Otolaryngol 2002;23:160-168. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)
School-Located Influenza Vaccination Clinics: Local Health Department Perspectives.

Universal childhood influenza vaccination presents challenges and opportunities for health care and public health systems to vaccinate the children who fall under the new recommendation. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations and guidelines are helpful, but they do not provide strategies on how to deliver immunization services to the groups affected by their recommendations. Community stakeholders need to develop and sustain new partnerships to achieve the goals of universal childhood immunization recommendations, including expanding the points of access to influenza vaccination. Schools are a key community venue for annual delivery of influenza vaccination. Over the past 2 years, the National Association of County and City Health Officials has examined local health department-school system relationships in regard to delivery of influenza vaccination to identify and document common elements of success, challenges, and key lessons learned.
Stochastic transient tyre model for vehicle dynamic simulations on rough rigid ground

The goal of this study was to develop a tyre model able to capture the tyre dynamic behaviour while traversing over an uneven rigid surface. Further, since the tyre model was intended to be used in vehicle dynamic simulations, to preserve its computational speed close to that of the vehicle model, a simplified tyre model with empirical data was proposed. The proposed tyre model takes advantage of modelling the wheel-tyre assembly as a single point contact model, in certain situations, and combining this approach with a more complex model. Moreover, for the short wavelength surface, the tyre enveloping property has been shown to have significant effects on tyre behaviour and is taken into account in this study. To account for the tyre parameter uncertainties, the deterministic model has been extended to a stochastic one, using a polynomial chaos methodology. Simulation results for selected ground profiles are presented. The results were compared with available data from the literature.
Point defects and electrical properties of Sn-doped In-based transparent conducting oxides

Abstract In-based transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) share the prevailing defect structure of indium–tin oxide (ITO), i.e. electrons, isolated Sn In ⋅ donors, and neutral associates, believed to be (2Sn In ⋅ O i ″) x . The present work reviews the state of the literature, presents calculated Brouwer diagrams vs. oxygen partial pressure and vs. dopant concentration, and reports intermediate temperature electrical property data (thermopower, conductivity) vs. p O 2 and Sn concentration for three systems — polycrystalline bulk ITO, nanocrystalline ITO, and the recently reported ternary cation TCO, Ga 3− x In 5+ x Sn 2 O 16 . The influence of non-reduceable tin–oxygen complexes at high doping levels is identified for ITO. Ramifications for In-based TCO properties are discussed.
Dynamic stress concentrations of cylindrical cavities with sharp and smooth boundaries: I. SH waves

Abstract This paper demonstrates a method for the calculation of the dynamic stress concentration factor when a time-harmonic elastic wave is incident upon a cylindrical cavity of arbitrary cross-section. We discuss in particular a procedure which enables cross-sectional shapes with corners to be examined, although we also consider how shapes with smooth surfaces may be handled. Our method is a computational one, and is based upon Waterman's T-matrix formulation. It is shown that for scatterers with corners a piecewise basis must be chosen to represent the surface displacement. The algebraic system of equations obtained from the integral equations and appropriate constraints on the basis representation are then sufficient to determine the stress concentration uniquely. Results are given for cylindrical cavities with square, elliptic and intersecting circular cross sections for SH wave incidence.
Distributed coordination with MESSENGERS

Abstract messengers is a paradigm for the programming of distributed systems. It is based on the principles of autonomous messages, called Messengers, which carry their own behavior in the form of a program. This enables them to navigate freely in the underlying computational network, communicate with one another, and invoke compiled node-resident C functions in the nodes they visit. Hence, a distributed application is viewed as a collection of C functions whose invocation and interoperation is orchestrated by Messengers. This provides for a clear separation between computations, as expressed by the individual node functions, and coordination, which is the order of function invocations and the transport of information among them as prescribed by Messengers. This separation allows each layer to be designed and implemented separately. It also supports the reuse of the coordination structures and the interactive and incremental development and use of distributed applications.
Min-max placement for large-scale timing optimization

At the 250nm technology node, interconnect delays account for over 40% of worst delays [12]. Transition to 130nm and below increases this figure, and hence the relative importance of timing-driven placement for VLSI. Our work introduces a novel minimization of maximal path delay that improves upon previously known algorithms for timing-driven placement. Our placement algorithms have provable properties and are fast in practice. Empirical validation is based on extending a scalable min-cut placer with proven quality in wirelength- and congestion-driven placement [4]. The CPU overhead of the timing-driven capability is within 50%. We placed industrial circuits and evaluated the resulting layouts with a commercial static timing analyzer.
Air breathing in the teleost Symbranchus marmoratus.

Abstract 1. 1. Accessory air breathing using the gills for O2 absorption in air is a normal feature in Symbranchus marmoratus. The gill chamber is periodically inflated and the air retained in the gill chamber for approximately 12–15 min, which sufficed to extract about 50 per cent of the O2. 2. 2. The arterial O2 content, Ca O2, during water breathing was always low never exceeding 50–60 per cent of full saturation. Inflation of the gill chamber was invariably followed by an increase in Ca O2 resulting in almost complete saturation. 3. 3. The arterial CO2 content increased during air breathing, but resumption of water breathing quickly eliminated excess CO2. Increased CO2 in the water caused a progressive reduction in respiratory rate. 4. 4. A bradycardia developed initially upon air exposure, later followed by a marked tachycardia when the gill chamber was inflated. The physiological implications of the findings are discussed.
A survey of the fine structure of the integument of the fiddler crab.

Abstract The epidermis-exoskeleton complex in the fiddler crab is an organ consisting of cellular elements and a secreted cuticle. The epidermis is composed of a basement membrane, pigment cells, intraepidermal connective tissue and cuticled secreting cells. The latter two tissues undergo a morphologic cycle of decline and recrudescence correlated to the molt cycle. The cuticle consists of an inner membranous layer and endocuticle, both deposited after molting, and a more distal exocuticle and epicuticle, formed before ecdysis occurs. All layers except the epicuticle are constructed of helicoidally-oriented lamellae of chitin-protein microfibrils, and are cellularized by pore canals, which are extensions of the cuticle-secreting cells.
An exploratory assessment of tittle's control balance theory: Results from the national youth survey

Charles Tittle's control balance theory states that deviant acts are the outcome of both insufficient and excessive control. Unfortunately, control balance theory is largely untested. In this study, data from the National Youth Study ( n =1,384) were used to investigate the effects of control imbalances at work and in relationships on autonomous and repressive forms of deviance. Findings are consistent with previous research. While control imbalances are significant predictors of deviance, they do not always operate as the initial statement of control balance theory predicts. The implications of our findings for control balance theories and future research are discussed.
Some assembly required: the development of neuronal synapses

Neurons in the brain touch and communicate with each other at specialized contacts called synapses. So, how do these tiny intercellular junctions form during development? The assembly of neuronal synapses proceeds through several stages, and occurs with surprising speed. Recent biochemical, genetic and imaging studies are beginning to disclose the molecular mechanisms that underlie synapse formation, growth and maturation.
Chewing Gum Headaches

Aspartame, a popular dietetic sweetener, may provoke headache in some susceptible individuals. Herein, we describe three cases of young women with migraine who reported their headaches could be provoked by chewing sugarless gum containing aspartame.
Mechanism of Decreased Venous Return: Subhuman Primate-Administered Endotoxin

Recent work published by this laboratory in the subhuman primate has demonstrated that the primary cause of the decrease in mean systemic arterial pressure following a lethal injection of endotoxin is a decrease in venous return. 1 However, a marked difference in response to endotoxin is observed in monkeys in contrast to dogs. In the former, a gradual fall in mean systemic arterial pressure is observed, and there is neither demonstrable pooling in the hepatosplanchnic bed nor loss of circulating blood to extravascular compartments. 1-5 The cause of the decrease in venous return in the primate has not been determined. A previous study did not differentiate between a decrease in venous return due to peripheral pooling or failure of cardiac contractility. 1 The cardiac output in some human patients shows a steady decline, 6,7 although there is no evidence of primary cardiac failure in man 6 or the nonhuman primate.
Neurogenesis in the rat primary olfactory cortex.

Neurogenesis in the rat primary olfactory cortex was examined with [3H]thymidine autoradiography. The experimental animals were the offspring of pregnant females given an injection of [3H]thymidine on two consecutive gestation days. Nine groups of embryos were exposed to [3H]thymidine on E13-E14, E14-E15....E21-E22, respectively. On P60, the percentage of labeled cells and the proportion of cells originating during 24 hr periods were quantified at selected anatomical levels of the anterior and posterior piriform cortex, dorsal lateral peduncular cortex, and posterior two-thirds of the ventral agranular insular cortex. Throughout most of the primary olfactory cortex, deep cells are generated earlier than superficial cells: the 'inside-out' pattern. Neurons in the anterior (prepiriform) cortex are located lateral to the caudal anterior olfactory nucleus and olfactory tubercle, and are generated mainly between E14 and E18 in a caudal (older) to rostral (younger) neurogenetic gradient. Neurons in the posterior (periamygdaloid) cortex are located lateral to the caudal olfactory tubercle and amygdala, and are generated mainly between E14 and E17 simultaneously along the rostrocaudal plane. Superficial cells in the piriform cortex have some additional neurogenetic gradients; ventromedial cells forming transition zones with either the olfactory tubercle or amygdala originate earlier than cells located dorsally and laterally. In the posterior piriform cortex, younger neurons are located at middle dorsoventral levels while older neurons lie above and below. Neurons in the dorsolateral peduncular cortex originate between E14 and E20 in a caudal to rostral gradient of neurogenesis; caudal parts also have a lateral to medial neurogenetic gradient. The most lateral part of the dorsolateral peduncular cortex is unique and does not have the typical 'inside-out' cortical neurogenetic gradient. Neurons in the ventral agranular insular cortex (area 13) originate mainly between E15 and E17 in combined caudal to rostral and ventral to dorsal neurogenetic gradients. The neurogenetic gradients in the primary olfactory cortex, along with patterns of neurogenesis throughout the olfactory projection field are related to the termination patterns of afferents from the main olfactory bulb.
Singling out blood development.

Analysis of gene expression in thousands of single cells generates a model of the blood regulatory network.
Transient response of an elastic plate to loads with finite characteristic dimensions

Abstract The present paper uses a recently developed technique to obtain solutions for an elastic plate acted upon by loads with finite characteristic dimensions. Exact two dimensional transform solutions are derived for a plate suddenly loaded on one of its bounding surfaces. The transform solutions for a general load are rearranged into infinite sums representing multiply-reflected shear and dilatational waves. The interpretation of the infinite sums is verified by ray tracing. The final expressions are used to deduce the Green's function for the velocity. Numerical results are presented for a step function input.
Theory of quasiparticle energies in alkali metals.

The quasiparticle band structures of Na and Li are calculated by evaluation of the electron self-energy to first order in the dynamically screened Coulomb interaction. For Na, our results explain quantitatively the large bandwidth reduction observed in recent angle-resolved photoemission experiments. The inclusion of exchange-correlation effects in the dielectric screening and the requirement that the energy dependence of the electron Green's function be treated self-consistently are found to be important in our obtaining the correct bandwidths.
How Mystical is Buddhism

Beyond Language and Reason: Mysticism in Indian Buddhism Ilkka Pyysiainen, 1993 Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae Dissertationes Humanarum Litterarum 66 Helsiniki, Sumolainen Tiedeakatemia
Dynamic mechanical analysis for the development of Filler-Rubber interaction

Isothermal dynamic mechanical measurements were performed in frequency sweps at several temperatures proceeding from the lowest to the highest temperature for a given specimen. The materials were polyethylacrylate rubber filled with 50 phc of varieties of carbon black and silica fillers
Intestinal Helminths in Nine Species of Endemic Australian Lizards, Lophognathus longirostris (Agamidae), Heteronotia binoei and Lucasium stenodactylum (Gekkonidae), Ctenotus grandis, Ctenotus helenae, Cyclodomorphus branchialis, Egernia depressa, Eremiascincus richardsonii, Morethia butleri, and Morethia lineoocellata (Scincidae), with a Review of Australian Lizard Helminths

Helminths in endemic Australian lizards of 3 families from Western Australia, Australia, and the Northern Territory, Australia, Lophognathus longirostris (Agamidae), Heteronotia binoei and Lucasium stenodactylum (Gekkonidae), and Ctenotus grandis, Ctenotus helenae, Cyclodomorphus branchialis, Egernia depressa, Eremiascincus richardsonii, Morethia butleri, and Morethia lineoocellata (Scincidae), are reported. Found were 2 species of Cestoda, Cylindrotaenia allisonae and Oochoristica australiensis, and 10 species of Nematoda—gravid individuals of Cosmocercinae gen. sp., Maxvachonia brygooi, Maxvachonia chabaudi, Moaciria sphenomorphi, Parapharyngodon fitzroyi, Parapharyngodon kartana, Pharyngodon asterostoma, Spauligodon ovifilus, and Wanaristrongylus ctenoti,—and third stage larvae of Abbreviata sp. Helminth infections of Australian lizards appear to be opportunistic with negligible host specificity. Sixteen new host records are reported.
Signal Detection Theory Its Implications for Social Psychology

Signal detection theory enhances social psychological explanations of judgment processes, yet the field has not incorporated the gains available from application of the theory. The theory's basic separation of stimulus judgment into discrimination and decision processes is reviewed. Several examples are then offered which suggest how the theory can benefit social psychology.
Lower bounds for orthogonal range searching: part II. The arithmetic model

Lower bounds on the complexity of orthogonal range searching in the static case are established. Specifically, we consider the following dominance search problem: Given a collection of n weighted points in d-space and a query point q, compute the cumulative weight of the points dominated (in all coordinates) by q. It is assumed that the weights are chosen in a commutative semigroup and that the query time measures only the number of arithmetic operations needed to compute the answer. It is proved that if m units of storage are available, then the query time is at least proportional to (log n/log(2m/n))d–*1 in both the worst and average cases. This lower bound is provably tight for m = Ω(n(log n)d–1+ϵ) and any fixed ϵ > 0. A lower bound of Ω(n/log log n)d) on the time required for executing n inserts and queries is also established. —Author's Abstract
Western intervention in the Balkans: The strategic use of emotion in conflict

Western intervention in the Balkans: The strategic use of emotion in conflict, by Roger D. Petersen, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2011, 333 pages, US$30 (paperback), ISBN 9780521281263. In...