cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allometric plasticity in a polyphenic beetle

1. Environmental conditions, such as variation in nutrition, commonly contribute to morphological variation among individuals by affecting body size and the expression of certain morphological traits; however the scaling relationship between a morphological trait and body size over a range of body sizes is generally assumed not to change in response to environmental fluctuation (allometric plasticity), but instead to be constant and diagnostic for a particular trait and species or population. The work reported here examined diet-induced allometric plasticity in the polyphenic beetle Onthophagus taurus Schreber (1759) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). 2. Male O. taurus vary in body size depending on larval nutrition. Only males above a critical body size threshold express fully developed horns; males smaller than this threshold develop only rudimentary horns or no horns at all. 3. Field populations that naturally utilise two different resources for feeding larvae (horse dung vs. cow manure) exhibited significant differences in the average scaling relationship between body size and male horn length over the same range of body sizes. Males collected from cow manure populations expressed consistently longer horns for a given body size than males collected from horse dung populations. 4. Males reared in the laboratory on horse dung or cow manure also exhibited significant differences in the average scaling relationship between body size and horn length. Differences between laboratory populations reared on horse dung or cow manure were of the same kind and magnitude as differences between field populations that utilise these different resources naturally. 5. These findings suggest that between-population differences in scaling relationships between horn length and body size can be the product of differences in the quality of resources available to developing larvae. Results are discussed in the context of onthophagine mating systems and recent insights in the developmental and endocrine control of horn polyphenisms.
GlcNAc-Thiazoline conformations.

Abstract The title compound, a powerful inhibitor of retaining N-acetylhexosaminidases, can move freely among three pyranose solution conformations of similar energy—two twist boats and the 4C1 chair—as revealed by NMR, calculational, and crystallographic studies. It binds in the enzyme active site only in the pseudo-4C1 conformation, however, in which it most closely resembles the hypothetical bound substrate transition state, a 4E sofa that is approximately trigonal bipyramidal at the anomeric carbon.
Laparoscopic Ureteral Surgery

The use of laparoscopy for ureteral surgery, currently in its relative infancy, is critically reviewed here as an alternative to traditional open and endoscopic methods. The technical aspects of laparoscopic ureteral surgery, clinical and experimental experience to date, and recent advances in anastomotic and substitutive technology are discussed. Copyright © 2000 by W. B. Saunders Company
Temporal variation of large intraplate earthquakes in coupled subduction zones

The focal mechanisms of intraplate earthquakes within subducting lithosphere are frequently used to infer large-scale stress regimes induced by slab-pull, bending or unbending, and lateral segmentation and undulations of the slab. Numerous studies have further postulated that the intraplate activity is influenced by transitory regional stress regimes such as those associated with interplate thrust events. Temporal variations of the latter type may potentially play an important role in assessing regions of uncertain seismic potential, and possibly even in earthquake forecasting. A systematic analysis of 1130 focal mechanisms for intraplate earthquakes with m_b ≥ 5.0 in the depth range 0–300 km is conducted for nine circum-Pacific subduction zones, all of which are known to have large interplate thrust events. The spatial and temporal relationships of the earthquakes within the subducting slab to the large thrust events in each region are appraised. The earthquake catalog assembled contains all published focal mechanisms, and is probably complete for m_b ≥ 6.5 for the years 1963–1986. For many of the localized regions considered in detail the catalog is complete to lower thresholds of m_b ≥ 6.0 or m_b ≥ 5.5. This analysis provides compelling evidence for a temporal link between large interplate thrust activity and intraplate seismicity. For the seismically coupled regions considered here, outer rise compressional events have occurred prior to several large thrust events or are associated with seismic gaps, while outer rise tensional events generally only follow interplate ruptures. In the intermediate depth range, large down-dip tensional events generally precede interplate thrusts, and are often concentrated at the down-dip edge of the coupled zone. A transition to down-dip compressional stress or diminished tensional activity at intermediate depth is observed after several large thrust events (e.g., 1960 Chile, 1974 Peru, 1957 Aleutian, 1971 New Britain). These examples support the notion that the intraplate stress environment responds viscoelastically to the temporally varying interplate stress regime. Assuming that this concept is correct, the seismic potential of several seismic gaps is considered on the basis of both outer rise and intermediate depth earthquake activity.
Comparison of platinum and first-generation Matrix coils in under-packed canine side-wall aneurysms: evaluation of progressive thrombosis

There is much speculation in reference to the occurrence and mechanisms of progressive aneurysm occlusion after treatment with bioactive coils. However, to our knowledge, there are no studies documenting the impact on progressive occlusion in aneurysms that are intentionally under-packed. A total of 24 experimental side-wall aneurysms were created in canine common carotid arteries. Of these 24, 9 were treated with Guglielmi detachable coils (GDC) and 15 with first-generation Matrix (Matrix1) coils to packing densities of 22% or less. Angiograms were obtained immediately after treatment and again at the time of explant at 2 weeks, 8 weeks, or 12 weeks, and were graded utilizing the Raymond scale. At the time of the final angiography and explant all aneurysms were histologically processed and evaluated. At the conclusion of initial coiling, near or complete occlusion was achieved in 7 of the 15 aneurysms (47%) treated with Matrix1 coils and in 2 of the 9 (22%) treated with GDC. Of the aneurysms that were incompletely occluded, six of eight (75%) treated with Matrix1 coils and two of seven (29%) treated with GDC showed progressive thrombosis at explant. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that the aneurysms treated with Matrix1 coils had increased fibrocellular tissue and inflammation, with less histological recanalization or vascular spaces, relative to those treated with GDC. Experimental wide-necked side-wall canine aneurysms suboptimally treated with first-generation Matrix1 coils had a higher incidence of progressive occlusion and on histological analysis showed evidence of more advanced thrombus organization than did those treated with GDC.
Multiple primary tumors in association with prostatic cancer

One hundred forty-six patients with clinically nonmetastatic carcinoma of the prostate were treated at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center from 1964 through 1976. Of these 146 patients, 24 (16.4%) had developed at least one additional primary cancer. This review contrasts the 122 patients who had a single primary prostate cancer only with the 24 patients who had additional primary carcinomas with respect to age, racial distribution, clinical stage, and prostate cancer histology including Gleason's score, patterns of failure of prostate cancer, and survival data. Local failure and distant failure were less in the multiple primary group. Patients with high Gleason's scores appear to be at greater risk for second primaries. Five-year observed survival (by actuarial life table method) for the single prostate primary group was 76.5%, and 5-year observed survival of the prostate multiple primary group where prostate cancer appeared first was 71%.
Improved method of considering air void and asphalt content changes on long-term performance of asphalt concrete pavements

Mixture properties (aggregate gradation and volumetric quantities), rate of loading and environmental conditions are the most important factors that affect the |E*| values. The main objective of this study was to develop a rational approach to investigate and model the effect of air voids and asphalt content on the |E*| master curves and consequently predict pavement performance. In this study, |E*| tests were conducted on three asphalt concrete mixtures with the same aggregate gradation, but different binder grades. For each of these mixtures, the air void and asphalt contents were varied at three levels. It is found that the developed method provides a more accurate estimate of the effects of volumetric changes in hot mix asphalt. The application of the proposed approach would be most beneficial for quality control/quality assurance purposes, performance-related specifications and for estimating contractors' incentives and penalties, where |E*| is utilised to predict the pavement performance.
Extending Holland's theory to adult women☆

Abstract The potential of Holland's theory for use in the vocational guidance of adult women depends in part on more validity data with regard to the conceptual meaningfulness of the constructs. This study reports the findings of a correlative analysis between scores on Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI), which measures the six “styles”, and selected scales on four criterion tests predicted in advance to be related to the VPI. The findings for this sample of adult women indicate strong evidence for the validity of the Intellectual, Conventional and Enterprising “styles”, but questions are raised with regard to the meaningfulness of the Realistic, Social, and Artistic types.
Activation of Stat5a and Stat5b by tyrosine phosphorylation is tightly linked to mammary gland differentiation.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat)5 was originally identified as a mammary gland factor (MGF) that binds to promoter sequences of milk protein genes and activates their transcription. We have generated isoform-specific antibodies against Stat5a or Stat5b and show that both isoforms are present in similar amounts at the protein level in mammary tissues of virgin, pregnant, lactating, and involuting mice. In contrast, Stat5 phosphorylation is very low in immature virgins, rises sharply during late pregnancy, and declines rapidly during involution. Upon phosphorylation, Stat5a and Stat5b form homo- and heterodimers. The induction of Stat5 phosphorylation during late pregnancy correlates with the transcriptional activation of milk protein genes. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assay and supershift analysis, we demonstrated that the DNA-binding activity detected during lactation is composed of both Stat5a and Stat5b, but not of other STATs. The hypothesis that Stat5 is directly involv...
Characterization and evolution of poststenotic flow disturbances

Abstract The evolution of poststenotic flow disturbances was studied using a laser Doppler anemometer for the measurement of velocity along the centerline of a Plexiglas tube. A sinusoidal velocity variation, superimposed upon a forward mean flow, was employed; and the frequency parameter and peak Reynolds number approximated values typical of the dog aorta. Contoured stenoses of 25, 50 and 75% reduction in cross-sectional area were studied. Results demonstrate the presence of three types of flow disturbance: a coherent structure associated with the initiation of each flow cycle; a periodic disturbance arising from the shear layer distal to the constriction; and nonstationary turbulence. Data analysis methods which allow accurate classification of disturbances are presented. The coherent “starting structure” may have relevance in reducing the threshold of recognition of developing atherosclerotic plaques.
A constraint on pre-Main-Sequence mass loss

The principal energy source of a pre-Main-Sequence (PMS) star is gravitational contraction. Mass ejection, regardless of its actual mechanism, in effect transfers gravitational potential energy from the entire star to the escaping matter. The virial theorem limits the efficiency of such a process. Theoretical PMS mass-radius relationships limit the total loss to a few tenths of the initial mass. The observed luminosities and estimated mass loss rates of T-Tauri stars are used to estimate the fraction of available energy expended on mass ejection. Actual losses appear to be much smaller than the theoretical limit in most cases. Only stars of emission line intensity classes 4 and 5 may be capable of significant mass loss.
Birefringence of the Vacuum

It is known that Maxwell's equations become nonlinear if the effect of virtual electron-positron pair creation is included. The vacuum, thus behaving like a polarizable continuum, is shown to exhibit the phenomenon of birefringence.
Cloning and characterization of the CYC8 gene mediating glucose repression in yeast.

Abstract Mutations m the CYC8( = SSN6) gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae alleviate glucose repression of many glucose-repressible genes. The gene was isolated by screening for complementation of a cyc8 effect on colony morphology. Subclones containing a 5.3-kb SalI-XbaI fragment provided complete complementation. The gene was further localized to 3.5 kb by mapping of the CYC8 mRNA and insertional mutagenesis. Insertion and deletion mutations are viable and produce the same array of phenotypes as point mutations. CYC8 disruptions also had effects on the mating ability and morphology of MATα cells similar to that of tup1 mutations. The nucleotide sequence of a 4866-bp fragment, including CYC8, was determined. One long open reading frame of 966 amino acids predicts a protein of molecular weight 107215. The predicted protein is extremely glutamine-rich, with blocks of 16 and 31 glutamines in tandem at the N and C regions, respectively. The CYC8 gene product lacks consensus sequences for DNA-binding domains, suggesting that its function may be different from classical represser proteins.
Use of Biobrane in the treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome is an exfoliative dermatologic disorder of unknown origin resulting in the loss of epidermis in a sheetlike fashion at the dermoepidermal junction. The resulting wound renders the patient vulnerable to potential septic complications, fluid and protein losses, and severe pain. During the past decade treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome has incorporated the basic tenets of burn care : appropriate fluid resuscitation, nutritional support, infection surveillance and treatment, and optimal care of the open wound. Biobrane, a readily available and effective biosynthetic skin substitute, has been successfully used in the treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome and provides a safe and reliable method to achieve wound closure. Its successful use requires a thorough understanding of application and removal techniques. Once adherent, it avoids the cost and pain associated with repeated dressing changes.
Anti-CD3-induced apoptosis in T-cells from young and old mice.

Light scatter measurements using flow cytometry indicated that T cells from young and old mice undergo apoptosis following activation with immobilized anti-CD3. The percentage of cells in apoptosis after 20 h activation was significantly greater (p<.001) in cultures containing cells from older animals. The mean percentages of apoptotic T cells from young and old mice after 20 h activation were 19.3% and 33.0%, respectively. The proportion of viable cells after 20 h activation was significantly higher (p<.003) in the young (mean=78.4%) than in the old animals (mean =: 65.8%). Simultaneous measurements of light scatter and fluorescence indicated that apoptotic T cells contained both the CD4+ and the CD8 + T cell phenotypes. The frequency of apoptotic CD8+ T cells was elevated (p<.007) in older animals, where the mean percentage was 15.1%, compared to 5.3% in the young. The most dramatic difference between young and old (p<.0008) was seen in the percentages of viable CD4+ T cells after 20 h activation. The mean viable CD4+ T-cell percentage was 33.7% in the young and 21.4% in the old. CD4+ cells expressing high levels of CD45RB (CD45RBhi) after activation for 20 h possessed light scatter and bright fluorescence properties characteristic of viable cells, whereas CD4+/CD45RB10 density cells could be identified as apoptotic based on their decreased CD4 fluorescence and scatter characteristics. CD4+ cells from young animals were predominantly CD45RBhi, whereas CD4+ cells from the old had greater levels of CD454RB10 cells. In addition to light scatter changes, measurement of DNA content after 40 h activation revealed the presence of a sub-G1 DNA apoptotic peak and a viable cell cycle distribution. After 40 h of activation, there was an increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells in both young and old mice, with the greatest increase seen in the cells from older animals. Further evidence supporting the process of apoptosis in 40 h-activated cells was confirmed by the appearance of DNA strand breaks detected by in situ nick translation. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chronic Smoking Is Associated With Differential Neurocognitive Recovery in Abstinent Alcoholic Patients: A Preliminary Investigation

Background: Approximately 50 to 90% of individuals in North America seeking treatment for alcoholism are chronic smokers. A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic cigarette smokers show a pattern of neurocognitive dysfunction similar to that observed in alcoholic patients. However, previous studies investigating neurocognitive recovery in abstinent alcoholic patients did not specifically consider the potential effects of chronic cigarette smoking. Methods: This study comprehensively compared longitudinal neurocognitive changes over 6 to 9 months of abstinence among 13 nonsmoking recovering alcoholic patients (ALC) and 12 actively smoking ALC. The neurocognitive performance of the alcoholic groups was compared with nonsmoking light-drinking controls (nonsmoking LD). Results: Nonsmoking ALC exhibited a significantly greater magnitude of longitudinal improvement than smoking ALC on measures of cognitive efficiency, executive skills, visuospatial skills, and working memory. Both nonsmoking ALC and smoking ALC demonstrated equivalent improvement on auditory-verbal learning, auditory-verbal memory, and processing speed. Nonsmoking LD showed no significant changes in neurocognition over time. In cross-sectional comparisons at 6 to 9 months of abstinence, nonsmoking ALC were superior to smoking ALC on measures of auditoryverbal learning, auditory-verbal memory, cognitive efficiency, executive skills, processing speed, and working memory. The longitudinal and cross-sectional neurocognitive differences observed between nonsmoking and smoking ALC remained significant after covarying for group differences in education, estimated premorbid intelligence alcohol consumption, and other potentially confounding variables. In smoking ALC, greater smoking severity was inversely related to longitudinal improvement on multiple neurocognitive measures.
THE SEISMOACOUSTIC WAVEFIELD: A NEW PARADIGM IN STUDYING GEOPHYSICAL PHENOMENA

[1] The field of seismoacoustics is emerging as an important discipline in its own right, owing to the value of colocated seismic and infrasound arrays that sample elastic energy propagating in both the solid Earth and the atmosphere. The fusion of seismic and infrasonic data provides unique constraints for studying a broad range of topics including the source physics of natural and man-made events, interaction of mechanical waves in Earth's crust and atmosphere, source location and characterization, and inversion of atmospheric and shallow subsurface properties. This review article traces the seismoacoustic wavefield from source to receiver. Beginning at the source, we review the latest insights into the physics of natural and anthropogenic sources that have arisen from the analysis of seismoacoustic data. Next, a comparative review of 3-D models of the atmosphere and solid Earth and the latest algorithms for modeling the propagation of mechanical waves through these media provides the framework for a discussion of the seismoacoustic path. The optimal measurement of seismic and acoustic waves, including a discussion of instrumentation, as well as of array configurations and regional networks, is then outlined. Finally, we focus on broad research applications where the analysis of seismoacoustic data is starting to yield important new results, such as in the field of nuclear explosion monitoring. This review is intended to provide a primer on the field of seismoacoustics for seismologists or acousticians, while also providing a more general review of what constraints seismoacoustics can uniquely provide for understanding geophysical phenomena.
Ion-Selective Electrodes for Basic Drugs.

Abstract Coated-wire ion-selective electrodes based on dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid (DNNS) are prepared for methadone, methylamphetamine, cocaine and protriptyline in protonated form. In each set, nearly-Nernstian responses are obtained while detection limits range from 10 -5.5 M for cocaine and methylamphetamine electrodes, to 10 -6.0 M for methadone, and 10 -6.5 M for protriptyline electrodes. Selectivity is found to decrease in the order methadone, protriptyline, cocaine and methylamphetamine; these results are consistent with systematic selectivity studies reported earlier for electrodes in this family.
Molecular Modeling of Folding in Lactam-Modified (Glutamate+Lysine Analog) Conotoxins

We report a method to model the conformational folding of α-conotoxins and the factors that affect the synthesis of specific regioisomers by using a combination of molecular dynamics methods to determine the geometric factors (S-S distances and C-N distances in lactam-modified α-conotoxins) and ab initio methods to determine the conformational energy and molecular orbital information. In the literature, the replacement of the Cys2-Cys7 disulfide bridge with a lactam bridge causes a complete loss of activity. However, exchanging the larger Cys3-Cys13 bridge leads to analogues that exhibit considerable affinities for the receptor sites. In previous work [Osysko et al. Biophys. J. 2011, 100, 155a], we studied the effect of side-chain length at position 13 by replacing this amino acid with modified lysines, where one to four methylene units would separate the alpha carbon and the ammonium group. Cys 3 was then replaced by aspartate. In this work, we examine a similar effect but replacing Cys3 with a glutamate residue instead. The results show that thermal fluctuations lead to configurations where a molecular orbital overlap between S-S atoms (Cys2-Cys7) can take place, leading to the proper regioisomer formation. Furthermore, ab initio methods predict adequate orbital overlap between the sulfur atoms. The length of the methylene chain of the basic amino acid at position 13 affects the probability of forming a lactam bridge between positions 7 and 13. Surprisingly, we find that the best overlap conditions are achieved for very short chains (only one methylene group separating the amino group and the alpha carbon) and, to a slightly smaller extent, for the longest chains (four methylene groups, i.e. lysine). Few overlap arrangements were observed in the simulations with two or three methylene groups.
Adult onset leukodystrophy with neuroaxonal spheroids and pigmented glia: report of a family, historical perspective, and review of the literature

We present a two-generation family consisting of a father and two daughters, who had an adult-onset leukodystrophy characterized by widespread destruction of cerebral white matter with neuroaxonal spheroids. The mode of inheritance appears to be autosomal dominant. All three patients presented with a variety of motor and cognitive symptoms, including frontal lobe signs, 4-7 years before death. Each followed a chronic course until death at ages 39, 46, and 51. At autopsy, the white matter loss was widespread but most prominent in the cerebrum with descending corticospinal tract degeneration and relative sparing of subcortical U-fibers. Pigmented glial cells were present, most of which appear to be macrophages, but inconstantly Prussian blue-positive. This disease is consistent with published reports of hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS). However, a review of the literature and a personal review of the neuropathology of the original case of the pigmentary type of orthochromatic leukodystrophy (POLD) reveal overlapping clinical and neuropathologic features between these two previously distinct entities, suggesting a common pathogenetic and perhaps etiological relationship between the two.
Negotiating Sociocultural Discourses: The Counter-Storytelling of Academically (and Mathematically) Successful African American Male Students

This study documents the counterstories of four academically (and mathematically) successful African American male students. Using participative inquiry, the participants were asked to read, reflect on, and respond to historical and current research literature regarding the schooling experiences of African American students. Their responses were analyzed using a somewhat eclectic theoretical framework that included poststructural theory, critical race theory, and critical theory. Collectively, the participants’ counterstories revealed that each had acquired a robust mathematics identity as a component of his overall efforts toward success. How the participants acquired such “uncharacteristic” mathematics identities was to be found in part in how they understood sociocultural discourses of U.S. society and how they negotiated the specific discourses that surround male African Americans. Present throughout the counterstories of each participant was a recognition of himself as a discursive formation who could negotiate sociocultural discourses as a means to subversively repeat his constituted “raced” self.
Development and calibration of an integrated freeway and toll plaza model for New Jersey Turnpike using paramics microscopic simulation tool

The paper describes the development and calibration efforts of an integrated freeway and toll plaza model of the New Jersey Turnpike (NJTPK) using paramics microscopic simulation software. The model is calibrated using the detailed E-ZPass data of individual vehicles. The efficiency of the NJTPK is highly related to the toll plaza operations. However, paramics cannot model toll plazas by default. It is also demonstrated in this paper that the application programming interface (API) of paramics is required to model the complex vehicle movements and decisions at toll plazas. The developed simulation model is an invaluable tool in many analyses such as evaluation of traveler information systems, incident management strategies, the effect of infrastructural changes, and the impact of congestion pricing.
Assay Development and Validation of an 8‐SNP Multiplex Test to Predict Eye and Skin Coloration

Identifying human remains is one of the many responsibilities of forensic scientists. An eye- and skin-color predictor translates genotypic information into phenotypic description. Eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are utilized for this predictor, five for eye, and six for skin coloration. Here, we describe the development and validation of an 8-SNP multiplex assay that consists of a multiplex PCR, followed by a multiplexed single-base primer extension reaction generating fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides of distinct length that are detected by multicolor capillary electrophoresis. Validation of this assay included tests for reproducibility, reliability, sensitivity, species specificity, its performance on degraded DNA, and on forensic samples. It can be concluded that the 8-SNP multiplex assay is robust and can be used on challenging samples, including bones, to reliably determine the genotypes to predict eye and skin color of individuals. This information can assist in the identification of human remains and missing persons.
A measurement study of white spaces across diverse population densities

While many metropolitan areas sought to deploy city-wide WiFi networks, the densest urban areas were not able to broadly leverage the technology for large-scale Internet access. Ultimately, the small spatial separation required for effective 802.11 links in these areas resulted in prohibitively large up-front costs. The FCC has reapportioned spectrum from TV white spaces for the purposes of large-scale Internet connectivity via wireless topologies of all kinds. The far greater range of these lower carrier frequencies are especially critical in rural areas, where high levels of aggregation could dramatically lower the cost of deployment and is in direct contrast to dense urban areas in which networks are built to maximize spatial reuse. Thus, leveraging a broad range of spectrum across diverse population densities becomes a critical issue for the deployment of data networks with WiFi and white space bands. In this paper, we measure the spectrum utility in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan and surrounding areas and propose a measurement-driven band selection framework, Multiband Access Point Estimation (MAPE). In particular, we study the white space and WiFi bands with in-field spectrum utility measurements, revealing the number of access points required for an area with channels in multiple bands. In doing so, we find that networks with white space bands reduce the number of access points by up to 1650% in sparse rural areas over similar WiFi-only solutions. In more populated rural areas and sparse urban areas, we find an access point reduction of 660% and 412%, respectively. However, due to the heavy use of white space bands in dense urban areas, the cost reductions invert (an increase in required access points of 6%). Finally, we numerically analyze band combinations in typical rural and urban areas and show the critical factor that leads to cost reduction: considering the same total number of channels, as more channels are available in the white space bands, less access points are required for a given area.
A case report of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML) associated with adalimumab

Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by polyomavirus JC. It results from lytic infection of glial cells and is often fatal.1 ,2 A common risk factor for PML is immunosuppression due to HIV infection or malignancy (or its treatment). PML has also been reported in those using immunomodulation therapies.3 A previous study estimated incidence of PML at 0.2/100 000 among patients with autoimmune diseases who did not have HIV or malignancy. Based on the single case of PML exposed to a biological agent, another study reported the incidence rate (IR) of PML was 2.3 (95% CI 0.1 to 71) per 100 000 person-years in patients who were exposed to biological agents and 0.8 (95% CI 0.2 to 2.5) per 100 000 person-years in those not exposed to biological agents.4 Cases of PML associated …
The Liver Parenchyma and Foreign Compound Metabolism in Red-winged Blackbird Compared with Rat

1. Aniline p-hydroxylase, aminopyrine N-demethylase, and p-nitroamsole O-demethylase activities were measured in liver microsomes prepared from the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and compared with analogous preparations from rat. All had lower activities in birds than in rats, when expressed in terms of microsomal protein.2. Hepatic parenchyma of the bird was observed by electron microscopy to contain less endoplasmic reticulum than that of rat. This morphological difference may partially explain the species difference in enzyme activities.3. Cytochrome P-450 levels were not sex-dependent in the red-winged blackbird, unlike rat, but the opposite was true for the rate of hydroxylation of aniline.4. There was no species difference in the activity of aniline p-hydroxylase when expressed in terms of activities per unit of cytochrome P-450, but the activity of p-nitroanisole O-demethylase was higher in red-winged blackbird than in rat; the reverse may be true for the activity of aminopyrine N-demet...
Acute medical impairment among elderly patients involved in motor vehicle collisions.

BACKGROUND: The association between acute medical illness and motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) among elderly emergency department patients is unclear. We sought to determine the prevalence of acute medical conditions that might impair driving ability among the elderly involved in MVCs and determine if there was an increased risk of the driver having an acute medical condition compared to similarly aged passengers. METHODS: We reviewed charts of patients aged 65 years or older whose emergency department visit was prompted by a motor vehicle collision between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2010 at two Level 1 trauma centres. The exposure of interest was occupancy status (driver vs. passenger), and the outcome measure was the presence of any predefined acute medical illness that might impair driving ability. RESULTS: Final analysis included 871 drivers (cases) and 307 passengers (controls). An acute medical illness was recorded in 107 patients (9%): 97 drivers (11%) and 10 passengers (3%). Compared to passengers, drivers had significantly higher odds of presenting with acute medical illness (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.9-7.2). After controlling for potential confounders, the adjusted odds ratio was 5.5 (95% CI 2.3-13.0). CONCLUSION: Acute medical conditions are a moderately common diagnosis among elderly drivers, presenting in about one in ten patients. A difference in the risk of finding an acute medical illness when comparing elderly drivers and passengers evaluated in the emergency department after a collision suggests the need for considering additional diagnostic investigation and post-discharge surveillance in this population. Language: en
ISSCC 2008 to Focus on System Integration for Life and Style, SSCS Flagship Conference to Meet on February 3–7 in San Francisco

SSCS Flagship Conference to Meet on February 3-7 in San Francisco ISSCC 2008 will feature presentations that demonstrate ways in which the integration of novel circuit and systems can deliver functions that enrich the users' life style. Following the Plenary Session with addresses by four speakers, 237 technical papers will be presented in 31 sessions over 2 1/2 days, highlighting the latest advancements in circuit design.
Oxidative folding of hepcidin at acidic pH.

Hepcidin is a four disulfide 25-residue peptide hormone which has a central role in the regulation of iron homeostasis. To support studies on hepcidin we have sought to establish reliable and robust synthetic methods for the preparation of correctly folded materials. While correctly-folded hepcidin has good aqueous solubility, we have found that its direct synthetic precursor, linear (reduced) hepcidin peptide, is resistant to solubilization, prone to precipitation at pH ≥ 6, and thus difficult to fold efficiently. Attempts to directly fold either the crude or purified linear hepcidin peptide by air or DMSO oxidation methods under basic conditions were ineffective. However, addition of a glutathione redox pair system improved folding of purified linear hepcidin at mild basic pH (pH 7.5). Under acidic conditions, it was possible to oxidatively fold both crude and purified hepcidin using a polymer-supported oxidizing strategy. Peptide precipitation was also avoided under acidic conditions. Isolated folding yields of human hepcidin under acidic polymer-assisted conditions were superior to yields under basic folding conditions. These studies enabled identification of a reliable synthetic route for correctly-folded hepcidin. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 94: 257–264, 2010.
From Kuramoto to Crawford: exploring the onset of synchronization in populations of coupled oscillators

The Kuramoto model describes a large population of coupled limit-cycle oscillators whose natural frequencies are drawn from some prescribed distribution. If the coupling strength exceeds a certain threshold, the system exhibits a phase transition: some of the oscillators spontaneously synchronize, while others remain incoherent. The mathematical analysis of this bifurcation has proved both problematic and fascinating. We review 25 years of research on the Kuramoto model, highlighting the false turns as well as the successes, but mainly following the trail leading from Kuramoto’s work to Crawford’s recent contributions. It is a lovely winding road, with excursions through mathematical biology, statistical physics, kinetic theory, bifurcation theory, and plasma physics. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Proton-induced fluorescence properties of terbium gallium garnet

The authors completed a 3 MeV proton irradiation test on a terbium gallium garnet crystal sample. The main goal was to determine the proton dose required to reduce the fluorescence intensity to half its original value (half-brightness dose) at ambient temperature. The 3 MeV proton half-brightness dose was found to be 1.25 × 1015 p/cm2 using the Birks and Black relation. This decay is comparable to other fluors irradiated by the authors. The sample exhibited a yellow glow when irradiated in a 3 MeV beam. The fluorescence spectrum was composed of four peaks at wavelengths of 487.2 nm, 542.4 nm, 589.92 nm, and 624.1 nm.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011

This report provides concrete and actionable recommendations related to policies affecting obesity risk in very early childhood. Specifically, these recommendations target measures that can be taken outside the home and call on government at all levels to support healthy eating among young children through guidelines and promotion efforts. The report also highlights myriad gaps in research knowledge, but concludes that “the urgency of the issue of obesity in young children demands that action be taken now with the best available evidence.”
Silicon Nanophotonic Network-on-Chip Using TDM Arbitration

Silicon nanophotonics is an emerging technology platform for offering high-bandwidth connectivity with extreme energy efficiency for future networks-on-chip. Using circuit-switching as an arbitration mechanism takes advantage of the low transmission energy in end-to-end communication and high bandwidth density of wave guides using WDM. However, pure circuit-switching requires an electronic control network which suffers from unfairness under heavy loads and can lead to high latencies, low network utilization, and an overhead in power dissipation. We propose time division multiplexed distributed arbitration, which provides round-robin fairness to setting up photonic circuit paths. Our design can supply 2-4× the bandwidth at network saturation for random traffic, and is an order of magnitude more efficient when simulated with scientific application traces compared to both electronic and other photonic network architectures.
autosomal-dominant Inheritance of the prothrombin Gene Mutation in a puerto rican Family: a case study

Splenic infarction is rare and the prothrombin gene mutation (PGM) is not commonly observed in Puerto Rico. PGM is present in 1% of the general population, and in 7% of the people with deep venous thrombosis (DVT); it is found in up to 40% of patients with splenic-portal-mesenteric thrombosis. Our study has identified a Puerto Rican family of four generations whose members all have inherited PGM in an autosomal dominant manner. The eldest member of the family, an 82-year-old male, presented with DVT of the lower extremity. The man’s 62-year-old daughter had suffered a splenic infarction; his 37-year-old grandson presented with superficial and deep vein thrombosis (SDVT), and his great-grandson of 8 years was asymptomatic at the time of the report. This is the second report of PGM as the cause of a hypercoagulable state and the first reported PGM-related splenic infarction in Puerto Rico. We need to test for genetic hypercoagulable states in the members of Puerto Rican families with thromboembolism. Once testing has revealed the existence of such states in a given family, it is important that the family members receive genetic counseling.
Depression and parental bonding: Cause, consequence, or genetic covariance?

It is shown how information on the direction of causation between variables may be obtained from a cross-sectional study of pairs of relatives. This method is applied to the study of the relationship between ratings of parents' rearing style and depression in their offspring. Adult female twins ascertained from a population-based registry in Virginia completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale (CESD) and a 7-item short form of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) about each of their parents. Two dimensions of parental behavior, overprotectiveness and coldness, were analyzed jointly with depression data in both genetic factor and directional genetic models. Models that specify ratings of parents as a cause of depression in the offspring fit the data significantly better than models that specify depression as a cause of ratings of parents. A still better fit is obtained with models that specify common genetic variance to depression and ratings, though causal models with error variance perform almost as well. In general, ratings of fathers show more genetic and less shared environmental variance than ratings of mothers, which might arise from more consistent treatment of offspring by mothers than by fathers. No effect of children eliciting parental rearing style was detected with these data. The relative merits of instrumental variable, longitudinal, and family approaches to testing causal models are discussed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Selective nonlinear optical excitation with pulses shaped by pseudorandom Galois fields

We demonstrate high-resolution high-contrast nonlinear optical spectroscopy based on phase-modulated ultrashort pulses. The problem of causing selective nonlinear optical excitation at one frequency while minimizing background is framed in terms of low autocorrelation binary sequences. We investigate phase functions with up to 608-bit resolution for their ability to induce two-photon excitation or stimulated Raman scattering, and find the highest theoretical and experimental signal-to-noise ratios yet reported. We confirm our findings by measuring experimental two-photon excitation spectra.
Alcoholism Scales of the MMPI: Contributions and Future Directions

Though MMPI alcoholism scales have been constructed to provide objective information for making alcoholism diagnoses, they have not met with general acceptance. Research has been criticized since alcoholics were not clearly defined and were not subdivided into homogeneous categories. Prealcoholics were not studied and no consistent findings emerged. The present review of alcoholics and prealcoholics indicates that some scales, such as the MacAndrew, are consistent in discriminating alcoholics from controls even when alcoholics were not subdivided into homogeneous categories. These findings suggest that alcoholics have personality characteristics that distinguish them from other groups and provide psychometric justification for alcoholism diagnoses.
Constructing Coercion: The Organization of Sexual Assault

There is an abundance of research on how perpetrators organize and orchestrate their activity during the commission of burglary, robbery, and homicide. By contrast, there is very little research on...
Agility of Enterprise Operations across Distributed Organizations: A Model of Cross Enterprise Collaboration

We discuss the need for agility of business operations in a collaborative services ecosystem of partners and providers, and present a new system architecture for cross collaboration among multiple service enterprises. We demonstrate the importance and inevitability of such collaboration along with challenges in its proper realization through several real-life examples taken from different business domains. We then show that these challenges are rooted in two key factors: unpredictability and responsiveness; agility enables optimal response to unpredictable events. The key contribution of this manuscript is the presentation of a new model, centered on the modeling of work-asa-service (WaaS) and an intelligent hub for coordinating cross enterprise collaboration. This hub is constructed in a manner intended to directly identify and solve the two key fundamental challenges of cross enterprise collaboration. As such, we expect it to outperform other means of collaboration across service providers. We demonstrate the potential for such performance using field examples.
The public health benefits of insulation retrofits in existing housing in the United States

Background: Methodological limitations make it difficult to quantify the public health benefits of energy efficiency programs. To address this issue, we developed a risk-based model to estimate the health benefits associated with marginal energy usage reductions and applied the model to a hypothetical case study of insulation retrofits in single-family homes in the United States. Methods: We modeled energy savings with a regression model that extrapolated findings from an energy simulation program. Reductions of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) emissions and particle precursors (SO2 and NOx) were quantified using fuel-specific emission factors and marginal electricity analyses. Estimates of population exposure per unit emissions, varying by location and source type, were extrapolated from past dispersion model runs. Concentration-response functions for morbidity and mortality from PM 2.5 were derived from the epidemiological literature, and economic values were assigned to health outcomes based on willingness to pay studies. Results: In total, the insulation retrofits would save 800 TBTU (8 × 10 14 British Thermal Units) per year across 46 million homes, resulting in 3,100 fewer tons of PM 2.5 , 100,000 fewer tons of NOx, and 190,000 fewer tons of SO 2 per year. These emission reductions are associated with outcomes including 240 fewer deaths, 6,500 fewer asthma attacks, and 110,000 fewer restricted activity days per year. At a state level, the health benefits per unit energy savings vary by an order of magnitude, illustrating that multiple factors (including population patterns and energy sources) influence health benefit estimates. The health benefits correspond to $1.3 billion per year in externalities averted, compared with $5.9 billion per year in economic savings. Conclusion: In spite of significant uncertainties related to the interpretation of PM2.5 health effects and other dimensions of the model, our analysis demonstrates that a risk-based methodology is viable for national-level energy efficiency programs.
Are married women's jobs career or secondary source of household income? Evidence from a simultaneous probit approach

This article examines whether married women in the US treat their jobs as careers or as secondary source of household income. A simultaneous probit model is applied to cross-section data obtained from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. I show that married women are more likely to work when the household is less financially constrained, suggesting that their jobs appear more like careers.