cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular cloning of four novel murine ribonuclease genes: Unusual expansion within the Ribonuclease A gene family

We have characterized four novel murine ribonuclease genes that, together with the murine eosinophil-associated ribonucleases 1 and 2, form a distinct and unusual cluster within the RNase A gene superfamily. Three of these genes (mR-3, mR-4, mR-5) include complete open reading frames, encoding ribonucleases with eight cysteines and appropriately spaced histidines (His11 and His124) and lysine (Lys35) that are characteristic of this enlarging protein family; the fourth sequence encodes a non-functional pseudogene (mR-6P). Although the amino acid sequence similarities among these murine ribonucleases varies from 60 to 94%, they form a unique cluster, as each sequence is found to be more closely related to another of this group than to either murine angiogenin or to murine pancreatic ribonuclease. Interestingly, the relationship between the six genes in this 'mR cluster' and the defined lineages of the RNase A gene family could not be determined by amino acid sequence homology, suggesting the possibility that there are one or more additional ribonuclease lineages that have yet to be defined. Although the nature of the evolutionary constraints promoting this unusual expansion and diversification remain unclear, the implications with respect to function are intriguing.
Existence of parallelisms and projective extensions for strongly n-uniform near affine Hjelmslev planes

An affine Hjelmslev plane is a near affine Hjelmslev plane with a parallelism. It is proved that every strongly n-uniform near affine Hjelmslev plane possesses an even parallelism and, if n > 2, uneven parallelisms as well. Secondly, we prove that a strongly n-uniform affine Hjelmslev plane A has an extension to a strongly n-uniform projective Hjelmslev plane if and only if the parallelism of A is even. The above results are applied to yield the first known examples of affine Hjelmslev planes which possess no extensions to projective Hjelmslev planes.
Navigating reductionism and holism in evaluation

In this position paper, we enumerate two approaches to the evaluation of visualizations which are associated with two approaches to knowledge formation in science: reductionism, which holds that the understanding of complex phenomena is based on the understanding of simpler components; and holism, which states that complex phenomena have characteristics more than the sum of their parts and must be understood as complete, irreducible units. While we believe that each approach has benefits for evaluating visualizations, we claim that strict adherence to one perspective or the other can make it difficult to generate a full evaluative picture of visualization tools and techniques. We argue for movement between and among these perspectives in order to generate knowledge that is both grounded (i.e. its constituent parts work) and validated (i.e. the whole operates correctly). We conclude with examples of techniques which we believe represent movements of this sort from our own work, highlighting areas where we have both "built up" reductionist techniques into larger contexts, and "broken down" holistic techniques to create generalizable knowledge.
THE GROWTH OF INSTITUTIONAL STOCK OWNERSHIP: A PROMISE UNFULFILLED

Despite the substantial growth of institutional ownership of U.S. corporations in the past 20 years, there is little evidence that institutional investors have acquired the kind of concentrated ownership positions required to be able to play a dominant role in the corporate governance process. Institutional ownership remains widely dispersed among firms and institutions in large part because of significant legal obstacles that discourage institutional investors both from taking large block positions and from exercising large ownership positions to control corporate managers. Thus, although much of the growth of institutional ownership since 1980 has been accounted for by the growth of mutual funds and private pension funds, there continue to be strong deterrents to the accumulation and use of large ownership positions to influence corporate managers. Another potentially important factor discouraging concentrated investments are incentive schemes that effectively reward money managers for producing returns that do not vary much from the S&P 500 (or whatever sector the manager is supposed to be representing). Using a very different incentive scheme that offers managers a share of the excess returns (as well as penalties for failure to meet benchmarks), a relatively new class of “hedge funds” has emerged that provides both more concentrated ownership positions and higher risk-adjusted rates of return. To encourage mutual funds to take a more activist corporate governance role and to behave more like hedge funds, the authors recommend that current legal restrictions on mutual funds be relaxed so that mutual funds have a greater incentive to hold large ownership positions in companies and to use those positions to more effectively monitor corporate managers. In particular, the “five and ten” portfolio rules applicable to mutual funds could be repealed and replaced with a standard of prudence and diligence more in keeping with portfolio theory; mutual funds could be given greater freedom to adopt redemption policies that would be more conducive to holding larger ownership positions; and institutional investors could be permitted to employ a variety of incentive fee structures to encourage fund managers to pursue more pro-active investment strategies. The prospect of actively involving institutional fund managers in the corporate governance process may be our best hope for improving U.S. corporate governance.
Vertically oriented femoral neck fractures: mechanical analysis of four fixation techniques.

Objective:Femoral neck fractures in young individuals are typically high angled shear fractures. These injuries are difficult to stabilize due to a strong varus displacement force across the hip with weight bearing. The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical stability of four differi
Mechanisms of strain induced roughening and dislocation multiplication in Si x Ge 1-x thin films

We discuss the stress driven roughening transition of SixGe1-x thin films. In the case of annealed films, nucleation effects dominate the nature of the surface ripple which formed by a cooperative nucleation mechanism. Individual islands appear to nucleate via multilayer fluctuations. Faceting can however be suppressed at high supersaturations, resulting in a transition with characteristics of the Asaro-Tiller-Grinfeld instability. The relationship between morphological evolution and dislocation nucleation and multiplication is considered.
An optimization framework for data centers to minimize electric bill under day-ahead dynamic energy prices while providing regulation services

Considering the growing number of Internet and cloud computing data centers in operation today and the high, yet flexible· data center electric load, data centers can be good candidates to offer ancillary services and respond to regulation signals in a smart grid This paper considers a problem whereby the smart grid employs both day-ahead dynamic energy prices and regulation signals to incentivize (cloud) data centers to simultaneously reduce their energy consumptions and participate in an ancillary service market A data center controller schedules task dispatch and performs resource allocation in order to minimize the overall cost, which is the total electricity cost based on time-of-use energy prices minus any monetary compensations that data center may receive due to offering ancillary services. Moreover, the data center must satisfy average latency requirements in processing requests as specified in service-level agreements with clients. A two-tier hierarchical solution is presented for the data center controller, which achieves optimality in minimizing the overall cost with polynomial time complexity. Experimental results on Google trace demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed solution in minimizing the overall cost in the data center.
Vagus nerve stimulation therapy after failed cranial surgery for intractable epilepsy: results from the vagus nerve stimulation therapy patient outcome registry.

Objective To determine the effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy among patients with persistent or recurrent seizures after lobar resection, callosotomy, and other cranial operations for intractable epilepsy. Methods Data were obtained from the VNS therapy patient outcome registry, which was established after United States Food and Drug Administration approval of the VNS device in 1997 as a means of capturing open-label clinical data outside of protocol. The integrity of the systems for collecting and processing registry data was authenticated by an independent auditing agency. The effect of potential selection bias, however, remains uncertain. Results Two nonconsecutive cohorts were compared: patients tracked in the registry who had previously undergone cranial surgery for epilepsy (CS group, n = 921) and those who had not (non-CS group, n = 3822). For the CS group, the median reduction in seizure frequency was 42.5% after 3 months of VNS therapy, 42.9% at 6 months, 45.7% at 12 months, 52.0% at 18 months, and 50.5% at 24 months. For the non-CS group, analogous rates were 47.0%, 52.9%, 60.0%, 62.7%, and 66.7%, respectively. In the CS group, seizures were reduced by at least 50% in 55.1% of patients, at least 75% in 31.4% of patients, at least 90% in 17.3% of patients, and 100% in 5.1% of patients after 24 months of VNS therapy. Response rates were more pronounced in the non-CS group: at least 50% in 62.2% of patients, at least 75% in 43.7% of patients, at least 90% in 26.8% of patients, and 100% in 8.3% of patients. Patients in both groups experienced marked improvements in quality of life parameters. Conclusion The effectiveness of VNS is maintained during prolonged stimulation, and overall seizure control continues to improve with time. Patients in whom prior cranial surgery had failed did not respond as favorably as all other patients receiving VNS therapy. Nonetheless, many of the former group improved substantially. Thus, on the basis of these open-label data, VNS therapy represents a potentially palliative treatment option for patients with refractory seizures after failed cranial surgery.
DETERMINANTS OF PORPHYRIN‐SENSITIZED PHOTOOXIDATION CHARACTERIZED BY FLUORESCENCE AND ABSORPTION SPECTRA

— As a model for studies involving biologic systems, rates of hematoporphyrin and protopor-phyrin-sensitized photooxidation of tryptophan were measured in water-methanol mixtures. Absorption and fluorescence-emission spectra associated with solutions of porphyrins in different water-methano! mixtures were also examined. The optimal rate of photooxidation by hematoporphyrin occurred in 30% methanol; by protoporphyrin, in 60% methanol. Absorption spectra were examined to characterize dispersion of hematoporphyrin into monomeric form in 90% methanol, and the dimer formation which predominates in 30% methanol. With the more hydrophobic protoporphyrin, an absorption spectrum characteristic of drug monomer was seen in 100% methanol, a dimer spectrum was observed in 60% methanol. At methanol concentrations < 60%, we observed impaired photooxidation and another alteration in the absorption pattern apparently reflecting drug aggregation beyond the dimer stage. Fluorescence emission maxima of both porphyrins were blue-shifted with increasing solvent dielectric constant, but an additional blue shift was detected in an aqueous environment which was apparently related to porphyrin aggregation. Absorption and fluorescence-emission spectra appear helpful for characterizing environmental determinants of porphyrin-sensitized photooxidation.
Acquisition of triacylglycerol transfer activity by microsomal triglyceride transfer protein during evolution

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) is essential for the assembly of neutral-lipid-rich apolipoprotein B (apoB) lipoproteins. Previously we reported that the Drosophila MTP transfers phospholipids but does not transfer triglycerides. In contrast, human MTP transfers both lipids. To explore the acquisition of triglyceride transfer activity by MTP, we evaluated amino acid sequences, protein structures, and the biochemical and cellular properties of various MTP orthologues obtained from species that diverged during evolution. All MTP orthologues shared similar secondary and tertiary structures, associated with protein disulfide isomerase, localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, and supported apoB secretion. While vertebrate MTPs transferred triglyceride, invertebrate MTPs lacked this activity. Thus, triglyceride transfer activity was acquired during the transition from invertebrates to vertebrates. Within vertebrates, fish, amphibians, and birds displayed 27%, 40%, and 100% triglyceride transfer a...
Ab initio approach for high-pressure systems with application to high-pressure phases of boron: Perturbative momentum-space potentials

Through the use of perturbation theory, in this work we develop a method which allows for a substantial reduction in the size of the plane-wave basis used in density-functional calculations. This method may be used for both pseudopotentials and all-electron calculations and is particularly beneficial in the latter case. In all cases, the approach has the advantage of allowing accurate predictions of transferability errors for any environment. Finally, this method can be easily implemented into conjugate-gradient techniques, and it is therefore computationally efficient. In this work, we apply this method to study high-pressure phases of boron. We find that boron undergoes a phase transition from the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{12}\ensuremath{-}B$ structure to the ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{ga}}\ensuremath{-}B$ structure, both of which are semiconducting. The ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{ga}}\ensuremath{-}B$ structure has lower energy than traditional monoatomic structures, which supports the assertion that the metallic, and hence superconducting phase, for boron is much more complicated than a simple monoatomic crystal.
Maximizing fluence rate and field uniformity of light blanket for intraoperative PDT.

A light blanket is designed with a system of cylindrically diffusing optical fibers, which are spirally oriented. This 25x30 cm rectangular light blanket is capable of providing uniform illumination during intraoperative photodynamic therapy. The flexibility of the blanket proves to be extremely beneficial when conforming to the anatomical structures of the patient being treated. Previous tests of light distribution from the blanket have shown significant loss of intensity with the length of the fiber. This can be improved through the use of an optical adaptor which will be able to match the numerical aperture of the laser source to the numerical aperture of the blanket fiber; thus transmitting a higher percentage of light.
A rapid method for the isolation and characterization of a homogeneous population of sterptococcal Fc receptors

Abstract Immunoblotting techniques were developed and used to determine the most suitable conditions for extracting bacterial receptors for the Fc region of human IgG. Crude extracts of a group C streptococcus were separated on 10% polyacrylamide SDS slab gels, electroblotted onto a nitrocellulose membrane, probed with radioiodinated human IgG containing unlabeled F(ab)2 fragments and visualized by autoradiography. This procedure enabled us to compare size, heterogeneity and quantity of functionally active Fc receptors in crude extracts. Although more total Fc receptor could be extracted by phage lysis or mutanolysin treatment, only treatment of the group C streptococcus with trypsin, under suboptimal pH conditions for enzyme activity, resulted in a homogeneous product. The yield of affinity purified Fc receptor was 64 μg/g (wet weight) of bacteria. The affinity purified protein had a molecular weight of 40 000 and retained its ability to bond to the Fc region of IgG. The methods described are also applicable to the isolation of Fc receptors from other bacterial sources.
Reappraisal of emergency room thoracotomy in a changing environment.

The efficacy of resuscitative emergency room thoracotomy (ERT), particularly in blunt injury, has been questioned. Wide application of the procedure may not be cost effective. The risk of exposure and lethal infection to medical personnel during ERT is considerable. For the past decade, the policy at this institution has been to perform ERT on all moribund patients sustaining penetrating torso injury and all patients sustaining blunt injury with any evidence of cardiac electrical activity. To evaluate whether such a liberal policy is currently justified, the charts of all patients undergoing ERT over a 4-year period were reviewed. One hundred twelve patients underwent ERT; 24 (21%) sustained penetrating injury, 88 (79%) blunt injury. The overall survival rate was 1.8%. Penetrating injury had a 4.2% survival and blunt injury 1.1%. No patients with CPR initiated at the scene and required throughout transport survived. In those patients with both blood pressure and spontaneous respirations present in the field, survival rate was 11.8%. Survival rate in patients manifesting sinus rhythm or ventricular fibrillation upon arrival at the ER was 6.4%. No survivors were noted among patients coming to the hospital with an idioventricular rhythm or asystole. The total hospital charges for patients undergoing ERT exceeded reimbursement by $59,565. Screening for HIV and hepatitis could be documented in only two patients; both were negative. Liberal performance of ERT has dismal results, incurs monetary loss, and affords a greater potential for exposure to lethal infection. Emergency room thoracotomy is justified only when vital signs or a resuscitatible cardiac rhythm are present in the field or ER and deteriorate shortly before thoracotomy. This policy maximizes survival while diminishing inappropriate expenditure of resources and risk to medical personnel.
Mutagenesis screens for interacting genes reveal three roles for fat facets during Drosophila eye development

The Drosophila fat facets gene encodes a deubiquitinating enzyme that regulates a cell communication pathway essential early during eye development to inhibit the determination of excess photoreceptors. Ubiquitin is a small polypeptide that tags proteins for degradation by a multisubunit proteolytic complex called the proteasome. The FAT FACETS protein is thought to be required to remove ubiquitin from a particular protein, thereby rescuing if from proteolysis. In order to identify the genes encoding the substrate of FAT FACETS and other components of the neural inhibition pathway, a mutagenesis screen for dominant enhancers of the fat facets mutant eye phenotype was performed. Several genes were identified, one of which is an excellent candidate for encoding a component of the pathway regulated by FAT FACETS. Three different eye phenotypes were observed when the fat facets mutants were dominantly enhanced by different mutations, suggesting that fat facets has other functions in addition to its critical role early in eye development.
Structures, faults, and the rod-plate transition in eutectics

The microstructures of several eutectic alloys were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Eutectic alloys of Ni-W, NiAl-Cr, NiAl-Cr (Mo) were directionally solidified and selectively etched to reveal the microstructure in three dimensions. A variety of rod and plate structures was observed that illustrates the rod-plate transition. In a nonfaceted rod eutectic, a fault structure consisting of branched rods and rod terminations was observed, while in a faceted alloy faults consisted of a web connecting two faceted rods. During solidification, the web structure splits into two faceted rods producing a plate to rod transition. The formation of a web between two rods causes the transition from rods to plate. In Ni-W, the rod structure transformed to plates in grains where the growth direction deviated from being parallel to the facet planes. It was concluded that alignment is a principle factor in the rod plate transition.
The effect of isolated imagery on free recall

Two groups of Ss learned lists of concrete nouns and were tested by free recall. An imagery group was instructed to form a separate, isolated image of each word as it was presented. The control group was given no special instructions except to learn the list. Performance by the control group was significantly better than that by the imagery group.
Simultaneous approximation from convex sets

Abstract We characterize best simultaneous approximation from convex sets, in terms of onesided Gateaux derivatives, using the l 1 and l ∞ vectorial norms, in a general setting and in L 1 . In L 1 , we give necessary and sufficient conditions for uniqueness. We show that p -type modulus of convexity implies order p -strong unicity of the best l ∞ simultaneous approximation.
20 W of continuous-wave sodium D2 resonance radiation from sum-frequency generation with injection-locked lasers.

A 20-W all-solid-state continuous-wave single-frequency source tuned to the sodium D2a line at 589.159 nm has been developed for adaptive optical systems. This source is based on sum-frequency mixing two injection-locked Nd:YAG lasers in lithium triborate in a doubly resonant external cavity. Injection locking the Nd:YAG lasers not only ensures single-frequency operation but also allows the use of a single rf local oscillator for Pound–Drever–Hall locking both the injection–slave and the sum-frequency cavities. We observe power-conversion efficiencies in excess of 55% and a linearly polarized diffraction-limited output tunable across the sodium D2 line (589.156 to 589.160 nm) with no change in output power and with high amplitude and pointing stability.
The Impact of Asbestos and Environmental Reserves Increases on Shareholder Wealth

Abstract Between 1992 and 2001 significant reserves increase announcements were made by several major property/liability insurers. These reserves increases were for the purpose of recognizing expected asbestos and environmental (A&E) liability. Although most analysts agree that U.S. insurers are underreserved for asbestos and environmental liability, how the market reacts to an insurer’s announcement of an increase in these reserves has not been analyzed. An insurer that is significantly underreserved is likely to be viewed by the market as lacking financial stability for the long term. However, when a company increases its reserves, there is a charge to income and a reduction in capital. If surplus is diminished sufficiently as a result of the increased reserving, regulatory attention and eroding shareholder and market confidence could result as well. By calculating the sample insurers’ cumulative abnormal returns surrounding the largest asbestos and environmental reserves increase announcements made bet...
Dietary Sodium for Laying Hens

Dietary sodium requirements of laying hens in open type and evaporatively cooled housing were determined to be 0.126 and 0.145% of the diet, respectively. The lowest level of 0.04% sodium supported average rates of production of 49.1 and 60.3% in the two houses for the 28 weeks of the study.
Trait self-objectification in women: Affective and personality correlates.

Objectification theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997) predicts that taking an observer's perspective on one's body (known as self-objectification) leads to negative mental health outcomes. In this study, 98 college-aged women completed measures of trait self-objectification, body shame, Neuroticism, and depression to test these predictions. Participants also completed a measure of Big Five personality traits. Trait self-objectification showed significant positive correlations with each of the measures of negative affect. Trait self-objectification was also negatively correlated with the personality traits Agreeableness and Intellect. There were no significant correlations between trait self-objectification and Extraversion or Conscientiousness. Regression analysis demonstrated that trait self-objectification accounts for a significant amount of variance in negative affectivity above and beyond other personality influences.
Submucous lipomas of colon and rectum

Abstract A review of the literature revealed 113 cases of submucous lipoma of the colon and rectum; in 94 of these cases the tumor produced symptoms. Three cases in which the condition was treated successfully with operation have been added. Submucous lipomas of the colon and rectum chiefly affect women who are between forty and sixty years of age. The tumors are found in the cecum, ascending colon, and sigmoid flexure, in the order named. The condition rarely is diagnosed preoperatively; the most common diagnosis is carcinoma and acute appendicitis. The symptoms are those of intestinal obstruction, and the average duration of symptoms is 41.5 months. The treatment is surgical removal in one stage, if possible, or by means of graded procedures.
Quantum Chemical Benchmark Studies of the Electronic Properties of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore. 1. Electronically Excited and Ionized States of the Anionic Chromophore in the Gas Phase

We present the results of quantum chemical calculations of the electronic properties of the anionic form of the green fluorescent protein chromophore in the gas phase. The vertical detachment energy of the chromophore is found to be 2.4−2.5 eV, which is below the strongly absorbing ππ* state at 2.6 eV. The vertical excitation of the lowest triplet state is around 1.9 eV, which is below the photodetachment continuum. Thus, the lowest bright singlet state is a resonance state embedded in the photodetachment continuum, whereas the lowest triplet state is a regular bound state. Based on our estimation of the vertical detachment energy, we attribute a minor feature in the action spectrum as due to the photodetachment transition. The benchmark results for the bright ππ* state demonstrated that the scaled opposite-spin method yields vertical excitation within 0.1 eV (20 nm) from the experimental maximum at 2.59 eV (479 nm). We also report estimations of the vertical excitation energy obtained with the equation-o...
Gauge-invariant formulations of lineal gravities.

It is shown that the currently studied ``string-inspired'' model for gravity on a line can be formulated as a gauge-invariant theory based on the Poincar\'e group with central extension---a formulation that complements and simplifies H. Verlinde's construction based on the unextended Poincar\'e group.
Using Davis's Perceived Usefulness and Ease-of-use Instruments for Decision Making: A Confirmatory and Multigroup Invariance Analysis

As key components of Davis's technology acceptance model (TAM), the perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use instruments are widely accepted among the MIS research community as tools for evaluating information system applications and predicting usage. Despite this wide acceptance, a series of incremental cross-validation studies have produced conflicting and equivocal results that do not provide guidance for researchers or practitioners who might use the TAM for decision making. Using a sample of 902 “initial exposure” responses, this research conducts: (1) a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the validity and reliability of the original instruments proposed by Davis, and (2) a multigroup invariance analysis to assess the equivalence of these instruments across subgroups based on type of application, experience with computing, and gender. In contrast to the mixed results of prior cross-validation efforts, the results of this confirmatory study provide strong support for the validity and reliability of Davis's sixitem perceived usefulness and six-item ease-of-use instruments. The multigroup invariance analysis suggests the usefulness and ease-of-use instruments have invariant true scores across most, but not all, subgroups. With notable exemptions for word processing applications and users with no prior computing experience, this research provides evidence that the item-factor loadings (true scores) are invariant across spread sheet, database, and graphic applications. The implications of the results for managerial decision making are discussed.
Flowering Life‐History Strategies Differ between the Native and Introduced Ranges of a Monocarpic Perennial

Abstract: Life‐history theory makes several key predictions about reproductive strategies on the basis of demographic vital rates, particularly the relationship between juvenile and adult survival. Two such predictions concern the optimal time to begin reproducing and whether semelparity or iteroparity is favored. I tested these life‐history predictions and explored how they might differ between the native and introduced ranges of the monocarpic perennial Cynoglossum officinale. I first compared vital rates between ranges. I then used these vital rates to parameterize integral projection models to calculate the population growth rate (λ) and net reproductive rate ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefaul...
Transverse susceptibility for Ising systems: Direct calculation from the local magnetic field distribution.

It has previously been reported that, for Ising systems, the energy, magnetization, and neutron scattering function can be calculated directly from P(h), the local magnetic field distribution. In this paper it is shown that, in addition, one may also calculate the linear transverse susceptibility ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ directly from P(h). With the use of earlier calculations of P(h), ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ for the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model is obtained analytically above ${T}_{g}$ and is obtained below ${T}_{g}$ from Monte Carlo simulations, where ${T}_{g}$ is the spin-glass transition temperature. It is speculated that ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}$ may be nearly linear in temperature below ${T}_{g}$. Simple cubic ferromagnetic Ising systems in two, three, and four dimensions are also discussed.
Endobiont Viruses Sensed by the Human Host – Beyond Conventional Antiparasitic Therapy

Wide-spread protozoan parasites carry endosymbiotic dsRNA viruses with uncharted implications to the human host. Among them, Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasite adapted to the human genitourinary tract, infects globally ∼250 million each year rendering them more susceptible to devastating pregnancy complications (especially preterm birth), HIV infection and HPV-related cancer. While first-line antibiotic treatment (metronidazole) commonly kills the protozoan pathogen, it fails to improve reproductive outcome. We show that endosymbiotic Trichomonasvirus, highly prevalent in T. vaginalis clinical isolates, is sensed by the human epithelial cells via Toll-like receptor 3, triggering Interferon Regulating Factor -3, interferon type I and proinflammatory cascades previously implicated in preterm birth and HIV-1 susceptibility. Metronidazole treatment amplified these proinflammatory responses. Thus, a new paradigm targeting the protozoan viruses along with the protozoan host may prevent trichomoniasis-attributable inflammatory sequelae.
Reasoning with the HERMIT: tool support for equational reasoning on GHC core programs

A benefit of pure functional programming is that it encourages equational reasoning. However, the Haskell language has lacked direct tool support for such reasoning. Consequently, reasoning about Haskell programs is either performed manually, or in another language that does provide tool support (e.g. Agda or Coq). HERMIT is a Haskell-specific toolkit designed to support equational reasoning and user-guided program transformation, and to do so as part of the GHC compilation pipeline. This paper describes HERMIT's recently developed support for equational reasoning, and presents two case studies of HERMIT usage: checking that type-class laws hold for specific instance declarations, and mechanising textbook equational reasoning.
Assessing agreement between salivary alpha amylase levels collected by passive drool and eluted filter paper in adolescents with cancer.

A cancer diagnosis poses many challenges for adolescents, and the psychological stress associated with some of these challenges may have detrimental effects. Stressors that have been identified by children and adolescents with cancer include painful procedures (Hedstrom, Ljungman, & von Essen, 2005; McCaffery, 2006; Woodgate, Degner, & Yanofsky, 2003), frequent and extended hospital stays (McCaffery, 2006), alopecia, difficult symptoms (Hedstrom et al., 2005; McCaffery, 2006; Woodgate, 2005), and uncertainty (Stewart, Lynn, & Mishel, 2010; Woodgate et al., 2003). The few studies on psychological stress in children and adolescents with cancer have noted both short- and long-term effects. In the short-term, psychological stress has been linked to greater symptom severity (Docherty, Sandelowski, & Preisser, 2006; McCaffery, 2006) and higher levels of anxiety (Hedstrom et al., 2005; Hockenberry-Eaton, Dilorio, & Kemp, 1995). In the long-term, psychological stress in survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence has been associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Rourke, Hobbie, Schwartz, & Kazak, 2007; Schrag, McKeown, Jackson, Cuffe, & Neuberg, 2008). Psychological stress in adolescents with cancer may be a targeted area for oncology nurse intervention, but the prevalence and degree have not been studied extensively. A biobehavioral approach to investigating psychosocial functioning, including psychological stress, is highly recommended for adolescents with cancer (Moore, 2004). However, validated biologic measures of pyschological stress are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of a method for collecting one biologic marker of psychological stress: salivary alpha amylase (sAA). Efficient, easy-to-obtain biologic markers of stress may enhance development of clinical research and lead to future use in clinical settings by oncology nurses.
Research Spotlight: Variability of the East Greenland–Irminger Current

[1] The East Greenland–Irminger Current (EGIC), which flows southwestward along the eastern coast of Greenland, is important because its variability likely influences convection in the Labrador and Irminger seas and could affect the global meridional overturning circulation. Daniault et al. present new measurements of the EGIC transport variability from 1992 to 2009 based on satellite altimetry data and 2 years of data from a moored array. They found that the EGIC transport was close to average from 1992 to 1996, decreased between 1997 and 2005, and has increased since 2006. Beyond this decadal variability the researchers found no significant trend in the 1992–2009 EGIC transport time series, confirming that EGIC transport variability has not changed significantly over the past 2 decades. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL046863, 2011)
Health reform for children in Japan's aging society: a paradigm shift for pediatricians.

Japan confronts a dilemma in reshaping its health care for children: the low birth rate is reducing the proportion of children in the overall population, while the health issues for children are becoming increasingly complex and connected to social behavior. The present paper reviews Japan’s changing demographics and the declining proportion of children in the population structure. This change has important implications for how the government sets priorities in the health sector. Next, the paper considers how ‘problems’ are defined for health policy in society and how the agenda for health reform is determined. Attention is directed to the political dimensions of these two processes of problem definition and agenda setting. Two examples of health reform for children, in other countries, are discussed to show how these two processes have worked in practice. In the next section, the paper explores new health issues for children in Japan and the challenges to Japanese pediatricians in shaping the agenda for health reform.
Present and future free-space quantum key distribution

Free-space quantum key distribution (QKD), more popularly know as quantum cryptography, uses single-photon free-space optical communications to distribute the secret keys required for secure communications. At Los Alamos National Laboratory we have demonstrated a fully automated system that is capable of operations at any time of day over a horizontal range of several kilometers. This has proven the technology is capable of operation from a spacecraft to the ground, opening up the possibility of QKD between any group of users anywhere on Earth. This system, the prototyping of a new system for use on a spacecraft, and the techniques required for world-wide quantum key distribution will be described. The operational parameters and performance of a system designed to operate between low earth orbit (LEO) and the ground will also be discussed.
Mobile Technology and Action Teams: Assessing BlackBerry Use in Law Enforcement Units

This research explores the effectiveness of mobile wireless information and communication technologies (ICTs) for law enforcement teams. Law enforcement teams require real-time information access and rapid communication to diagnose potential threats, analyze problems, and coordinate actions. To meet these needs, two U.S. law enforcement organizations implemented pilot trials of RIM BlackBerries for approximately 650 squad members. These trials provided an opportunity to assess acceptance, use, and perceived performance benefits of the technology as well as factors influencing these outcomes. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, user surveys, and system logs. Although the work teams and tasks were similar in the two organizations, the outcomes, while generally positive, differed markedly, with much greater acceptance and use in one organization versus the other. Results show how technical factors, functionality, and implementation processes account for these differences and illustrate how mobile wireless ICT can meet the unique needs for information access and communication in investigative action teams. We expect that these findings will generalize beyond action teams as more mobile workers in a variety of domains adopt wireless handheld technologies.
Muscleblind-like 2 (Mbnl2) -deficient mice as a model for myotonic dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy (DM), the most common adult-onset muscular dystrophy, is caused by CTG or CCTG microsatellite repeat expansions. Expanded DM mRNA microsatellite repeats are thought to accumulate in the nucleus, sequester Muscleblind proteins, and interfere with alternative mRNA splicing. Muscleblind2 (Mbnl2) is a member of the family of Muscleblind RNA binding proteins (that also include Mbnl1 and Mbnl3) that are known to bind CTG/CCTG RNA repeats. Recently, it was demonstrated that Mbnl1-deficient mice have characteristic features of human DM, including myotonia and defective chloride channel expression. Here, we demonstrate that Mbnl2-deficient mice also develop myotonia and have skeletal muscle pathology consistent with human DM. We also find defective expression and mRNA splicing of the chloride channel (Clcn1) in skeletal muscle that likely contributes to the myotonia phenotype. Our results support the hypothesis that Muscleblind proteins and specifically MBNL2 contribute to the pathogenesis of human DM. Developmental Dynamics 237:403– 410, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the solvation of nitroaromatic radical anions

Abstract Association of water with the radical anions produced by electrolytic reduction of nitrobenzene, 1,4-dinitrobenzene, and pentamethylnitrobenzene has been studied by high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The water resonance of a mixed-solvent medium which consisted of acetonitrile and water in a mole ratio of ca. 19: 1 was examined at 60, 90, and 270 MHz. A linear increase in linewidth of the water signal with increasing frequency required postulation of more than a single water resonance. The water resonance envelope is best reproduced by a sum of three Lorentzian components in each case. For all three radicals it was possible to estimate a hyperfine coupling constant and an exchange lifetime from each resolved component. Data for the nitrobenzene and pentamethylnitrobenzene anions were obtained over a range of water concentrations sufficient that equilibrium constants for association could be calculated; however, this was not possible for the 1,4-dinitrobenzene anion. For nitrobenzene and 1,4-dinitrobenzene anions, the exchange lifetime was about a factor of 10 longer than the rotational correlation time reported for water, 2.7 × 10 −12 sec, while for the pentamethylnitrobenzene anion the exchange lifetime was approximately equal to this correlation time.
DNA and RNA Oligomer Sequences from the 3‘ Noncoding Region of the Chicken Glutamine Synthetase Gene Form Intramolecular Hairpins†

The DNA sequence of the chicken glutamine synthetase gene contains an A·T-rich stretch of approximately 1500 base pairs in the 3‘ noncoding regions of exon 7 [Pu, H., & Young, A. P. (1989) Gene 18,...
The use of hypnotic uncovering techniques in the treatment of pedophilia: a brief communication

Abstract This case study describes the use of the hypnotic uncovering techniques of induced dreams (Sacerdote, 1967) and the affect bridge (Watkins, 1971) in reducing inappropriate sexual arousal in a male pedophile. Treatment effects were examined through the use of both psychophysiological measures of penile tumescence and psychological tests. The hypnotherapeutic treatment regime consisted of 25 sessions over approximately 9 months. At the end of treatment, psychophysiological measures revealed a definite reduction of sexual excitation to slides of prepubescent children. Psychological testing indicated reduced defensiveness as well as reduced sexual anxiety to adult women. Various hypnotherapeutic experiences which may have contributed to the treatment effects are discussed.
Benign fibroepithelioma of ureter

Abstract A fibroepithelioma of the proximal portion of the left ureter is reported. Roentgenologic signs to differentiate a benign mesodermal tumor from a malignant epithelial mass are: (1) visualization on intravenous pyelogram of a smooth intraureteral pedunculated filling defect intimately attached to the ureteral wall; (2) lack of rigidity of the mass best demonstrated on retrograde pyelography; and (3) absence of obstructive hydronephrosis.
Two-proton pickup in the zirconium region using the (6Li, 8B) reaction

Abstract Spectra at θlab = 8° have been measured for the 92, 94, 96, 98, 100Mo(6Li, 8B)90, 92, 94, 96, 98Zr and 90, 92, 94Zr(6Li, 8B)88, 90, 92Sr two-proton pickup reactions at 90 MeV. The strongest transitions to levels in the Zr isotopes are the 0+ → 0+ transitions to the g.s. and first excited 0+ states. The salient feature of the five Zr spectra is the large increase in 0+2 transition strength relative to that of the g.s. which is observed in the two heaviest isotopes, 96, 98Zr. In 90Zr, the 0+2 transition is weak whereas it is the dominant transition in 98Zr with twice the g.s. strength. These large variations in relative cross section, which are reproduced by DWBA calculations, are attributed to changing g.s. proton configurations in Zr. In the Sr spectra, which are distinctly different from the Zrspectra, the strongest transitions to excited states are to 2+ rather than 0+ states. The (6Li, 8B) reaction seems to be adequately described as a one-step cluster transfer of a T = 1, S = 0 proton pair. The suitability of this reaction for measurements of two-proton pickup is discussed.
Transferrin variants among blood donors.

Summary. Forty-six transferrin heterozygotes were identified among 2639 blood bank donors from the South Eastern United States. One slow (D1) and two fast (B1 and B2) mobility types were recognized but no new variants were demonstrated on the basis of mobility. The incidence in Caucasians of fast mobility types was 0.8% and of all variants 1.2%. The incidence of transferrin D1 in Negroes was 4.5%.
Design and clinical evaluation of a high-capacity digital image archival library and high-speed network for the replacement of cinefilm in the cardiac angiography environment

An economical and practical digital solution for the replacement of 35 mm cine film as the archive media in the cardiac x-ray imaging environment has remained lacking to date due to the demanding requirements of high capacity, high acquisition rate, high transfer rate, and a need for application in a distributed environment. A clinical digital image library and network based on the D2 digital video format has been installed in the Duke University Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. The system architecture includes a central image library with digital video recorders and robotic tape retrieval, three acquisition stations, and remote review stations connected via a serial image network. The library has a capacity for over 20,000 Gigabytes of uncompressed image data, equivalent to records for approximately 20,000 patients. Image acquisition in the clinical laboratories is via a real-time digital interface between the digital angiography system and a local digital recorder. Images are transferred to the library over the serial network at a rate of 14.3 Mbytes/sec and permanently stored for later review. The image library and network are currently undergoing a clinical comparison with cine film for visual and quantitative assessment of coronary artery disease. At the conclusion of the evaluation, the configuration will be expanded to include four additional catheterization laboratories and remote review stations throughout the hospital.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Novel Trans-Complementation Assay Suggests Full Mammalian Oocyte Activation Is Coordinately Initiated by Multiple, Submembrane Sperm Components

To initiate normal embryonic development, an egg must receive a signal to become activated at fertilization. We here report that the ability of demembranated sperm heads to activate is abolished after incubation over the range 20-44 degreesC and is sensitive to reducing agents. On the basis of this observation, we have developed a microinjection-based, trans-complementation assay in order to dissect the heat-inactivated sperm-borne oocyte-activating factor(s) (SOAF). We demonstrate that the failure of heat-inactivated sperm heads to activate an egg is rescued by coinjection with dithiothreitol-solubilized SOAF from demembranated sperm heads. The solubilized SOAF (SOAFs) is trypsin sensitive and is liberated from demembranated heads in a temperature-dependent manner that inversely correlates with the ability of sperm heads to activate. This argues that SOAFs is a proteinaceous molecular species required to initiate activation. Injection of oocytes with mouse or hamster sperm cytosolic factors, but not SOAFs alone, induced resumption of meiosis, further suggesting that these cytosolic factors and SOAF are distinct. Collectively, these data strongly suggest that full mammalian oocyte activation is initiated by the coordinated action of one or more heat-sensitive protein constituents of the perinuclear matrix and at least one heat-stable submembrane component.
A discrete element method for composite media: one-dimensional heat conduction

Abstract Green's functions for steady-state, one-dimensional heat conduction for discretely inhomogeneous media are found by using an interactive principle. Exact solutions can therefore be expressed by Green's representation. An unsteady problem is solved numerically by treating the time derivative as a source term. The results demonstrate accuracy, stability, and efficiency.