cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caribbean small-island tourism styles and sustainable strategies

This article focuses on developing a sustainable tourism in small Caribbean islands, defined here as those that have populations of fewer than 500,000. Such islands share a very fragile ecology and a high dependence on tourism. They differ in their degree of tourist penetration and visitor density and the related degree of environmental degradation. To explain the link between tourism intensity and ecological vulnerability, the so-called “destination life-cycle model” is presented. This suggests that islands pass through three primary stages of tourist development low-density exploration, rapid growth and consolidation, and high-density maturation involving the substitution of man-made for natural attractions. A broad empirical test of the model is performed through a quantitative examination of the tourism characteristics and visitor densities of a cross section of 23 small Caribbean islands. The three basic stages or tourism styles are identified: low-impact emerging areas, high-density mass-market mature destinations, and rapidly growing intermediate islands in between. Some broad strategies consistent with the systems framework for a sustainable tourism with moderate densitites are briefly explored.
Explaining Basic Color Categories

This article surveys several lines of evidence that suggest a strong connection among the mechanisms of color vision, perceptually elementary hues, and naming basic colors. But important questions remain about the linkage between the shared human attributes of color perception and the development and structure of crosscultural basic color categories.
Effect of substance P and protein kinase inhibitors on β-amyloid peptide-induced proliferation of cultured brain cells

The present study investigated the effect of substance P (SP) and protein kinase inhibitors (H7 and HA1004) on β-amyloid peptide-induced proliferation of neonatal rat brain cells in primary cultures. The β-amyloid peptide1–28 (designated as βAP28), at nanomolar concentrations (10−9 M), significantly (P ⪯ 0.05) increased the proliferation of brain cells (presumably non-neuronal) as measured by [3H]thymidine uptake into DNA (mitogenesis). The effect was dependent on time of cultured, concentration of βAP28, and presence of fetal calf serum. The supplementation of SP into cell cultures at time zero reversed the proliferative response of βAP28. Moreover, the βAP28-induced proliferation was inhibited by protein kinase inhibitor H7, but not by HA1004. Since H7 is a selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor and SP action involves PKC, we conclude that βAP28 induces normal brain cell proliferation through PKC pathway of cell signaling.
Balloon‐borne measurements of stratospheric radicals and their precursors: Implications for the production and loss of ozone

Measurements of hydrogen, nitrogen and chlorine radicals from a balloon flight on 25 September 1993 from Ft. Sumner, NM provide an opportunity to quantify photochemical production and loss of stratospheric ozone. Ozone loss rates determined using measured radical concentrations agree fairly well with loss rates calculated using a photochemical model. Catalytic cycles involving OH and HO2 are shown to dominate photochemical loss of ozone for altitudes between 44 and 50 km. Reactions involving NO and NO2 are the dominant sink for ozone between 25 and 38 km. The total ozone loss rate determined from the measurements balances calculated production rates for altitudes between 30 and 40 km. However, loss of ozone exceeds production by -35% between 42 and 50 km. The imbalance between production and loss of ozone above 42 km is larger than the uncertainty of any one of the critical kinetic parameters or species concentrations. No single adjustment to any of these parameters can simultaneously resolve the imbalance and satisfy constraints imposed by measured OH, HO2, NO2 and ClO. Our results are consistent with an additional mechanism for ozone production above 40 km other than photolysis of ground state O2.
Gastrointestinal Complications of Bariatric Surgery: Diagnosis and Therapy

Severe or morbid obesity, with body mass indexes exceeding 35 to 40, are often refractory to all therapies other than surgery. The increasing number of patients undergoing bariatric surgery will result in increasing numbers of patients with gastrointestinal complications. The types of complications vary with type of surgery, whether restrictive, malabsorptive, or both, depending on what anatomical and physiologic changes occur postoperatively. One complication of bariatric surgery (gallstones) is due to weight loss after surgery, not the surgery itself. Based on previous meta-analyses, most of the top 10 complications from bariatric surgery are gastrointestinal: dumping, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, vomiting (and nausea), staple line failure, infection, stenosis (and bowel obstruction), ulceration, bleeding, splenic injury, and perioperative death. Two other gastrointestinal complications of bariatric surgery are indirect consequences of the surgery: bacterial overgrowth and diarrhea. Awareness of the types and frequency of gastrointestinal complications of bariatric surgery allows for timely diagnosis and appropriate therapy. As new surgical, and even endoscopic, procedures to treat obesity are developed, new gastrointestinal complications will need to be recognized.
Hydrodynamic Dispersion in Microfluidic Geometries: Causes and Remedies (Plenary)

Over the past decade microfabricated chip devices have emerged as powerful tools for carrying out analytical scale separations. While these systems significantly simplify analysis procedures, their separation efficiency is largely limited due to dispersion arising from various sources. Many of these arise from the hydrodynamics of the flow through the channels themselves, including electrokinetic dispersion of solute slugs in curved geometries, dispersion due to pressure driven shear flows, the surprisingly large effect of side-walls in large aspect ratio channels, and the effect of wall absorption in open channel chromatography. All of these phenomena are essentially linked, in that they may be understood as examples of Taylor-Aris dispersion. In this paper we demonstrate how a detailed understanding of the causes of such dispersion can lead to possible remedies. In general, Taylor dispersion may be minimized by choosing microchannel designs which minimize the shear of solute slugs, or which accelerate the limiting transverse diffusion process. While optimal designs are specific to each separation process and geometry considered (and are often limited by ease of fabrication constraints), we offer several suggestions which are shown to reduce effective dispersivities by an order of magnitude or more in many instances. Such reductions directly translate into shorter required channel lengths and/or processing times.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Electromagnetic induction studies

Recent developments in electromagnetic induction studies of the lithosphere and the asthenosphere are reviewed. Attention is given to geoelectrical studies of active tectonic areas in terms of the major zones of crustal extension, the basin and range province along western regions of North America, and the Rio Grande rift. Studies have also been performed of tectonic activity around Iceland, the Salton Trough and Cerro Prieto, and the subduction zones of the Cascade Mountains volcanic belt, where magnetotelluric and geomagnetic variation studies have been done. Geomagnetic variations experiments have been reported in the Central Appalachians, and submarine electromagnetic studies along the Juan de Fuca ridge. Controlled source electromagnetic and dc resistivity investigations have been carried out in Nevada, Hawaii, and in the Adirondacks Mountains. Laboratory examinations on the conductivity of representative materials over a broad range of temperature, pressure, and chemistry are described.
Role of 2-5A-Dependent RNase-L in Senescence and Longevity

Senescence is a permanent growth arrest that restricts the lifespan of primary cells in culture, and represents an in vitro model for aging. Senescence functions as a tumor suppressor mechanism that can be induced independent of replicative crisis by diverse stress stimuli. RNase-L mediates antiproliferative activities and functions as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer, therefore, we examined a role for RNase-L in cellular senescence and aging. Ectopic expression of RNase-L induced a senescent morphology, a decrease in DNA synthesis, an increase in senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, and accelerated replicative senescence. In contrast, senescence was retarded in RNase-L-null fibroblasts compared with wild-type fibroblasts. Activation of endogenous RNase-L by 2-5A transfection induced distinct senescent and apoptotic responses in parental and Simian virus 40-transformed WI38 fibroblasts, respectively, demonstrating cell type specific differences in the antiproliferative response to RNase-L activation. Replicative senescence is a model for in vivo aging; therefore, genetic disruption of senescence effectors may impact lifespan. RNase-L−/− mice survived 31.7% (P<0.0001) longer than strain-matched RNase-L+/+ mice providing evidence for a physiological role for RNase-L in aging. These findings identify a novel role for RNase-L in senescence that may contribute to its tumor suppressive function and to the enhanced longevity of RNase-L−/− mice.
Biomarkers for the early detection of acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI), previously referred to as acute renal failure (ARF), represents a persistent problem in clinical medicine. Despite significant improvements in therapeutics, the mortality and morbidity associated with AKI remain high. A major reason for this is the lack of early markers for AKI, akin to troponins in acute myocardial disease, and hence an unacceptable delay in initiating therapy. Fortunately, the application of innovative technologies such as functional genomics and proteomics to human and animal models of AKI has uncovered several novel genes and gene products that are emerging as biomarkers. The most promising of these are chronicled in this article. These include a plasma panel [neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and cystatin C] and a urine panel [NGAL, interleukin 18 (IL-18), and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM)-1]. As they represent sequentially expressed biomarkers, it is likely that the AKI panels will be useful for timing the initial insult and assessing the duration of AKI. Based on the differential expression of the biomarkers, it is also likely that the AKI panels will distinguish between the various types and etiologies of AKI. It will be important in future studies to validate the sensitivity and specificity of these biomarker panels in clinical samples from large cohorts and from multiple clinical situations.
Riboflavin use as a drug marker in Veterans Administration cooperative studies.

Abstract Most Veterans Administration (VA) cooperative studies have used only the pill count method to measure and describe patient adherence to a drug regimen. The use of a drug marker is considered when adherence is expected to be a problem in a study, especially if the therapeutic drug or metabolite cannot be measured in the blood or urine of all patients or if reliability of pill counts is open to serious question. In a VA-NHLBI hypertension study using riboflavin as a marker for assessing patient adherence, group data suggest that similar adherence scores can be expected when comparing pill counts and urine tests. However, when an individual patient's adherence was examined by each method at a particular visit, discrepancies were noted. In a VA cooperative study on disulfiram for the treatment of alcoholism, riboflavin used as a marker provided additional information that was needed to assess the adherence of the study population. By employing this second measure of adherence in this study, we were able to obtain at least one measure of adherence at 84% of all clinic visits. If the pill count method has been the sole adherence measure, only 60% of visits would have produced an adherence score. At 65% of clinic visits, the pill count and urine test were in agreement. Results of urine tests taken in the interval between visits were similar to those taken at the clinic visit. Patient cooperation in providing urine specimens or in returning pills to the clinic was slightly associated with positive adherence scores. Although riboflavin has many essential properties of an ideal marker, there are problems associated with its use: (1) patient-to-patient variation in excretion patterns of riboflavin, (2) interference of vitamin preparations and food sources containing riboflavin with normal output concentrations of riboflavin in the urine, and (3) incorporation of riboflavin into a therapeutic drug requiring pharmaceutical company support.
Studies with the quantitative-inhalation challenge technique. I. Curve of dose response to acetyl-beta-methylcholine in patients with asthma of known and unknown origin, hay fever subjects, and nonatopic volunteers.

Abstract The quantitative-inhalation challenge technique has been used to study the responsiveness to Mecholyl of twenty-three subjects. Patients suffering from asthma had much greater sensitivity to inhaled Mecholyl than did hay fever patients and nonatopic subjects. The range of sensitivity of seventeen out of seventeen asthma patients extended from 2 to 68 mcg. of Mecholyl deposited in the bronchial tree, when a 30 per cent decrease in FEV 1 was achieved. Thirteen out of thirteen patients with asthma of known origin had a straight line dose-response curve (in direct proportion) to the amount of Mecholyl retained, and the response of four out of four patients with asthma of unknown origin showed irregular variations in the degree of bronchial obstruction when Mecholyl was deposited. The quantitative-inhalation technique provides reproducibility of results in a clinically usable range.
Attitudes of Property Owners to Climate Change Considerations and Their Effects on Future Property Values in Coastal Communities

The purpose of this study is to examine property owners’ attitudes regarding the impacts of climate and weather on property ownership and future property values in Currituck County, North Carolina, and determine whether their attitudes vary according to property owner groupings. The study profiles the segments using a factor-cluster grouping approach that identifies three property owner clusters. These clusters represent various perceptions of property owners toward the effects of climate on property ownership and future property values. A comparative analysis is then conducted among these three property groups, resulting in significant differences being found between them in terms of both attitudinal and demographical variables. Group One respondents believe climate and weather affect property ownership and property value, are moderately educated, practice sustainable actions, and there is an equal frequency of second home owners and full time residents in this group. Group Two respondents believe climate and weather do not affect property ownership but do affect property value, are highly educated, practice sustainable actions, and there is a larger proportion of second home owners. Finally, Group Three respondents believe climate and weather do not affect property ownership or property value, have very little education, practice sustainable actions to a lesser degree than the other groups, and there is a larger proportion of full time residents. This information is useful for Currituck County to better communicate with and educate its high-risk and high-end, property owners.
An Enclosed Laser Calibration Standard

We have designed, evaluated and calibrated an enclosed, safety-interlocked laser calibration standard for use in US Army Secondary Reference Calibration Laboratories. This Laser Test Set Calibrator (LTSC) represents the Army's first-generation field laser calibration standard. Twelve LTSC's are now being fielded world-wide. The main requirement on the LTSC is to provide calibration support for the Test Set (TS3620) which, in turn, is a GO/NO GO tester of the Hand-Held Laser Rangefinder (AN/GVS-5). However, we believe it's design is flexible enough to accommodate the calibration of other laser test, measurement and diagnostic equipment (TMDE) provided that single-shot capability is adequate to perform the task. In this paper we describe the salient aspects and calibration requirements of the AN/GVS-5 Rangefinder and the Test Set which drove the basic LTSC design. Also, we detail our evaluation and calibration of the LTSC, in particular, the LTSC system standards. We conclude with a review of our error analysis from which uncertainties were assigned to the LTSC calibration functions.
Effective Detection of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic in U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Centers Using a National Electronic Biosurveillance System

Background The 2008–09 influenza season was the time in which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) utilized an electronic biosurveillance system for tracking and monitoring of influenza trends. The system, known as ESSENCE or Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics, was monitored for the influenza season as well as for a rise in influenza cases at the start of the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic. We also describe trends noted in influenza-like illness (ILI) outpatient encounter data in VA medical centers during the 2008–09 influenza season, before and after the recognition of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus. Methodology/Principal Findings We determined prevalence of ILI coded visits using VA's ESSENCE for 2008–09 seasonal influenza (Sept. 28, 2008–April 25, 2009 corresponding to CDC 2008–2009 flu season weeks 40–16) and the early period of pandemic H1N1 2009 (April 26, 2009–July 31, 2009 corresponding to CDC 2008–2009 flu season weeks 17–30). Differences in diagnostic ICD-9-CM code frequencies were analyzed using Chi-square and odds ratios. There were 649,574 ILI encounters captured representing 633,893 patients. The prevalence of VA ILI visits mirrored the CDC's Outpatient ILI Surveillance Network (ILINet) data with peaks in late December, early February, and late April/early May, mirroring the ILINet data; however, the peaks seen in the VA were smaller. Of 31 ILI codes, 6 decreased and 11 increased significantly during the early period of pandemic H1N1 2009. The ILI codes that significantly increased were more likely to be symptom codes. Although influenza with respiratory manifestation (487.1) was the most common code used among 150 confirmed pandemic H1N1 2009 cases, overall it significantly decreased since the start of the pandemic. Conclusions/Significance VA ESSENCE effectively detected and tracked changing ILI trends during pandemic H1N1 2009 and represents an important temporal alerting system for monitoring health events in VA facilities.
Lithostar: An Electromagnetic Acoustic Shock Wave Unit for Extracorporeal Lithotripsy

The Lithostar electromagnetic, acoustic shock wave (EMAS) lithotripter eliminates the need for a water bath or disposable electrodes while providing hard copy radiograph capabilities within a multipurpose uroradiological table. Herein, treatment experience with 266 patients is presented. Three-month follow-up abdominal radiographs were available for review in 122 patients. The majority of patients were treated on an outpatient basis using a combination of intravenous sedation and a transcutaneous nerve stimulator unit. Initial fragmentation occurred in 89% of patients. The stone-free rate at three months (70%), incidence of shock wave retreatment (7%), and the need for post-shock wave auxiliary procedures (16%) were dependent upon stone size and stone location.
Aquifer response to stream-stage and recharge variations. I. Analytical step-response functions

Abstract Laplace transform step-response functions are presented for various homogeneous confined and leaky aquifer types and for anisotropic, homogeneous unconfined aquifers interacting with perennial streams. Flow is one-dimensional, perpendicular to the stream in the confined and leaky aquifers, and two-dimensional in a plane perpendicular to the stream in the water-table aquifers. The stream is assumed to penetrate the full thickness of the aquifer. The aquifers may be semi-infinite or finite in width and may or may not be bounded at the stream by a semipervious streambank. The solutions are presented in a unified manner so that mathematical relations among the various aquifer configurations are clearly demonstrated. The Laplace transform solutions are inverted numerically to obtain the real-time step-response functions for use in the convolution (or superposition) integral. To maintain linearity in the case of unconfined aquifers, fluctuations in the elevation of the water table are assumed to be small relative to the saturated thickness, and vertical flow into or out of the zone above the water table is assumed to occur instantaneously. Effects of hysteresis in the moisture distribution above the water table are therefore neglected. Graphical comparisons of the new solutions are made with known closed-form solutions.
Effect of temperature on cucumber mosaic virus satellite-induced lethal tomato necrosis is helper virus strain dependent

The effect of temperature on the response of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Rutgers) to infections with the necrogenic cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) satellite D-CARNA 5 was investigated with each of four CMV strains D, 1, Y and S functioning as helper virus. At 24 degrees C lethal necrosis was observed in all infections. However, at 32 degrees C the response varied from total absence or reduction of necrosis with some strains to accelerated lethal necrosis with others. The total lack of necrotic response with CMV-S and the aggravated necrosis with CMV-Y at the higher temperature both turned out to be independent of the coinfecting satellite, and rather to correlate with the changing rate of viral RNA accumulation in tomato, which probably was responsible for the changes in pathogenic response. However, when CMV-D was helper virus, satellite accumulation decreased, while with CMV-1 it increased, respectively, while viral RNA accumulations were not seriously affected. Although these profound effects of temperature seem to link the necrotic response of tomato to the competitive replication dynamics of the infecting virus/satellite combination in the case of CMV-D/D-CARNA 5, temperature effects at other levels of disease induction probably play an important role as well.
Abstract 2130: Genomic profiling identifies CDX2 as a lineage-dependent oncogene amplified in colorectal cancer

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Somatic DNA alteration underlies tumor development and progression, and gives rise to tumors with diverse genetic contexts. Characterizing these contexts helps identify driving genetic lesions and potential therapeutic vulnerabilities. Here, we surveyed a collection of 29 colorectal cancer cell lines for DNA copy number alterations and identified in a subset of samples gain/amplification on chromosome 13, which was well represented among the genomic profiles of 344 primary colorectal tumors examined, but not in other tumor types. A minimal region of high-level amplification on 13q12.2, containing the caudal type homeobox transcription factor CDX2, was identified in one cell line and 7 of 123 (6%) primary colorectal tumors. A tissue microarray consisting of an independent set of 83 colorectal tumors confirmed the presence of a subset of tumors harboring copy number gain/amplification of 13q with increased CDX2 protein expression. In the context of genomic amplification, RNA interference experiments showed CDX2 is required for proliferation of colorectal cancer cells and promotes cell cycle progression without an effect on apoptosis. CDX2 is a known transcriptional regulator of normal gut development and intestinal epithelial cell differentiation and maintenance. Here we have shown that for a subset of lineage-derived colorectal tumors, cell proliferation is dependent on the abnormal amplification and overexpression of CDX2. Thus, we nominate CDX2 as a novel lineage-dependent oncogene deregulated in colorectal cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2130.
FOREIGN PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE PAYMENTS DEFICIT

AFTER YEARS of urging U.S. business to contribute through investment to the recovery of Europe and to the economic development of emerging nations, the Government is now requesting curtailment of overseas investment and holding out the hope of early removal of such constraints. At the same time it does not want the curtailment to affect adversely the economies of Canada, Japan, or the United Kingdom; even more, it wants an increase in the outflow of funds to the developing countries. The present attitudes and programs are set against a background of increased antipathy toward overseas operations reflected in the Revenue Act of 1962 and an announced policy of removing some developing countries from the "less developed" categories. The background includes also assertions by top officials that the recent constraints were "necessitated" by the "alarming" outflow of private capital into foreign securities in 1963 and the "abnormal" level of overall private capital outflow in late 1964, topping off fifteen years of deficits amounting to $35 billion.' This background suggests that a potential investor cannot know what the Government's posture on overseas operations in advanced countries will be, whether a given country may be classified as one not to be "adversely" affected by restraints or dropped out of the LDC class, or whether some new "abnormality" might lead to still further Government constraints. I submit that this posture is one which weakens rather than strengthens the U.S. economy. Further, it is a result of not identifying the problem correctly, thus leading to "solutions" which waste resources. A professor of mine once cautioned that "otherwise sensible men frequently perpetrate the greatest of nonsense when they move into the field of international finance." We have not been without a good deal of nonsense in the past several years in this field. To be objective, I must either admit that you may hear more such nonsense during the next few minutes, or, maybe I can claim not to be an "otherwise sensible man." But I would like to try to focus attention on what I consider to be the errors in U.S. policy, including the understanding of the nature of the fundamental problem itself, and then how we should go about reversing gears. There are three main reasons why we should reverse our stand: first, our tactics of constraint are inequitable and damaging to our long-run interests internationally and vis-a-vis business and economic policy; second, our strategy
Introduction to Genetics and Childhood Obesity: Relevance to Nursing Practice

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, becoming a major public health concern. The prevalence of obesity among children in the United States has nearly tripled over the past 25 years, rising from 5–6.5% between 1976 and 1980 to 14–18.4% between 2000 and 2004 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2006). Obesity in children is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts for children in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2006). BMI is calculated from a child’s weight and height. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend the use of BMI to screen for obesity in children and teens aged 2–19 years. Along with the rise in childhood obesity, there has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity-related diseases in youth and adults, such as elevated serum lipid and insulin concentrations, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension (Krebs & Jacobson, 2003; Lee, 2009). Approximately 60% of overweight children between 5 and 10 years of age have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, dislipidemia, left ventricular hypertrophy, or atherosclerosis (Deckelbaum & Williams, 2001). Obese children are also predisposed to type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or steatohepatitis, metabolic syndrome, asthma, and sleep apnea (Speiser et al., 2005). Furthermore, obese children are more likely to develop psychosocial problems such as low self-esteem, anxiety, withdrawal from peer interaction, depression, and suicide (Daniels et al., 2005; Schwimmer, Burwinkle, & Varni, 2004). These adverse consequences can be life threatening and warrant early prevention strategies. Previous genetic studies conducted in families, adoptees, and twins have clearly shown there is a genetic contribution to obesity (Barsh, Farooqi, & O’Rahilly, 2000; Maes, Neale, & Eaves, 1997; Sorensen, Price, Stunkard, & Schulsinger, 1989; Stunkard, Harris, Pedersen, & McClearn, 1990). In addition, human genome research has led to discoveries of human obesity genes and confirmed that obesity has a genetic basis. However, that basis alone does not result in obesity without specific environmental influences (Qi & Cho, 2008). Nurses need to become knowledgeable about the genetic component of obesity both to develop appropriate interventions for obesity prevention and to deliver competent genetic-focused nursing practices. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of genetic contributions to childhood obesity development and its implications for nurses. The following topics are addressed: (a) genetic epidemiology of childhood obesity, (b) modes to identifying obesity genes, (c) types of human obesity genes, and (d) nursing implications. A glossary of terms related to genes and genetic influences can be found in Table 1. Table 1 Glossary of Terms Related to Genetics and Genetic Influences
Affective disorders and other psychiatric diagnoses in children and adolescents with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

Abstract Background 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22qDS) is a common chromosome deletion syndrome that has been associated with severe psychopathology, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, in adults. Assessment of psychiatric diagnoses in children and adolescents with 22qDS is in the early stages of investigation. Methods 24 children and adolescents with 22qDS established by chromosomal analysis were randomly selected from a 22qDS clinic. Children and their parents were interviewed by trained psychometricians with a standardized structured diagnostic interview. A diagnosis was considered present if DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were met on either the parent or the child interview. Results 24 22qDS subjects (mean age 9.7 ± 3.3 years) had a mean of two DSM-IV psychiatric disorders. 79% met criteria for at least one DSM-IV psychiatric disorder and over one third had three or more diagnoses. 12.5% met criteria for major depression but none had bipolar disorder. Anxiety disorders (54%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (38%), and oppositional defiant disorder (38%) were common. Although 29% reported at least one psychotic-like symptom, none met criteria for a psychotic disorder. Limitations Small sample size may have obscured significant associations. Other limitations included non-blinded interviewers and lack of a simultaneously studied control group. Conclusion Affective, anxiety, attentional, and behavioral disorders were relatively common in this randomly selected group of children and adolescents with 22qDS. No child met criteria for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Prospective, longitudinal study is needed to determine whether early psychiatric symptomatology in children with 22qDS predicts continuing or more severe psychopathology later in life. Early psychiatric screening and monitoring appears warranted in 22qDS patients.
Functional Molecular Mass of a Vertebrate Hyaluronan Synthase as Determined by Radiation Inactivation Analysis

Hyaluronan (HA), a linear polysaccharide composed of N-acetylglucosamine-glucuronic acid repeats, is found in the extracellular matrix of vertebrate tissues as well as the capsule of several pathogenic bacteria. The HA synthases (HASs) are dual-action glycosyltransferases that catalyze the addition of two different sugars from UDP-linked precursors to the growing HA chain. The prototypical vertebrate hyaluronan synthase, xlHAS1 (or DG42) from Xenopus laevis, is a 588-residue membrane protein. Recently, the streptococcal enzyme was found to function as a monomer of protein with ∼16 lipid molecules. The vertebrate enzymes are larger than the streptococcal enzymes; based on the vertebrate HAS deduced amino acid sequence, two additional membrane-associated regions at the carboxyl terminus are predicted. We have utilized radiation inactivation to measure the target size of yeast-derived recombinant xlHAS1. The target size of HAS activity was confirmed using two internal standards. First, samples were spiked with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, an enzyme of known molecular weight. Second, parallel samples of native xlHAS1 and a xlHAS1-green fluorescent protein fusion (833 residues) were compared; substantial confidence was gained by using this novel internal standard. Our test also corroborated the basic tenets of radiation inactivation theory. We found that the vertebrate HAS protein functions catalytically as a monomer.
Non-Newtonian Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Fluid Flow Modeling of Piston Skirts Considering Low Speed Effects in Initial Engine Start Up

Elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is critically essential to minimize engine wear at low engine start up speeds. During the normal engine operations at medium to high speeds, non-Newtonian characteristics of multigrade engine lubricants enhance engine life by preventing adhesive wear. By incorporating viscoelastic effects of a non-Newtonian lubricant and focusing on different low engine start up speeds, this study models EHL fluid flow in the initial engine start up conditions. A 2-D non-Newtonian piston skirts lubrication model and analysis at the time of engine start up is presented based on the upper convected Maxwell viscoelastic model. The analysis of a non-Newtonian lubricant between piston and cylinder liner by using characteristic lubricant relaxation times in all order of magnitude analysis is done by using a perturbation method. The EHL film profile is predicted by solving the two-dimensional Reynolds equation using the inverse solution technique and the finite difference computational method in the fully flooded lubrication conditions. At different low engine start up speeds, the effect of viscoelasticity on lubricant velocity and pressure fields is examined and the influence of film thickness on lubricant characteristics is investigated. Numerical simulations show that piston eccentricities, EHD pressures and film thickness profiles are functions of low range of engine start up speeds. This study suggests that the initial engine start up speed at low range can be optimized as viscoelasticity produces a beneficial effect on piston skirt lubrication in the initial engine start up.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Slow Release Fertilization Reduces Nitrate Leaching in Bareroot Production of Pinus strobus Seedlings

The nitrate (NO3 - ) leaching potential from bareroot tree nurseries is great, yet no researchers have investigated the effect of slow release fertilization on NO3 - leachate concen- trations. The effects of slow release fertilizer on nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) leachate concentra- tions, seedling morphology and nutrient content, soil nitrogen (N), and cation leachate concen- trations were studied in the bareroot production of Pinus strobus (L.) (eastern white pine) seedlings in southwestern Wisconsin. Three fertilizer treatments were used: slow release 1 (SRF1, 19N:6P2O5:1K2O); slow release 2 (SRF2, 12N:0P2O5:42K2O); and a conventional fertil- izer (Conv, 15.5N:0P2O5:0K2O). A total of 180 and 52 kg N/ha (161 and 47 lb/ac) were applied in the Conv and SRF treatments, respectively. Over a 2-year period, soil leachate concentrations were collected weekly (May to December) from porous cup samplers installed at a depth of 1 m (3.3 ft) below the surface; soil was collected every 2 weeks, and plant tissue was collected once at the end of each growing season (late August). There were no differences in seedling morphology (height, diameter, dry mass) during the first or second growing season. Seedling nutrient concentrations were the same for all treatments at the end of first growing season, but Conv-treated seedlings contained greater concentrations of N (33 g/kg N for Conv compared to 30 g/kg for SRF) by the end of the second growing season. Nitrate-N leachate concentrations were greater for the Conv treatment compared to both SRF treatments during the first and second growing seasons. However, treatment did not affect cation leachate concentrations. Similarly, there was little difference in soil N among treatments. Overall, SRF reduced NO3-N leachate concentrations in bareroot nursery tree production without sacrificing seedling quality.
Effects of performance objectives on achievement

The purpose of this investigation was to determine (1) the effects of performance objectives on the achievement level of low achieving black inner city pupils and (2) the effects of giving the students performance objectives prior to beginning instruction The population used in this study was selected from four predominantly black inner city schools. The results of the study show that training teachers to use performance objectives had a significant effect on student cognitive achievement. Although providing students copies of the objectives prior to study did not significantly affect their cognitive achievement, performance objectives, as an instructional technique, seem as effective as traditional methods of instruction currently used with low achievers.
The Damoclean tax and innovation

The paper presents a novel tax that is designed to improve the performance of research and development (R&D) investments. Ideally, the tax allows the technical efficiencies of monopoly while bringing about the desirable effects of the competitive pressure of R&D rivalry. Thus, with the tax, the state can sanction a monopoly of R&D investment in order to attain technical efficiencies and yet avoid the underinvestment in R&D that would result without competitive pressures. A critique of the tax emphasizes the problems of implementing it and offers a more practical alternative that would achieve the same desirable effects.
The Caenorhabditis elegans lin-12 gene encodes a transmembrane protein with overall similarity to Drosophila Notch.

The lin-12 gene seems to control certain binary decisions during Caenorhabditis elegans development, from genetic and anatomical studies of lin-12 mutants that have either elevated or reduced levels of lin-12 activity1. We report here the complete DNA sequence of lin-12:13.5 kilobases (kb) derived from genomic clones and 4.5 kb from complementary DNA clones. It is of interest that the predicted product is a putative transmembrane protein, given that many of the decisions controlled by lin-12 activity require cell-cell interactions for the correct choice of cell fate2–5. In addition, the predicted lin-12 product may be classified into several regions, based on amino acid sequence similarities to other proteins. These include extensive overall sequence similarity to the Drosophila Notch protein6,7, which also is involved in cell-cell interactions that specify cell fate6–8; a repeated motif found9 in proteins encoded by the yeast cell-cycle control genes cdc10 (Schizosaccharomyces pombe)10 and SWI6 ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae)9; and a repeated motif exemplified by epidermal growth factor, found in many mammalian proteins11.
ANTIPROTON ANNIHILATIONS IN PROPANE

An experiment to study the $\overline{p}$ annihilation process at 1.05 Bev/c was performed with the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory 30-in. propane bubble chamber. It was observed that the $K$-meson production in annihilation events rises sharply with the increase in energy, namely from 4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1% for annihilations at or near "rest" to 8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1%. On the other hand, the pion multiplicity was not observed to increase appreciably with the increase of available energy. We have found a pion multiplicity of 5.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2. These numbers are discussed in this paper and compared with existing models for the $\overline{p}$ annihilation process. It is pointed out that with further increase in bombarding energy different models may differ appreciably in the above quantities.We have observed a $\overline{p}$-H annihilation cross section of 51\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10 mb and a $\overline{p}$-C annihilation cross section of 368\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}60 mb at a $\overline{p}$ momentum of 1.05 Bev/c. Crude determinations of the $\overline{p}$ charge-exchange process---which turns out to be forward peaked--- and of $\overline{p}$ inelastic-scattering events leading to pion production are also discussed.
Astrophysics: A dark cloud unveils its secrets.

Massive stars, with masses ten or more times that of the Sun, dominate our Universe. Theories of how these stars form are now being challenged by observations of a collapsing cloud of gas and dust.
Functional assessment and housestaff behavior with the elderly.

Physicians utilizing functional assessment questionnaires on elderly, clinic patients for three months demonstrated a significant increase in educational recommendations for patients and a marginal increase in the chart note length. Although the questionnaire identified functional problems and unmet needs, physicians rarely noted these, or recommended any diagnostic/therapeutic procedures. The questionnaire was considered comprehensive, yet burdensome to administer. Screening functional assessment might be more effectively incoporated into geriatric practice if it is a component of routine hsitory-taking, reinforced in preclinical and residency training, and allotted more time during patient encounters.
Theory of a coherently pumped maser in various cavity limits

Abstract A quantum theory of a coherently pumped maser is developed for an arbitrary cavity-loss rate. When it is far below saturation, the field is always in a state which is very close to a coherent state, including both good- and bad-cavity limits. A small amount of amplitude squeezing can also be found in both limits.
"Drug free world": Tony White and Francisco E. Thoumi's article.

The authors Tony White and Francisco E. Thoumi reflect in very substantial articles weaknesses and failures of the United Nations’ drug policy (UNGASS [United Nations General Assembly Special Sessi...
Highly Scalable Genotype Phasing by Entropy Minimization

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a position in the genome at which two or more of the possible four nucleotides occur in a large percentage of the population. SNPs account for most of the genetic variability between individuals and mapping SNPs in the human population has become the next high priority in genomics after the completion of the Human Genome Project. In diploid organisms such as humans, there are two nonidentical copies of each autosomal chromosome. A description of the SNPs in a chromosome is called a haplotype. At present, it is prohibitively expensive to directly determine the haplotypes of an individual, but it is possible to rather easily obtain the conflated SNP information in the so-called genotype. Computational methods for genotype phasing, that is, inferring haplotypes from genotype data, have received much attention in recent years as haplotype information leads to an increased statistical power of disease association tests. However, many of the existing algorithms have impractical runtime for phasing large genotype data sets such as those generated by the international HapMap Project. In this paper, we propose a highly scalable algorithm based on entropy minimization. Our algorithm is capable of phasing both unrelated and related genotypes coming from complex pedigrees. Experimental results on both real and simulated data sets show that our algorithm achieves a phasing accuracy worse than but close to that of the best existing methods while being several orders of magnitude faster. The open source code implementation of the algorithm and a Web interface are publicly available at http://dna.engr.uconn.edu/~software/ent/.
A comparison of the medium-term impact and recovery of the Pakistan floods and the Haiti earthquake: objective and subjective measures.

Introduction The 2010 Haiti earthquake and Pakistan floods were similar in their massive human impact. Although the specific events were very different, the humanitarian response to disasters is supposed to achieve the same ends. This paper contrasts the disaster effects and aims to contrast the medium-term response. METHODS: In January 2011, similarly structured population-based surveys were carried out in the most affected areas using stratified cluster designs (80×20 in Pakistan and 60×20 in Haiti) with probability proportional to size sampling. RESULTS: Displacement persisted in Haiti and Pakistan at 53% and 39% of households, respectively. In Pakistan, 95% of households reported damage to their homes and loss of income or livelihoods, and in Haiti, the rates were 93% and 85%, respectively. Frequency of displacement, and income or livelihood loss, were significantly higher in Pakistan, whereas disaster-related deaths or injuries were significantly more prevalent in Haiti. CONCLUSION: Given the rise in disaster frequency and costs, and the volatility of humanitarian funding streams as a result of the recent global financial crisis, it is increasingly important to measure the impact of humanitarian response against the goal of a return to normalcy. Weiss WM , Kirsch TD , Doocy S , Perrin P. A comparison of the medium-term impact and recovery of the Pakistan floods and the Haiti earthquake: objective and subjective measures. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(3):1-8. Language: en
Statistics in taxonomic descriptions

Many scientists have expressed concern at the few specimens from which new species are often described: "We must broaden our concept of species by studying more specimens for the variations and the factors that may influence them. The description of a new species based on one or two specimens differing in one single characteristic in one sex is ridiculous" (Chitwood, 1957). "If the species has sharply distinctive characters 5-10 specimens may be sufficient [if not] at least 20 specimens should be examined and measured. " (Franklin, 1970). "LJnfortunately descriptions of new species, ...... based on studies of single or very few specimens are still being published. " (Hooper, 1e6e).