cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Novel Member of the RNase D Exoribonuclease Family Functions in Mitochondrial Guide RNA Metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei

RNA turnover and RNA editing are essential for regulation of mitochondrial gene expression in Trypanosoma brucei. RNA turnover is controlled in part by RNA 3′ adenylation and uridylation status, with trans-acting factors also impacting RNA homeostasis. However, little is known about the mitochondrial degradation machinery or its regulation in T. brucei. We have identified a mitochondrial exoribonuclease, TbRND, whose expression is highly up-regulated in the insect proliferative stage of the parasite. TbRND shares sequence similarity with RNase D family enzymes but differs from all reported members of this family in possessing a CCHC zinc finger domain. In vitro, TbRND exhibits 3′ to 5′ exoribonuclease activity, with specificity toward uridine homopolymers, including the 3′ oligo(U) tails of guide RNAs (gRNAs) that provide the sequence information for RNA editing. Several lines of evidence generated from RNAi-mediated knockdown and overexpression cell lines indicate that TbRND functions in gRNA metabolism in vivo. First, TbRND depletion results in gRNA tails extended by 2–3 nucleotides on average. Second, overexpression of wild type but not catalytically inactive TbRND results in a substantial decrease in the total gRNA population and a consequent inhibition of RNA editing. The observed effects on the gRNA population are specific as rRNAs, which are also 3′-uridylated, are unaffected by TbRND depletion or overexpression. Finally, we show that gRNA binding proteins co-purify with TbRND. In summary, TbRND is a novel 3′ to 5′ exoribonuclease that appears to have evolved a function highly specific to the mitochondrion of trypanosomes.
On-column sample concentration of high-ionic-strength samples in capillary electrophoresis †

High-ionic-strength samples result in poor electrophoretic separation efficiencies due to “destacking” of the sample. A simple method is described to stack high-ionic-strength samples without matrix modification prior to injection. Using a weak-acid buffer such as acetate as the background electrolyte, the electrokinetic injection of the sample is immediately followed by electrokinetic injection of an acid solution. The resulting titration of the background electrolyte produces a low-conductivity zone across which sample cations are focused. A sevenfold sensitivity enhancement was achieved with improved separation efficiency relative to normal electrokinetic injection. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 10: 511–517, 1998
Reassessing the developmental needs of children with learning disabilities: Programmatic implications

The complex growth patterns of children with learning disabilities place them at significant emotional and social risk in interpersonal, family, and institutional relationships. Programmatic interventions that address specific ego functions as well as an approach to a remedial and preventive program design to strengthen social and interactional skills are explored. The author proposes a program design to “pair” schools with community centers in order to provide opportunities for developing these skills.
Immunohistochemical analysis of the visual wulst of the pigeon (Columba livia).

The avian wulst, a laminated “bulge” in the dorsal telencephalon, contains several distinct regions. The posterolateral portion (visual wulst) has been proposed to be an avian equivalent of the mammalian striate cortex. The present study examines specific neurotransmitters and neuropeptides within the visual wulst by immunohistochemical techniques. Antisera and monoclonal antibodies against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), serotonin (5-HT), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), gammaaminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR), cholecystokinin (CCK), substance P (SP), leucine-enkephalin (L-ENK), neurotensin (NT), neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SRIF), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were used. Somata and neuropil displaying specific immunoreactivity were generally distributed in accordance with the laminar cytoarchitectonic organization of the wulst. The superficial layer of the wulst, the hyperstriatum accessorium, contained the highest densities of TH-, 5-HT-, SP-, NPY-, SRIF-, CRF-, and VIP-positive neuropil in the wulst, whereas the highest density of CCK- and NT-staining was found in the deepest layer of the wulst, the hyperstriatum dorsale, In addition to the traditionally defined four laminae of the wulst, the immunoreactive staining revealed several subregions within each lamina. The most dorsolateral portion of the wulst contained the highest densities of ChAT- and L-ENK-stained fibers in the wulst, as well as moderately dense staining of neuropil for 5-HT-, TH-, SP-, and CCK-like immunoreactivity. The nACh-Rimmunoreactivity was faint and distributed rather uniformly throughout the wulst. The results suggest that the wulst consists of multiple regional variations within layers comparable to laminar variations found within different cytoarchitectonic areas of the mammalian neocortex.
Teleost oncogenes: Evolutionary comparison to other vertebrate oncogenes and possible roles in teleost neoplasms

Abstract Comparison of oncogene sequences from divergent species is an important step toward understanding the evolution and function of cellular oncogenes in neoplasia. We initiated our studies on oncogenes in lower vertebrates by cloning and sequencing the c- myc gene from rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ). 1 The trout c- myc gene shows extensive homology to exons II and III of the c- myc gene of chicken and human. The greatest homology among these three genes is localized to two specific regions within exon II. Fish, chicken and human each have unique inserted regions in the second exon. Other than these insertions, the second and third exons appear to have evolved gradually by the accumulative acceptance of point mutations. The rainbow trout myc gene was used as a probe in Southern blot analysis to screen DNA from teleost tumors for amplification, translocation and/or rearrangements of myc . We found no evidence that such changes had occurred in myc , or other oncogenes, in the fish tumors we examined. Transfection assays to isolate other teleost transforming genes have identified two types of foci while some transfected cells have generated tumors in athymic mice.
Traumatic Brain Injury: Lungs in a RAGE

Individuals who die of traumatic brain injury show damage to the lungs mediated by the HMGB1-RAGE axis, which renders the lungs suboptimal for transplantation (Weber et al.).
Induction of midtrimester abortion by serial intravaginal administration of 15(S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin F2α (THAM) suppositories

Midtrimester abortion was successfully induced in 13 of 22 patients by serial intravaginal administration of 15(S)-15-methyl-prostaglandin F2alpha (THAM) suppositories. Nine patients, 4 nulliparas and 5 multiparas, failed to abort after 24 hours of prostaglandin administration and a concomitant infusion of oxytocin was initiated. Seven of the nine patients aborted within 7 hours of the combined therapy and one patient on methadone maintainence aborted after 17.5 hours of combined therapy, 41.5 hours after the first dose of prostaglandin. A single patient failed to abort, despite the concomitant prostaglandin-oxytocin administration and underwent surgical evacuation. The mean abortion time for the 21 successful abortions was 22.56 hours. Nulliparous patients aborted somewhat faster, mean 21.79 hours, than multiparous patients, mean 23.80 hours, but this difference was not statistically significant. In this study, one patient aborted in less than 12 hours, and 62% of the successful cases aborted within 24 hours. The plasma levels of 15-ME-PGF2alpha were analyzed by radioimmunoassay in 10 patients. Plasma prostaglandin levels rose significantly 30 minutes after the insertion of the first suppository, but there was a wide variation in levels from patient to patient. It was observed that the 2 patients with the highest levels had the fastest abortion times and episodes of gastro-intestinal side effects appeared related to a rise in prostaglandin levels. Sixty-four percent of the patients in this study had no gastro-intestinal side effect related to prostaglandin administration.
Analyzing change in recovery patterns in the year after acute hospitalization.

Abstract Prvu Bettger JA, Coster WJ, Latham NK, Keysor JJ. Analyzing change in recovery patterns in the year after acute hospitalization. Objective To examine trajectories of recovery and change in patterns of personal care and instrumental functional activity performance to determine whether different assessment interval designs within a 12-month period yield different estimates of improvement and decline after acute hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation. Design Secondary analysis of a 12-month prospective cohort study. Setting Transition to the community. Participants Adults (N=419) admitted to acute care and receiving inpatient rehabilitation for a neurologic, lower-extremity musculoskeletal, or medically complex condition. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Improvement, no change, and decline as measured by the personal care and instrumental scale of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care. Results Assessment at the end of a single 12-month follow-up assessment interval showed that over 60% of the participants improved. In contrast, analysis of 2 fixed-length 6-month assessment intervals revealed an almost 40% decrease in the proportion who improved from 6 to 12 months. Fewer participants continued to improve in the time periods further from the acute hospitalization and the proportion of subjects who declined increased from 21.4% to 31.2% to 38.0% over the 3 consecutive assessment intervals (baseline to 1mo, 1−6mo, 6−12mo). Only 58 (19.7%) participants continued on the same path of recovery from baseline to 12 months (9.8% improved over all 3 consecutive time periods, 3.1% made no change, 6.8% declined). Conclusions Examination of change over shorter compared with longer assessment intervals revealed considerable variability in the trajectories of recovery. Research is needed to determine the appropriate frequency and timing for measuring and monitoring function and recovery after an acute hospitalization.
Forward scatter pulse width signals resolve multiple populations of endosomes.

The technique of pulse width analysis, developed to optimize cell size resolution in cell cycle kinetics, has not previously been applied to small particles such as endosomes. Offset is used to subtract a portion of the beam diameter from forward scatter pulse width signals to optimize visualization and discrimination of small particles. We identify multiple endosomal populations by offset pulse width of light scatter parameters. Specifically, linear forward scatter pulse width measurements reveal at least two populations of endosomes in the rat renal cortex, the rat renal papilla, and the luminal endothelium of the toad urinary bladder. Logarithmically amplified forward scatter pulse width measurements display the full dynamic range of these signals, resolving additional populations not manifest with linear amplification. To confirm that the endosomes observed were resolved from optical and electronic noise, we examined physiological function. The endosomes acidified after supplying ATP to the intrinsic membrane H+-ATPase present. Further, electron microscopy of sorted endosomal populations from the toad urinary bladder confirmed identity and homogeneity of the fraction. Flow cytometric analysis of endosomal populations by multiparametric techniques including pulse width analysis of structural parameters and pulse height analysis of fluorescence from entrapped fluorophores allows identification, isolation, and quantification of multiple endosomal populations. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Relationship between LH and cortisol in acutely stressed beef cows

Abstract The influence of handling stress on tonic LH secretion was evaluated in eight ovariectomized Hereford cows. Four cows (acclimated group) were previously acclimated to stanchions and procedures for blood collection, whereas the other four cows (unacclimated group) were stanchioned and handled for the first time 2 hr before the evaluation period. Blood samples (10 ml) for cortisol, luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone quantitation were collected at 10-min intervals for 4 hr via an indwelling cannula inserted into the jugular vein 1 hr before the evaluation period. Mean plasma concentration of cortisol was lower (5.7 vs 66.1 ng/ml; P
Theory of unsteady heat conduction in multicomponent finite regions

General solutions of the heat conduction equation are obtained analytically in a rigid, finite body of arbitrary shape and composed of an arbitrary number of isotropic components in imperfect thermal contact. The solutions for the unsteady temperature distributions incorporate arbitrary heat sources and initial conditions, and time-dependent boundary conditions. Various forms of the solutions are given and the reduction of the general problem to simpler ones is indicated.
Reproducibility of localized 2D correlated MR spectroscopy

The test-retest reliability of two-dimensional (2D) correlated spectroscopy (COSY) was studied on a whole-body 1.5T MRI scanner. Single-voxel localized 2D proton spectra were recorded in vitro as well as in vivo using a recently implemented localized chemical shift correlated spectroscopic (L-COSY) sequence. A total of 40 in vitro and 40 human brain (10 volunteers, four times each) 2D L-COSY spectra were recorded. The coefficients of variation (CVs) of selected brain metabolites (raw volume integrals) recorded in 10 healthy volunteers were less than 9% for creatine, choline, and N-acetyl aspartate, and less than 17% for myo-inositol, glutamine/glutamate, aspartate, and threonine/lactate. The 2D metabolite ratios and the raw volume integrals of 2D diagonal and cross peaks in healthy human brain were very well reproduced. The intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.4 (P < 0.05) for the major metabolites, indicating that the 2D peak volumes were stable enough within individuals to detect reliable differences between normal subjects.
Theoretical study of the band structure of oxides crystallizing in the rocksalt structure: TiO☆

Abstract The band structure of solids crystallizing in the rocksalt structure has been studied for arbitrary directions in reciprocal space using the parametrized tight-binding method. The results are specified in terms of a secular determinantal equation containing a minimal set of independent transfer integrals. Account is taken of nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions, using 4 s , 4 p , and 3 d -like orthogonalized basis functions for the cation and 2 s and 2 p -like orthogonalized basis functions for the anion. The analysis was then specialized to the 〈100〉, 〈110〉, and 〈111〉 symmetry directions in reciprocal space. After discarding the contributions arising from the 4 p states, the 24 remaining transfer integrals were evaluated for the case of TiO by optimally fitting the eigenvalues of the various specialized secular determinantal equations to energy values calculated at selected points of the Brillouin zone by Ern and Switendick who employed the APW procedure. The numerical results show that to the extent to which the APW calculation provides an adequate description one cannot generally separate energy contributions associated with one set of atomic states from those contributed by others with compatible symmetry. Thus, direct cation-cation overlap is competitive with cation-anion interactions.
Dynamical modeling of drug effect using hybrid systems

Drug discovery today is a complex, expensive, and time-consuming process with high attrition rate. A more systematic approach is needed to combine innovative approaches in order to lead to more effective and efficient drug development. This article provides systematic mathematical analysis and dynamical modeling of drug effect under gene regulatory network contexts. A hybrid systems model, which merges together discrete and continuous dynamics into a single dynamical model, is proposed to study dynamics of the underlying regulatory network under drug perturbations. The major goal is to understand how the system changes when perturbed by drugs and give suggestions for better therapeutic interventions. A realistic periodic drug intake scenario is considered, drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics information being taken into account in the proposed hybrid systems model. Simulations are performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK to corroborate the analytical results.
Electrostatically tunable band gaps in finitely extensible dielectric elastomer fiber composites

The structure of band-gaps in actuated fiber-reinforced dielectric elastomer composites with square lattice is studied. The constitutive behaviors of the phases are characterized by an augmented Gent strain energy density function, to account for the strain-hardening of the elastomer. The finite static deformation of the composite is calculated when subjected to an electric bias field along the fibers. The anti-plane mode of small electroelastic waves propagating in the material deformed configuration is determined by means of a proper adjustment of the plane-wave expansion method. The resultant eigenvalue problem supplies the dispersion relation from which bands of prohibited frequencies are determined. The band structures of exemplary composites with circular fibers are evaluated for various values of the bias electric field. The dependency on the properties and volume fractions of the phases, and most importantly the bias electric field is explored. It is revealed how enhancing the intensity of the electrostatic field widens the bands and shifts them toward higher frequencies. These results suggest the use of dielectric elastomer composites as control mechanisms for electroelastic wave propagation by properly tuning the electrostatic excitation.
Superior Reliability and Validity for a New Form of the Sentence Verification Technique for Measuring Comprehension

A study was conducted to evaluate a new form of the Sentence Verification Technique (SVT) of measuring comprehension. The new form, called the Meaning Identification Technique (MIT), was designed t...
The expectations theory of interest rates: Cointegration and factor decomposition

Abstract This paper empirically re-examines the expectations theory of the term structure by using the decomposition procedures developed by Stock and Watson (1988, Journal of the American Statistical Association 83, 1097–1107), Park (1990, Working paper, Dept. of Economics, Cornell University) and Gonzalo and Granger (1991, Working paper, University of California-San Diego). Three- and six-month interest rates for four sub-periods between 1910 and 1989 are decomposed into permanent and transitory components. The results of the decomposition technique indicate that the failure of the spread between three- and six-month US Treasury bill rates to predict future short-rates during the post-1979 period results from the fact that the variation in the permanent components of interest rates dominates relative to the variation of the transitory components. The spread is found to provide predictive power during the 1979–1989 period when the permanent component is removed from the short-rate.
On Reasoning Morally about the Environment

R. M. Hare argues that moral reasoning about the environment requires the setting out of the various interests at stake and adjudication between them, strength for strength. Though there are possible objections to some aspects of his programme, it is clearly intended to be fair. However, it is not clear that in his concluding discussion, of the building of new roads, the interests at stake are set out with total impartiality. Some further relevant interests are listed, in an attempt to redress the balance.
Thermally stimulated currents in molecularly doped polymers

Thermally stimulated currents (TSC) were measured in molecularly doped polymers consisting of the hole transport molecule p-diethylaminobenzaldehyde diphenyihydrazone (DEH) and the polymer binder bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) at two different doping concentrations. The TSC spectrum, which consisted of a single, well resolved peak, was found to be dependent on the applied electric field, the heating rate and the dopant concentration. The peak maxima were located between 170K and 250K. The spectra were analyzed within the theoretical framework of Zielinski and Samoc which provided a procedure to extract the hopping activation energy for each concentration. The principle observations of this study are: (1) the TSC peak is unambiguously associated with charge transport, (2) the magnitude of the activation energies were found to be larger than values obtained from isothermal transient photocurrent measurements and (3) the activation energies obtained from analysis of the TSC spectra were found to be dependent on the doping concentration. This last observation is inconsistent with previous isothermal transient photocurrent measurements of doped polymer systems containing DEH.
Weekly patterns of drug treatment attendance.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined weekly patterns of drug treatment attendance in relation to date of welfare payment receipt and reason for treatment absence. METHODS: Treatment attendance by Medicaid-eligible pregnant women who were drug dependent was examined by calendar week over a 29-month period. RESULTS: Time series analyses showed that attendance was lower during week 1 than week 4. Drug use was the most frequently reported reason for treatment absence during week 1 (25%) but was not reported as a reason during week 3. CONCLUSIONS: Drug-dependent outpatients had increased absences associated with illicit drug use during the first week of the month when welfare payments were received. The generalizability of the findings is unknown.
SUBJECTIVE RISK AND CHOICE AS RELATED TO THE TRANSITIVITY CONDITION

Summary.-Subjects who did not break the transitivity condition in a simple choice situation showed a significant linear relation between choice and their rating of risk, an ordinal scale of risk in other choice situations, a self-reported level of risk raking related to the choices made. Subjects breaking trans'itiviry did not fulfill the above conditions and were more random in choice and reported that they made risky choices. In fact there was no significant difference between the transitive and non-transitive subjecrs in the number of risky choices made throughout the experiment. In choice situations under risk it is often assumed that differences in objective risk create differences in subjective risk which create in turn differences in choice. It is the concern of this paper to demonstrate that choice is related to subjective risk and that this relation is dependent on transitivity in choice. Of the axioms for the derivation of an ordinal scale (Ackoff, 1962), transitivity is the most likely to be broken. To be transitive in choice subjects need to be aware of the inherent properties in the objects in choice. For choice under risk the assessment of subjective risk should be highly related to choice for individuals who preserve transitivity in choice. METHOD The subjects were presented with a number of choice situations of the following type:
Review—Animal Waste Used as Livestock Feed: Dangers to Human Health

Abstract Foodborne illness remains a common and serious problem, despite efforts to improve slaughterhouse inspection and food preparation practices. A potential contributor to this problem that has heretofore escaped serious public health scrutiny is the feeding of animal excrement to livestock, a common practice in some parts of the United States. In 1994, 18% of poultry producers in Arkansas collectively fed more than 1,000 tons of poultry litter to cattle, and the procedure is also common in some other geographic areas as a means of eliminating a portion of the 1.6 million tons of livestock wastes produced in the United States annually. While heat processing reliably kills bacterial pathogens, its use is limited by expense and other factors. Deep-stacking and ensiling are commonly used by farmers to process animal wastes, but the maximal temperatures achieved in stacked poultry litter are typically in the range of 43 to 60°C (110 to 140°F), below the inactivation temperatures of pathogenic salmonella andEscherichia colispecies, and far below the USDA's recommended cooking temperatures of 71 to 77°C (160 to 170°F) for potentially manure-tainted meat products. In addition to the spread of potential pathogens, using animal wastes as feed presents the possibility that antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread from one animal to another and that antibiotics or other chemicals may be passed between animals. Few research reports have addressed the safety of this practice, and those studies that have been published have generally been in controlled and artificial environments, rather than in on-farm conditions. Further microbiological studies are recommended to assess the extent of risk.
Fragile Snapshot or Stable Relationships?: What the Orange and Rose Revolutions Reveal About the Stability of Cross-Sectional Survey Data

One of the long-standing criticisms of cross-sectional survey data is that they provide only a contextually driven “snapshot” of attitudes. These attitudes are, the “snapshot critique” contends, hi...
Disparities in Adequate Mental Health Care for Past-Year Major Depressive Episodes Among Caucasian and Hispanic Youths

Objective Following efforts made in recent years to provide effective mental health treatments based on evidence-based guidelines, a working definition was developed in the literature detailing a minimum level of "adequate mental health care" for serious mental illness. However, little is known about racial or ethnic disparities in receipt of adequate mental health care for individuals affected with serious mental illness. The objective of this study was to examine disparities among Caucasian and Hispanic youths in receipt of adequate mental health care for past-year major depressive episodes. Methods Data for this study were drawn from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The study sample was composed of 1,169 Caucasian youths and 316 Hispanic youths aged 12 to 17 with past-year major depressive episodes. The percentages of youths in the sample who received adequate mental health care for past-year major depressive episodes were estimated, and the correlates of receipt of adequate mental health care were examined. Results Thirty-four percent of the full sample received adequate mental health care for past-year major depressive episodes, but separate analyses indicated that adequate mental health care was received by a significantly higher proportion of Caucasian youths (36%) than Hispanic youths (27%). The odds of receiving adequate mental health care for past-year major depressive episodes for Caucasians were 1.55 times that of Hispanics (p=.01). Having Medicaid or coverage via the State Children's Health Insurance Program significantly increased the odds of receiving adequate mental care for past-year major depressive episodes for both Hispanics and Caucasians. Conclusions As mental health problems of adolescents from diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds become more easily identified and a larger proportion of these groups is referred to mental health treatment services, it is important to examine the degree to which treatment should be tailored to engage and retain specific racial or ethnic groups so that they will receive the minimum of adequate mental health care.
art styles, social stratification, and cognition: an analysis of Greek vase painting1

In a diachronic study of the relationship between social stratification and formal design elements on painted vases in ancient Greece it was found that during periods of greater social stratification in the Greek city-state of Athens there was comparatively more (1) complexity of style, (2) utilization of space, and (3) enclosure of figures in Attic painted pottery than during periods of less stratification. These results support Fischer's (1961) hypotheses concerning the relationship of social structure to art style and the value of comparative historical methods for investigating cross-cultural hypotheses.
Dynamics of Repeat Polymorphisms Under a Forward-Backward Mutation Model: Within- and Between-Population Variability at Microsatellite Loci

Suggested molecular mechanisms for the generation of new tandem repeats of simple sequences indicate that the microsatellite loci evolve via some form of forward-backward mutation. We provide a mathematical basis for suggesting a measure of genetic distance between populations based on microsatellite variation. Our results indicate that such a genetic distance measure can remain proportional to the divergence time of populations even when the forward-backward mutations produce variable and/or directionally biased alleles size changes. If the population size and the rate of mutation remain constant, then the measure will be proportional to the time of divergence of populations. This genetic distance is expressed in terms of a ratio of components of variance of allele sizes, based on expressions developed for studying population dynamics of quantitative traits. Application of this measure to data on 18 microsatellite loci in nine human populations leads to evolutionary trees consistent with the known ethnohistory of the populations.
Tamil Brahmans: The Making of a Middle-Class-Caste

This book analyses Tamil Brahmans’ social transformation from an old, rural, elite caste to a predominantly urban, modern, middle-class group (15). Fuller and Narasimhan state that the book is ‘abo...
BMP signaling mutant mice exhibit glial cell maturation defects

Bone morphogenetic proteins have been implicated in the development of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, however, a role for endogenous BMP signaling in glial development has not been demonstrated in a genetic model. Using mice in which signaling via type I BMP receptors Bmpr1a and Bmpr1b have been inactivated in the neural tube, we demonstrate that BMP signaling contributes to the maturation of glial cells in vivo. At P0, mutant mice exhibited a 25-40% decrease in GFAP+ or S100β+ astrocytes in the cervical spinal cord. The number of oligodendrocyte precursors and the timing of their emergence was unchanged in the mutant mice compared to the normals, however myelin protein expression and mature oligodendrocyte numbers were significantly reduced. These data indicate that BMP signaling promotes the generation of astrocytes and mature, myelinating oligodendrocytes in vivo but does not affect oligodendrocyte precursor development, thus suggesting tight regulation of BMP signaling to ensure proper gliogenesis.
The Dubashes of Madras

If Calcutta of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was a city of ‘banians,’ can Madras of the same period be called a city of ‘dubashes’? The parallels in the early history of these two port cities, and particularly in the emergence of similar groups of Indian collaborators, are not hard to find. Nor are they especially surprising in view of the common goals and needs of the English traders who founded them. The need for intermediaries and collaborators was built into the very economic and political structures of these towns. In turn, these groups inevitably had a tremendous influence on the development and environments of these colonial urban centers.
Belief Propagation Based Multihead Multitrack Detection over Conventional and Bit-Patterned Media Storage Systems

We propose a low complexity detection technique for multihead multitrack recording systems. By exploiting the sparseness of the two dimensional (2-D) partial response channel, we start with the development of an algorithm which performs belief propagation (BP) over the corresponding factor graph. We consider the BP-based detector not only for the partial response channel, but also for the more practical conventional media and bit-patterned media storage systems, with and without media noise. Compared to the maximum likelihood detector which has a prohibitively high complexity that is exponential with both the number of tracks and the number of ISI taps, the proposed detector has a much lower complexity and a fast parallel structure which come at a small performance penalty.
Quantitative Infrared Spectroscopic Measurements of Mixtures without External Calibration

A general spectroscopic method for the analysis of mixtures that does not require external calibration has been developed. The method is based on the obtaining of absorbance ratio spectra and the determination of a concentration ratio at frequencies unique to each component. The method is applied to mixtures hexane and cyclohexane.
Document-Centric Query Answering for the Semantic Web

In this paper, we propose document-centric query answering, a novel form of query answering for the Semantic Web. We discuss how we have built a knowledge base system to support the new queries. In particular, we describe the key techniques used in the system in order to address scalability issues. In addition, we show encouraging experimental results.
Local Economic Development in Michigan: A Reliance on the Supply Side

Recent research on local economic development policies suggests that the types of techniques employed by cities are changing as they move into the 1990s. Specifically, Eisinger posits that cities a...
Functional Protein Components in Lean Finely Textured Tissue from Beef and Pork

High ionic strength soluble (HIS) proteins, low ionic strength soluble (LIS) proteins, and insoluble (IN) proteins from lean finely textured tissue (LFTT) which was derived from beef and pork trimmings, were evaluated. The IN protein fraction was the major component in LFTT, followed by the LIS protein fraction. The HIS protein fraction from LFTT was present in the smallest quantity. Gels from LFTT had a soft texture and low water retention due to the low level of HIS proteins. SDS-PAGE showed that the major proteins in the LFTT HIS fraction were myosin and actin, but they were present in much smaller quantities than in muscle meats.
The Capital Accumulation Ratio as an Indicator of Retirement Adequacy

The relationship between meeting the Capital Accumulation Ratio Guideline and retirement adequacy was investigated. About 63% of the households had a consistent relationship between meeting the 25% ratio guideline and being adequately prepared for retirement, with 46% of households both meeting the 25% ratio guideline and being prepared for retirement and 17% not meeting the guideline and not being adequately prepared for retirement. However, 37% of households did not have a consistent relationship. Meeting the 25% ratio guideline does not appear to be an accurate indicator of retirement adequacy. The 25% guideline was a better indicator than the 50% guideline.
Do First Years Really Last a Lifetime

Multiple early childhood intervention programs have been introduced to provide at-risk children with a better start in life. This is due to the recognition that early childhood experiences, both positive and negative, can affect the physical, mental, behavioral, and economic well-being of the child. A few of these programs have evaluated long-term outcomes and have demonstrated that the effects of interventions may still be apparent years after the intervention. Pediatricians need to become more aware of the information available about the impact of early childhood events and become more active in promoting proven best intervention practices at the local, state, and national level.
Beat the cheater: computing game-theoretic strategies for when to kick a gambler out of a casino

Gambles in casinos are usually set up so that the casino makes a profit in expectation--as long as gamblers play honestly. However, some gamblers are able to cheat, reducing the casino's profit. How should the casino address this? A common strategy is to selectively kick gamblers out, possibly even without being sure that they were cheating. In this paper, we address the following question: Based solely on a gambler's track record, when is it optimal for the casino to kick the gambler out? Because cheaters will adapt to the casino's policy, this is a game-theoretic question. Specifically, we model the problem as a Bayesian game in which the casino is a Stackelberg leader that can commit to a (possibly randomized) policy for when to kick gamblers out, and we provide efficient algorithms for computing the optimal policy. Besides being potentially useful to casinos, we imagine that similar techniques could be useful for addressing related problems--for example, illegal trades in financial markets.
Affect and Public Support for Military Action

This study examines the effects of affect on public opinion on foreign policy. It extends the existing studies which show a significant role that affect, as measured by feelings toward a country, p...
Receptor mediated retrograde axonal transport of neurotrophic factors is increased after peripheral nerve injury.

Publisher Summary Receptor-mediated retrograde axonal transport to sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) has been demonstrated for the neurotrophins, nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), as well as the neuroactive cytokines, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The receptor-mediated nature of these transport events has been demonstrated by a pharmacological approach. Increased transport of CNTF after peripheral nerve lesion may be an intrinsically programmed cellular mechanism for increasing the accumulation of much needed neurotrophic factors after neuronal damage. Further, injured or otherwise compromised neurons may show a selective responsiveness to neurotrophic factors by virtue of their increased retrograde transport. This is of significance when considering therapeutic intervention with pharmacological doses of neurotrophic factors for peripheral neuropathies. It is necessary to determine how the increased retrograde flow of neurotrophic signals is processed and what molecular mechanisms are operable in the transduction of these retrograde signals.
Bedding Material Affects Mechanical Thresholds, Heat Thresholds, and Texture Preference

Abstract It has long been known that the bedding type on which animals are housed can affect breeding behavior and cage environment, yet little is known about its effects on evoked behavior responses or nonreflexive behaviors. C57BL/6 mice were housed for 2 weeks on 1 of 5 bedding types: aspen Sani-Chips (standard bedding for our institute), ALPHA-Dri, Cellu-Dri, Pure-o’Cel, or TEK-Fresh. Mice housed on aspen exhibited the lowest (most sensitive) mechanical thresholds and those on TEK-Fresh exhibited 3-fold higher thresholds. Although bedding type had no effect on responses to punctate or dynamic light touch stimuli, TEK-Fresh-housed animals exhibited greater responsiveness in a noxious needle assay than did those housed on the other bedding types. Heat sensitivity was also affected by bedding because animals housed on aspen exhibited the shortest (most sensitive) latencies to withdrawal, whereas those housed on TEK-Fresh had the longest (least sensitive) latencies to response. Slight differences between bedding types were also seen in a moderate cold temperature preference assay. A modified tactile conditioned place preference chamber assay revealed that animals preferred TEK-Fresh to aspen bedding. Bedding type had no effect in a nonreflexive wheel running assay. In both acute (2 day) and chronic (5 week) inflammation induced by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant in the hindpaw, mechanical thresholds were reduced in all groups regardless of bedding type, but TEK-Fresh and Pure-o’Cel groups exhibited a greater dynamic range between controls and inflamed cohorts than aspen-housed mice. Perspective These findings indicate that the bedding type routinely used to house animals can markedly affect the dynamic range of mechanical and heat behavior assays under normal and tissue injury conditions. Among beddings tested, TEK-Fresh bedding resulted in the least sensitive baseline thresholds for mechanical and thermal stimuli and the greatest dynamic range after tissue injury. Therefore, selection of routine cage bedding material should be carefully considered for animals that will be tested in behavioral somatosensory assays.
Hydrogen Dissociative Adsorption on Lanthana: Polaron Formation and the Role of Acid–Base Interactions

Previous work has proposed that two molecules that coadsorb on an irreducible oxide surface tend to choose their binding sites so that one is a Lewis acid and the other is a Lewis base. Here we exa...
Mathematical biophysics of cell respiration II

The recent approximate method developed by N. Rashevsky in his bookMathematical Biophysics is shown to lead to results equivalent to those obtained in the preceding paper on cell respiration. An estimate is made of the value of the total diffusion resistance to lactic acid for unfertilizedArbacia eggs. Several more general reactions are treated to illustrate the effect of intermediate products. Expressions for the glycolytic coefficient are derived in terms of the parameters of the cell.
Optical Properties of Free-Standing Ultrahigh Porosity Silicon Films Prepared by Supercritical Drying

Highly luminescent free-standing porous silicon thin films of excellent optical quality have been manufactured by using electrochemical etching and lift-off steps combined with supercritical drying. One to 50 μm thick free-standing layers made from highly (p+) and moderately (p) Boron doped single crystal silicon (c-Si) substrates have been produced with porosities (P) up to 95 %. The Fabry-Perot fringes observed in the transmission and photoluminescence (PL) spectra are used to determine the refractive index. At the highest P the index of refraction is below 1.2 from the IR to 2 eV. The absorption coefficients follow a nearly exponential behavior in the energy range from 1.2 eV and 4 eV. The porosity corrected absorption spectra of free-standing films made from p type c-Si substrates are blue shifted with respect to those prepared from p+ substrates. For P > 70 % a blue shift is also observed in PL. At equal porosities the luminescence intensities of porous silicon films made from p+ and p type c-Si are different by one order of magnitude.
Optical networks for high-performance computing: Promises and perils

Optical networks hold great promise for improving the performance of supercomputers, yet they have always proven just out of reach. This talk will examine the potential of optical interconnects, barriers to adoption, and possible solutions from hardware/software co-design.
Old and New Paths of Trauma: An Analysis of Cristina Garcia’s Dreaming in Cuban

This essay analyzes trauma in Cristina Garcia’s Dreaming in Cuban. The characters Celia and Felicia go through different sorts of trauma that do not fit in the PTSD concept. These traumas are related to patriarchal codes of behavior, family history, the socio-political context, and sexual oppression.
Phase control in the two-color photoionization of HD and the photodissociation of HD+

An intense (~2 × 1013-W/cm2) two-color laser field with a variable relative phase between the two colors is used in a study of the photoionization of HD and the subsequent photodissociation of the molecular ion HD+. Both processes show a sensitive phase dependence. The photoionization shows a larger-than-expected modulation in yield, with a period of π in the relative phase between the two colors, in the photodissociation of HD+, either the H or D fragment will be charged, and an asymmetry in the angular distribution of either charged fragment, modulated with a period of 2π in the phase, is observed.
TabletGaze: dataset and analysis for unconstrained appearance-based gaze estimation in mobile tablets

We study gaze estimation on tablets; our key design goal is uncalibrated gaze estimation using the front-facing camera during natural use of tablets, where the posture and method of holding the tablet are not constrained. We collected a large unconstrained gaze dataset of tablet users, labeled Rice TabletGaze dataset. The dataset consists of 51 subjects, each with 4 different postures and 35 gaze locations. Subjects vary in race, gender and in their need for prescription glasses, all of which might impact gaze estimation accuracy. We made three major observations on the collected data and employed a baseline algorithm for analyzing the impact of several factors on gaze estimation accuracy. The baseline algorithm is based on multilevel HoG feature and Random Forests regressor, which achieves a mean error of 3.17 cm. We perform extensive evaluation on the impact of various practical factors such as person dependency, dataset size, race, wearing glasses and user posture on the gaze estimation accuracy.
An integrated model for inner-city health-care delivery : The deaconess center

Under the auspices of the Buffalo General Hospital and the faculty of medicine of the State University of New York at Buffalo, a comprehensive delivery system for primary care has been established in a local inner-city neighborhood. At the Deaconess Family Medicine Center, located within an inner-city location of Buffalo, New York, several divisions have been integrated to provide comprehensive patient-oriented primary care. These divisions include a primary care clinic, an urgent care clinic, a substance abuse clinic, and a community pediatrics clinic. Professional services are provided by attending physicians and residents. The horizontal integration of these four divisions is in turn vertically integrated with the tertiary care teaching hospital inpatient and obstetrical services, providing a continuum of patient care. The horizontal integration serves as an entry point for patients to enter the hospital's health-care system, while the vertical integration capability serves to capture any specialized referrals or inpatient needs. This article discusses the structure of the center, with special reference to service integration, service delivery, and patient capture; medical education; and the place of integrated units in the strategic plan of a tertiary care hospital.
The Utah State Senate: Effects of Tokenism and Implications for Future Gender Parity

During the 2002 legislative session, women held twenty-one percent of the Utah State Senate seats. This percentage fits within Kanter’s (1977) definition of a skewed group and thus opens the Senate to examination using her framework of tokenism. To investigate tokenism in relation to the Senate, I conducted in-depth interviews with five of the six female senators. After analyzing the interview tapes and notes, I found evidence of tokenism, specifically role entrapment. With further examination of the evidence using Kanter, Sapiro’s (1990) concept of gender consciousness and Yoder’s (1991) criticism of tokenism, I concluded that there was strong evidence of tokenism in the Utah State Senate as well as varying degrees of gender consciousness. Despite evidence in support of Kanter, I agree with Yoder’s criticism that Kanter’s proposed solution to the problems associated with tokenism is insufficient. Simply increasing the number of the token group, women in this case, will not address cultural bias. To adequately address the systemic and cultural sexism present, women and men must develop gender consciousness, recognize the inherent inequalities in the current political system, and collectively pursue the recruitment and development of women within political party structures and within electoral politics. Gender parity will only be reached in the Utah State Legislature when the barriers associated with tokenism are addressed and the development of gender consciousness occurs.