cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Conduit Reduces Interim Mortality After Stage 1 Norwood for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Background Despite significant improvement in survival after stage 1 Norwood, interim mortality before the second-stage operation remains significant. On the basis of reports of improved circulatory stability associated with the use of a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit, the difference between two physiologically different sources of pulmonary blood flow on interim mortality was investigated. Methods Data collection of 96 consecutive hospital survivors after stage 1 Norwood surgery was undertaken. The source of pulmonary blood flow was a modified right Blalock-Taussig shunt in 46 (BTS) and a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit in 50 patients. The same follow-up protocol was used in both groups. Data analysis was performed to identify variables associated with interim mortality. Results Analysis of patient-related and procedure-related variables revealed no differences in age, weight, diagnosis, presence of aortic atresia, lowest perioperative pH, duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, circulatory arrest, length of mechanical ventilation, or hospital stay at the time of stage 1 Norwood between groups. Respiratory rate and systolic blood pressure were the only differences detected between groups at the time of discharge. Interim mortality was higher in the Blalock-Taussig shunt group. Statistical analysis identified aortic atresia, a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, and the presence of perioperative dysrhythmias to be associated with interim mortality. Conclusions The use of a right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt decreases the incidence of interim mortality among hospital survivors after stage 1 Norwood for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Aortic atresia, the use of a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, and perioperative dysrhythmias are independently associated with a higher mortality before superior cavopulmonary connection.
Using Performance Assessment for Accountability Purposes

Why is there such great interest in performance assessment? Are large-scale performance assessments administratively feasible, professionally credible, publicly acceptable, legally defensible, and economically affordable?
Interlaminar shear effects in cord-rubber composites

Cord-rubber composite action of single ply and two ply specimens subjected to axial loading is discussed. The shear coupling phenomenon and its effect on two ply (±α) laminate response is experimentally demonstrated. Interlaminar shear strain is found to be significant in such specimens and to greatly influence specimen stiffness. Interply thickness to specimen width ratios are demonstrated to have a marked effect on interlaminar shear distributions. Theoretical solutions based on linear elastic orthotropic material behaviour are shown to be applicable within limits. Implications of the observed results on the development of a finite element model for application to axisymmetric cord-rubber structures are discussed. Such a model is described and demonstrated.
Asphalt exposure enhances neuropeptide levels in sensory neurons projecting to the rat nasal epithelium.

Asphalt fumes have been reported to produce nasal irritation in road workers. Since inhaled irritants can increase substance P (SP) production in airway neurons, the effects of asphalt fumes on SP production in trigeminal ganglia (TG) sensory neurons innervating the nasal mucosa were investigated. The effects of asphalt fumes on nasal mucosal innervation were examined by measuring SP and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels in rat TG neurons projecting to the nasal epithelium. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to asphalt fumes at 16.0 - 8.1mg /m3 for 5 consecutive days, 3.5 h/d. Inflammatory cells were measured in nasal cavity lavage fluid. SP and CGRP immunoreactivity (IR) was measured in the cell bodies of trigeminal ganglion sensory neurons projecting to the nasal cavity. A significant increase in neutrophils and macrophages was observed after asphalt fume exposure indicating an inflammatory response in the nasal cavity. The percentage of SP-IR neurons increased significantly in the asph...
The Stochastic Sequential Assignment Problem With Random Deadlines

Resources are to be allocated sequentially to activities to maximize the total expected return, where the return from an allocation is the product of the value of the resource and the value of the activity. The set of activities and their values are given ahead of time, but the resources arrive according to a Poisson process and their values are independent random variables that are observed upon arrival. It is assumed that either there is a single random deadline for all activities, which is the same as discounting the returns, or the activities have independent random deadlines. The model has applications machine scheduling, packet switching, and kidney allocation for transplant. It is known that the optimal policy in the discounted case has a very simple form that does not depend on the activity values. We show that this is also true when the deadlines are independent and in this case the solution can expressed in terms of solutions to single activity models. These results also hold when there are batch arrivals of resources. The effects of pooling separate identical systems with a single activity into a combined system is investigated for both models. When activities have independent deadlines it is optimal to reject a resource in the combined system if and only if it is optimal to reject it in the single activity system. However, when returns are discounted, it is sometimes optimal to accept a resource in the combined system that would be rejected in the single activity system.
An Experimental Study of an On-Line Man-Computer System

An on-line man-computer program has been described and experimental results concerning the demands made upon the computer are reported. For this particular system it would appear unwise to attempt a time-sharing with other programs on most systems. The use, however, as a single multicomponent program is quite reasonable. It is felt that the functions that are defined and measured here are sufficiently similar to those involved in other on-line systems that these results should be of some concern to those proposing to time-share them. In any event, this work points up the need for experimental evaluation of programs proposed for on-line use before incorporation in a time-sharing system. The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of D. Mortara in helping to devise the experimental monitoring system and of R. Trogdon and J. Knoke for their technical assistance in the measurements.
A comparison of nutrient-limited productivity in Sargassum natans from neritic vs. oceanic waters of the western North Atlantic Ocean

Physiological studies and seawater nutrient analysis showed that the productivity of the macroalga Sargassum natans was significantly enhanced by higher N and P availability in neritic compared to oceanic waters of the western North Atlantic Ocean (17-40°N). The initial slope ofthe P vs. I curve (α), photosynthetic capacity (P max ), dark respiration, and the light saturation irradiance (I s ) were all significantly greater in neritic compared to oceanic populations. The higher productivity of neritic S. natans correlated with higher levels of tissue N and P; C: N, C: P, and N: P ratios averaged 27.9, 347, and 10.2 in neritic populations compared to 49.4, 877, and 18.1 in oceanic populations. Lower alkaline phosphatase activity in neritic vs. oceanic populations corroborated the higher P limitation in oceanic waters. Experimental pulses with dissolved inorganic N, DIN (NO 3 - ), and soluble reactive phosphate, SRP (PO 4 3- ), significantly enhanced net P max and dark respiration of oceanic but not neritic S. natans, demonstrating that increased N and P availability enhances productivity of nutrient-depleted S. natans. Higher DIN and SRP concentrations within Sargassum windrows along shelf fronts in neritic regions explained the higher productivity and suggest that chronic nutrient limitation in oceanic regions is related to highly patchy nutrient supply.
Input to the Lateral Habenula from the Basal Ganglia Is Excitatory, Aversive, and Suppressed by Serotonin

Summary The lateral habenula (LHb) has recently been identified as a key regulator of the reward system by driving inhibition onto dopaminergic neurons. However, the nature and potential modulation of the major input to the LHb originating from the basal ganglia are poorly understood. Although the output of the basal ganglia is thought to be primarily inhibitory, here we show that transmission from the basal ganglia to the LHb is excitatory, glutamatergic, and suppressed by serotonin. Behaviorally, activation of this pathway is aversive, consistent with its role as an "antireward" signal. Our demonstration of an excitatory projection from the basal ganglia to the LHb explains how LHb-projecting basal ganglia neurons can have similar encoding properties as LHb neurons themselves. Our results also provide a link between antireward excitatory synapses and serotonin, a neuromodulator implicated in depression.
EGR4 displays both a cell- and intracellular-specific localization pattern in the developing murine testis.

Spermatogenesis is an intricately regulated process of cellular differentiation transforming spermatogonial stem cells to spermatozoa. Elimination of the transcription factor EGR4 generates subfertile male mice yet the expression and function of EGR4 in the mammalian testis has yet to be fully investigated. We performed in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence to identify Egr4 transcript and protein localization in the developing murine testis. EGR4 was detected in both germ and somatic cells in the neonatal testis but was specific to germ cells inside the seminiferous epithelium from juvenile development onward. EGR4 also displayed distinct intracellular localization patterns within specific cell populations of the testis. In addition, Egr4-deficient testis tubules regress from relatively normal to Sertoli cell and undifferentiated spermatogonia only over time. Taken together, these data suggest that Egr4 may regulate spermatogenesis at multiple steps, with roles in the dividing Sertoli cells, peritubular myoid cells, and the meiotic and elongating haploid germ cell populations. Developmental Dynamics 239:3106–3114, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Test of a large silicon strip micro-vertex detector at the

As part of a program (CERN P238) to develop a B physics experiment at a hadron collider, we have run a large silicon strip micro-vertex detector at the SppS collider. To optimize the acceptance of B hadrons - produced principally at small angles - t he 48 silicon planes are placed perpendicular and close to the beam. We had clean running conditions with the first strip positioned 3 mm from the beams. We have collected 5 × 106 minimum bias events on tape at this position. Preliminary results of the analysis are presented.
A Staining Procedure for Use in the Brucella Opsonocytophagic Test

The following staining procedure is recommended for use in the Brucella opsonocytophagic test in order to avoid confusing results obtained with stains of the Hasting or Wright type: Fix spreads for 5 minutes or longer in absolute methyl alcohol. Stain for 10 to 30 minutes in a solution of the following: 0.5 g. NaCl, 0.5 g. phenol, 0.5 g. methylene blue, 0.02 g. Na2HPO4+12H2O, 50 cc. distilled water, 50 cc. methyl alcohol. Wash slides gently in water. Air dry. By this procedure, the bacteria and the nuclei of the leucocytes appear deep blue. The cytoplasm of the leucocytes appears faintly green with the cell outline distinctly visible. Cytoplasmic granules do not stain.
Cross-validation of a minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI) subscale for the assessment of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder

We have examined the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scores of 80 carefully diagnosed veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in an attempt to cross-validate the PTSD subscale and three-point MMPI code of Keane, Malloy, and Fairbank (1984). In general, although we replicated Keane and co-workers'cutoff scores, our “hit rates” were slightly lower than those reported originally.
FoodBank Johannesburg, State, and Civil Society Organisations in Post-Apartheid Johannesburg

This article analyses FoodBank Johannesburg's impact on the network of food security organisations in Johannesburg, South Africa. The introduction of the American food banking model into Johannesburg has led to many positive outcomes, including expanding the number of institutions committed to food security, streamlining food donation processes, increasing the amount of food delivered, and reducing waste. While FoodBank Johannesburg's alignment with the state and capital has assured some level of state funding, it also has the potential to delegitimise particular food security interventions, depoliticise hunger, deepen central state penetration, create new bureaucracies, and allow government to shirk responsibilities towards the food insecure. Additionally, even though food retailers and food manufacturers have committed to the food banking concept, it is not clear whether the food bank's dependence on food business inefficiencies, such as overproduction and incorrect packaging, is an appropriate way to e...
Effects of Impurities and Supporting Electrolytes On SCC of 304 Stainless Steel in High Temperature Aqueous Environments

Abstract The effects of impurities in high temperature water has been examined on sensitized 304 stainless steel under both constant temperature and transient temperature conditions. As-welded, low...
Dynamics of gap junctions observed in living cells with connexin43-GFP chimeric protein.

Abstract To study the aggregation of cell-to-cell channels into gap junctions at individual cell-cell contacts, we transfected cells with an expression vector for a chimeric protein composed of the cell-to-cell channel protein connexin43 and a green fluorescent protein. The chimeric channel protein was visualized in the fluorescence microscope and was found to form gap junctions at the cell-cell contacts just like wild-type connexin43. Cells expressing the chimeric protein had functional cell-to-cell channels. Using timelapse videomicroscopy on live cells we observed individual gap junctions over long periods and recorded the time course of aggregation of the chimeric channel protein into gap junctions at newly formed cell-cell contacts. We found that individual small gap junctions were very dynamic, moving about or becoming assembled and dis-assembled in the course of minutes. Larger gap junctions were more stable than small punctate ones. In control condition, stable new gap junctions were not formed during observation times of 30 min or longer. But at elevated levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, the chimeric channel protein began aggregating at new junctions 5–10 minutes after cell-cell contact and continued to concentrate there for at least one hour. Also already established junctions grew in size. The fluorescent chimeric channel protein will be an excellent tool to investigate the regulation of trafficking of connexin from and to the membrane and the mechanism of connexin channel aggregation into gap junctions.
Medical and surgical considerations in patients with vasculitis and Raynaud's syndrome

Vascular problems in the foot are certainly common when one considers only arteriosclerosis on the macrovascular scale. The primary cause of ischemia of the foot undoubtedly is primary arteriosclerosis, whether related to smoking, diabetes, renal failure, or other causes. Vasculitis and vasospasm, in their many forms, are distinctly unusual as a cause of ischemia of the foot. These entities, nonetheless, can cause significant problems from the standpoint of symptoms and even ulceration or gangrene of the foot. This article addresses the pathophysiology of vasculitis and vasospastic problems in the foot and their management.
Gain in Brain Immunity in the Oldest-Old Differentiates Cognitively Normal from Demented Individuals

Background Recent findings suggest that Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathological features (neuritic plaques and NFTs) are not strongly associated with dementia in extreme old (over 90 years of age) and compel a search for neurobiological indices of dementia in this rapidly growing segment of the elderly population. We sought to characterize transcriptional and protein profiles of dementia in the oldest-old. Methods and Findings Gene and protein expression changes relative to non-demented age-matched controls were assessed by two microarray platforms, qPCR and Western blot in different regions of the brains of oldest-old and younger old persons who died at mild or severe stages of dementia. Our results indicate that: i) consistent with recent neuropathological findings, gene expression changes associated with cognitive impairment in oldest-old persons are distinct from those in cognitively impaired youngest-old persons; ii) transcripts affected in young-old subjects with dementia participate in biological pathways related to synaptic function and neurotransmission while transcripts affected in oldest-old subjects with dementia are associated with immune/inflammatory function; iii) upregulation of immune response genes in cognitively intact oldest-old subjects and their subsequent downregulation in dementia suggests a potential protective role of the brain immune-associated system against dementia in the oldest-old; iv) consistent with gene expression profiles, protein expression of several selected genes associated with the inflammatory/immune system in inferior temporal cortex is significantly increased in cognitively intact oldest-old persons relative to cognitively intact young-old persons, but impaired in cognitively compromised oldest-old persons relative to cognitively intact oldest-old controls. Conclusions These results suggest that disruption of the robust immune homeostasis that is characteristic of oldest-old individuals who avoided dementia may be directly associated with dementia in the oldest-old and contrast with the synaptic and neurotransmitter system failures that typify dementia in younger old persons.
The ATPase cycle mechanism of the DEAD-box rRNA helicase, DbpA

Abstract DEAD-box proteins are ATPase enzymes that destabilize and unwind duplex RNA. Quantitative knowledge of the ATPase cycle parameters is critical for developing models of helicase activity. However, limited information regarding the rate and equilibrium constants defining the ATPase cycle of RNA helicases is available, including the distribution of populated biochemical intermediates, the catalytic step(s) that limits the enzymatic reaction cycle, and how ATP utilization and RNA interactions are linked. We present a quantitative kinetic and equilibrium characterization of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-activated ATPase cycle mechanism of DbpA, a DEAD-box rRNA helicase implicated in ribosome biogenesis. rRNA activates the ATPase activity of DbpA by promoting a conformational change after ATP binding that is associated with hydrolysis. Chemical cleavage of bound ATP is reversible and occurs via a γ-phosphate attack mechanism. ADP-Pi and RNA binding display strong thermodynamic coupling, which causes DbpA–ADP-Pi to bind rRNA with > 10-fold higher affinity than with bound ATP, ADP or in the absence of nucleotide. The rRNA-activated steady-state ATPase cycle of DbpA is limited both by ATP hydrolysis and by Pi release, which occur with comparable rates. Consequently, the predominantly populated biochemical states during steady-state cycling are the ATP- and ADP-Pi-bound intermediates. Thermodynamic linkage analysis of the ATPase cycle transitions favors a model in which rRNA duplex destabilization is linked to strong rRNA and nucleotide binding. The presented analysis of the DbpA ATPase cycle reaction mechanism provides a rigorous kinetic and thermodynamic foundation for developing testable hypotheses regarding the functions and molecular mechanisms of DEAD-box helicases.
Exploring the Linkages between Geotechnical Properties and Electrical Responses of Sand-Clay Mixtures under Varying Effective Stress Levels

The strength and stability conditions of unconsolidated geo-materials, for example soils, are influenced by modifications of their micro-structure, texture, mineralogy and effective stress levels. These modifications in the internal structures of the soils often result in geohazards (e.g., landslides, liquefaction, debris flow), which often claim so many lives, destroy the environment, and cause considerable amounts of property damage. Characterization and monitoring of such geohazards demand knowledge about the geotechnical (physical and mechanical) properties of unconsolidated near-surface geo-materials of interest. The fundamental relations between geo-electrical parameters and the geotechnical properties that influence the mechanical behavior of soils are investigated by performing controlled laboratory experiments on sand-clay mixtures under stress. Spectral electrical response (SER) measurements are performed on these mixtures over a range of frequencies (0.001 Hz–1 kHz) with concurrent measurements...
Considering Changes in Exposure and Sensitivity in an Early Life Cumulative Risk Assessment

A cumulative risk assessment is generally intended to address concurrent exposure by all exposure routes to a group of chemicals that share a common mechanism of toxicity. However, the contribution of different exposure routes will change over time. This is most critical when estimating risks to infants and children because their exposure sources change rapidly during the first few years of life because of dietary and behavioral changes. In addition, there may be changes in sensitivity to toxicants during this time period, associated with various developmental stages. Traditional risk assessments do not address this progression. Examples of how these factors might be incorporated into an early life risk assessment are provided for lead, dioxins and furans, and organophosphate pesticides. The same concepts may apply to other potentially susceptible subpopulations, such as the elderly.
Differential effects of dopamine blockers on the acquisition of schedule-induced drinking and deprivation-induced drinking

In Experiment 1, the dopamine blockers pimozide (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) and spiperone (0.062 and 0.125 mg/kg) suppressed the acquisition of schedule-induced drinking (a form of nonhomeostatic drinking) in rats over a 15-day chronic dosing regimen. In Experiment 2, however, the same doses of pimozide and spiperone did not affect deprivation-induced drinking (a form of homeostatic drinking) or ad-lib drinking. These data suggest that an intact dopamine system is necessary for the development of schedule-induced drinking, and that this suppression of schedule-induced drinking was not due to a general suppression of drinking per se.
ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE NORMAL FELINE PANCREAS AND ASSOCIATED ANATOMIC LANDMARKS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 20 CATS

The sonographic appearance of the feline pancreas and associated anatomic landmarks including the pancreatic duct, duodenum, duodenal papilla, portal vein, and gastric lymph node were evaluated in 20 healthy, awake cats. The pancreas appeared nearly isoechoic to surrounding mesenteric tissues, isoechoic to slightly hyperechoic to adjacent liver lobes, and hypoechoic to the spleen. The mean thickness measurements for the right pancreatic lobe, body, and left pancreatic lobe were 4.5 mm (range 2.8-5.9), 6.6 mm (range 4.7-9.5), and 5.4 mm (range 3.4-9.0), respectively. The pancreatic duct was consistently visualized in the left pancreatic lobe and had a mean thickness of 0.8 mm (range 0.5-1.3). It could be differentiated from the pancreatic vessel, by its central location, and the duct's lack of Doppler flow signal. The duodenum was used as a landmark to identify the right lobe of the pancreas. The mean duodenal wall thickness measurement was 2.8 mm (range 2.1-3.8) in sagittal section, and 3.0 mm (range 2.2-4.4) in transverse section. The duodenal papilla was identified in 4 of 20 cats. It ranged in size from 2.9 to 5.5 mm in width, and had a maximum height of 4.0 mm in transverse section. The portal vein was used as a consistent anatomic landmark for identification of the left lobe and body of the pancreas. The mean diameter of the portal vein at the level where the pancreatic body joins the left pancreatic lobe was 4.3 mm (range 2.7-5.9) when viewed in sagittal section, and 4.5 mm (range 3.6-6.1) in transverse section. The gastric lymph node was identified cranial and ventromedial to the pyloroduodenal angle in 6 of 20 cats. It had an asymmetrical shape with a larger caudal pole in five of the six cats. The largest dimensions of the gastric lymph node were 10 mm in length, and 6 mm in width for the larger caudal pole, and 5.1 mm in width for the smaller cranial pole.
A building-block approach to efficiency and cost models of power electronic systems

This paper presents efficiency and cost models of power electronic converters based on converter ratings and datasheet information. These models aid in creating rapid prototypes which facilitate the component selection process. Through this rapid prototyping, users can estimate efficiency and cost which are essential in design decisions. The proposed approach treats main power electronic components as building blocks that can be re-arranged for different topologies. In order to get efficiency models, power losses of each building block are estimated. Cost models for each building block are derived based on an extensive market survey. Three examples are used to illustrate the proposed approach - boost and buck converters in continuous conduction mode (CCM) and flyback converter in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). Achieved cost and loss estimates are over 92% accurate when compared to measured losses and real cost data. This paper presents derivations of the proposed models, detailed experimental measurements and demonstration of a GUI that integrates all models.
Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance to Treat Children With Atopic Dermatitis in a Tertiary Pediatric Allergy Clinic

Background. Secondary skin infection with Staphylococcus aureus is a significant problem in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. Objective. This study evaluated antimicrobial resistance patterns of S aureus isolates from skin lesions in AD patients and empiric antimicrobial prescribing patterns. Methods. Resistance patterns from positive skin cultures obtained from AD patients in the Allergy/Immunology clinic from May 1, 2006, to December 31, 2008, were compared with all outpatient wound cultures over the same period. Results. Fifty-nine cultures were obtained from 38 AD patients. S aureus was the most common pathogen cultured from AD patients (53/59 cultures). S aureus resistance to clindamycin and methicillin differed significantly between the study group and the outpatient reference population (37.7% vs 9.4% and 45.3% vs 76.4%). Clindamycin was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial (59%). Overall, 31.4% of organisms showed resistance to the antimicrobial prescribed. Conclusions. Susceptibility profile...
Identification of two-dimensional systems using sum-of-cumulants

The use of a sum-of-cumulants as data instead of cumulants is proposed for reducing the computational complexity of two-dimensional cumulant-based identification procedures. The sum-of-cumulants are the Fourier coefficients of a frequency slice of the bispectrum. The dimensionality is thus reduced from four to two without loss of information about the system, and the identification is converted into a rational approximation problem. Non-separable asymmetric half-plane support two-dimensional systems represented by autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models are considered. Determining the region of support of a function of the frequency slice of the bispectrum, the authors obtain, a set of equations for the AR parameters. Cepstral procedures are then used to calculate the MA parameters. The procedure is illustrated by means of examples. >
Natriuretic Peptide Precursor A Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Blood Pressure Progression and Incident Hypertension

We tested the hypothesis that natriuretic peptide precursor A gene polymorphisms are significantly associated with blood pressure progression and incident hypertension among healthy, middle-aged women. We performed a prospective cohort study among 18 437 white women participating in the Women's Health Study who were free of hypertension at baseline. Two previously characterized single nucleotide polymorphisms within the natriuretic peptide precursor A gene (rs5063 G>A and rs5065 T>C) were genotyped. Blood pressure progression at 48 months and incident hypertension during the entire follow-up according to the different genotypes and inferred haplotypes were assessed by logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively. At 48 months, 47.4% of women had blood pressure progression. The odds ratio (95% CIs) for blood pressure progression associated with the rs5063 variant was 0.85 (0.76 to 0.94; P=0.002). For the rs5065 variant, the corresponding odds ratio was 0.94 (0.88 to 1.00; P=0.050). During 9.8 years of follow-up, 29.6% of women developed incident hypertension. Hazard ratios (95% CIs) for incident hypertension were 0.88 (0.80 to 0.96; P=0.005) for the rs5063 variant and 0.95 (0.90 to 1.00; P=0.068) for the rs5065 variant. The odds ratios (95% CIs) of blood pressure progression for the G-T, G-C, and A-T haplotypes were 1.0 (referent), 0.91 (0.85 to 0.98; P=0.007), and 0.80 (0.71 to 0.89; P<0.001), respectively. For incident hypertension, the corresponding hazard ratios were 1.0 (referent), 0.95 (0.90 to 1.01; P=0.095), and 0.90 (0.81 to 0.99; P=0.031), respectively. If corroborated by other large-scale, prospective studies, our findings indicate that the natriuretic peptide precursor A gene plays a significant role in blood pressure regulation and development of hypertension.
Social Functioning among Girls with Fragile X or Turner Syndrome and Their Sisters.

Social behaviors among two genetically homogeneous groups—girls with fragile X (fraX) or Turner syndrome (TS)—were examined to address the role of family environment versus biological determinants of social dysfunction in girls with these disorders. Using a sibling pair design, girls with fraX or TS were compared with their own sisters on measures of IQ and social functioning. The 8 girls with fraX and the 9 girls with TS had lower FSIQ scores and higher ratings of social and attention problems relative to their own sisters. Girls with fraX also had higher ratings of withdrawn behaviors, relative to their own sisters. The unaffected sisters were not rated as demonstrating any difficulties in these areas, relative to controls. Correlations between problem ratings and FSIQ were not statistically significant. Although these preliminary findings do not indicate a lack of familial impact on social development in girls with either disorder, the results provide preliminary evidence that social dysfunction reported for girls with fraX or TS cannot be attributed solely, nor primarily, to global aspects of the family environment.
Life and death of the Resurrection plate: Evidence for its existence and subduction in the northeastern Pacific in Paleocene–Eocene time

Onshore evidence suggests that a plate is missing from published reconstructions of the northeastern Pacific Ocean in Paleocene– Eocene time. The Resurrection plate, named for the Resurrection Peninsula ophiolite near Seward, Alaska, was located east of the Kula plate and north of the Farallon plate. We interpret coeval near-trench magmatism in southern Alaska and the Cascadia margin as evidence for two slab windows associated with trench-ridge-trench (TRT) triple junctions, which formed the western and southern boundaries of the Resurrection plate. In Alaska, the Sanak-Baranof belt of near-trench intrusions records a west-to-east migration, from 61 to 50 Ma, of the northern TRT triple junction along a 2100-km-long section of coastline. In Oregon, Washington, and southern Vancouver Island, voluminous basaltic volcanism of the Siletz River Volcanics, Crescent Formation, and Metchosin Volcanics occurred between ca. 66 and 48 Ma. Lack of a clear age progression of magmatism along the Cascadia margin suggests that this southern triple junction did not migrate significantly. Synchronous near-trench magmatism from southeastern Alaska to Puget Sound at ca. 50 Ma documents the middle Eocene subduction of a spreading center, the crest of which was subparallel to the margin. We interpret this ca. 50 Ma event as recording the subduction-zone consumption of the last of the Resurrection plate. The existence and subsequent subduction of the Resurrection plate explains (1) northward terrane transport along the southeastern Alaska–British Columbia margin between 70 and 50 Ma, synchronous with an eastward-migrating triple junction in southern Alaska; (2) rapid uplift and voluminous magmatism in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia prior to 50 Ma related to subduction of buoyant, young oceanic crust of the Resurrection plate; (3) cessation of Coast Mountains magmatism at ca. 50 Ma due to cessation of subduction, (4) primitive mafic magmatism in the Coast Mountains and Cascade Range just after 50 Ma, related to slab-window magmatism, (5) birth of the Queen Charlotte transform margin at ca. 50 Ma, (6) extensional exhumation of high-grade metamorphic terranes and development of core complexes in British Columbia, Idaho, and Washington, and extensional collapse of the Cordilleran foreland fold-and-thrust belt in Alberta, Montana, and Idaho after 50 Ma related to initiation of the transform margin, (7) enigmatic 53–45 Ma magmatism associated with extension from Montana to the Yukon Territory as related to slab breakup and the formation of a slab window, (8) right-lateral margin-parallel strike-slip faulting in southern and western Alaska during Late Cretaceous and Paleocene time, which cannot be explained by Farallon convergence vectors, and (9) simultaneous changes in Pacific-Farallon and Pacific-Kula plate motions concurrent with demise of the Kula-Resurrection Ridge.
Synthesis of Mo(II) and W(II) complexes with 1,1-dithiolate ligands. Improved preparation of W(CO)3(PPh3)2Cl2

Abstract The complexes M(CO) 2 (PPh 3 )L 2 [M = Mo, W; L = S 2 CNR 2 , S 2 COMe, S 2 P(OEt) 2 have been prepared by a halide replacement reaction of M(CO) 3 (PPh 3 ) 2 Cl 2 with the appropriate ligand. The routine synthesis of the tungsten complexes was made possible by the development of an improved method for the preparation of W(CO( 3 (PPh 3 ) 2 Cl 2 . Reaction of M(CO) 3 (PPh 3 ) 2 Cl 2 with excess HS 2 P(i-Pr) 2 and with one mole of HS 2 (OEt) 2 gives M(CO) 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 LCl which have been shown to be 1:1 electrolytes in methanol and non-conductors in 1,2-dichloroethane.
Order Release in Automated Manufacturing Systems

Order release occurs when orders are released to the shop floor for processing. An order release mechanism (ORM) selectively releases orders to improve shop management and performance. This paper focuses on the question of how to select and develop better ORMs, providing guidelines for practice. We develop a number of propositions on how an ORM should be established and the impact of implementing an ORM. To test the validity of these propositions, we consider three real different automated manufacturing systems. For each system, ORMs are developed and implemented in simulation models. Analysis of the experimental results suggests that some propositions are true under all situations, whereas the degree of validity of others is dependent on variables like system type, and the levels of other design variables. We conjecture that all the propositions can be accepted when the volume of production is high. We use the analysis and the propositions to generate guidelines for practice and areas for future research.
Coherence-Driven Constraints on the Placement of Accent

It is well-established that there is a correspondence between the discourse status of information (i.e., given or new) on the one hand, and whether the linguistic material that denotes that information receives accent or not. It is equally well-established, however, that this correspondence is not straightforward. For instance, sometimes linguistic material that represents new information is not accented, as in the case of went in (1):
Differential Expression of Cancer-Associated Proteins in Breastmilk

Abstract Breast cancer that develops during or shortly after pregnancy is frequently more aggressive than cancer diagnosed at other times in a woman's life. To better understand the patterns of cancer-related protein expression in the breasts of lactating women, we determined the differences in total and individual protein expression in milk based on (a) three time points during lactation (early, mid, and late), (b) length of lactation, and (c) parity. Breastmilk was collected from 72 healthy lactating women within 10 days of starting lactation (transitional [T]), 2 months after lactation started, and during breast weaning (W). Sixteen proteins whose expression is altered in breast cancer (11 kallikreins [KLKs], basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF], YKL-40, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and transforming growth factor [TGF] β1 and β2) were evaluated. The concentration of total milk protein decreased over time (p<0.01 at 2 months and W compared with T). After we controlled for total protein, ...
Effects of disability on pregnancy experiences among women with impaired mobility.

Objective Little is known about how functional impairments might affect the pregnancies of women with mobility disability. We aimed to explore complications that arise during pregnancy that are specifically related to physical functional impairments of women with significant mobility disabilities. Design Qualitative descriptive analysis. Setting Telephone interviews with women from 17 USA states. Sample 22 women with significant mobility difficulties who had delivered babies within the prior 10 years; most participants were recruited through social networks. Methods We conducted 2-h, in-depth telephone interviews using a semi-structured, open-ended interview protocol. We used NVIVO software to sort interview transcript texts for conventional content analyses. Main outcome measures Functional impairment-related complications during pregnancy. Results The women's mean (standard deviation) age was 34.8 (5.3) years. Most were white, well-educated, and higher income; eight women had spinal cord injuries, four cerebral palsy, and 10 had other conditions; 18 used wheeled mobility aids; and 14 had cesarean deliveries (eight elective). Impairment-related complications during pregnancy included: falls; urinary tract and bladder problems; wheelchair fit and stability problems that reduced mobility and compromised safety; significant shortness of breath, sometimes requiring respiratory support; increased spasticity; bowel management difficulties; and skin integrity problems (this was rare, but many women greatly increased skin monitoring during pregnancy to prevent pressure ulcers). Conclusions In addition to other pregnancy-associated health risks, women with mobility disabilities appear to experience problems relating to their functional impairments. Pre-conception planning and in-depth discussions during early pregnancy could potentially assist women with mobility disabilities to anticipate and address these difficulties.
Genetic Analysis of Drosophila melanogaster Polytene Chromosome Region 44D–45F: Loci Required for Viability and Fertility

A genetic screen to identify mutations in genes in the 45A region on the right arm of chromosome 2 that are involved in oogenesis in Drosophila was undertaken. Several lethal but no female sterile mutations in the region had previously been identified in screens for P-element insertion or utilizing X rays or EMS as a mutagen. Here we report the identification of EMS-induced mutations in 21 essential loci in the 45D-45F region, including 13 previously unidentified loci. In addition, we isolated three mutant alleles of a newly identified locus required for fertility, sine prole. Mutations in sine prole disrupt spermatogenesis at or before individualization of spermatozoa and cause multiple defects in oogenesis, including inappropriate division of the germline cyst and arrest of oogenesis at stage 4.
THE EFFECTS OF A TOKEN REINFORCEMENT PROCEDURE ON BUS RIDERSHIP1

Tokens, exchangeable for a variety of back-up reinforcers, were delivered for several days to all persons boarding a clearly marked campus bus. This procedure increased ridership to 150% of baseline. The experiment was carried out to demonstrate the applicability of operant techniques to urban transportation problems. In this study, a token reinforcement procedure was introduced in an attempt to increase bus ridership while holding the costs of reinforcers to a minimum and circumventing the problems of individual satiety and preferences and of delivering cumbersome reinforcers. A methodology for establishing a token-exchange procedure in an “open-field” behavior setting, where the subject population size, geographic location, preferences, age, sex, preferred hours of mobility, etc. are unspecified, is also presented.
Direct Measurement of Interaction Forces Between Islands on Freely Suspended Smectic C Films Using Multiple Optical Tweezers

Smectic liquid crystals can be made to form freely suspended films, two-dimensional systems locally quantized in thickness by an integral number of smectic layers, on which islands, circular regions of greater thickness than the surrounding film area, can be generated. In smectic C films, each such island is accompanied by a topological defect pair, an s = +1 topological defect inside and an s = −1 defect nearby on the background film. The distortions of the in-plane orientational order of the smectic C director field result in elastic interactions between the islands, with a short-range repulsion and a long-range dipolar attraction governing their stability and leading to their organization in chain-like structures with an equilibrium island separation. We demonstrated previously that such islands can be manipulated using optical tweezers. Using an acousto-optically scanned infrared laser system to generate dynamically controllable, multiple optical traps, we have now directly measured the repulsive and ...
Amino acid digestibility and concentration of digestible and metabolizable energy in soybean meal produced from conventional, high-protein, or low-oligosaccharide varieties of soybeans and fed to growing pigs

Two experiments were conducted to determine AA digestibility and the concentration of DE and ME in 5 sources of soybean meal (SBM). The 5 sources included hexane-extracted SBM produced from high-protein soybeans (SBM-HP) and conventional soy- beans (SBM-CONV), and mechanically extruded-ex- pelled SBM produced from high-protein soybeans (EE- SBM-HP), low-oligosaccharide soybeans (EE-SBM-LO), and conventional soybeans (EE-SBM-CONV). Five di- ets that each contained 1 source of SBM and a N-free diet were used in Exp. 1 to determine AA digestibility in each meal. Twelve growing barrows (initial BW: 67.7 ± 1.34 kg) were allotted to a replicated 6 × 6 Latin square design with 6 periods and 6 diets in each square. Each period lasted 7 d, and ileal digesta were collected on d 6 and 7 of each period. Results of the experiment showed that the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of all AA except Trp was similar for SBM-HP and SBM- CONV, but EE-SBM-HP and EE-SBM-LO had greater (P < 0.05) SID of His, Ile, Lys, Thr, and Val than EE-SBM-CONV. The SID of all indispensable AA in EE-SBM-HP was greater (P < 0.05) than in SBM-HP. The SID of Arg, Ile, Leu, and Phe in EE-SBM-CONV was greater (P < 0.05) than in SBM-CONV, but the SID of Trp was also greater (P < 0.05) in SBM-CONV than in EE-SBM-CONV. Experiment 2 was conducted to measure DE and ME in the same 5 sources of SBM as used in Exp. 1. Forty-eight growing barrows (initial BW: 38.6 ± 3.46 kg) were placed in metabolism cages and randomly allotted to 6 diets with 8 replicates per diet. A corn-based diet and 5 diets based on a mix- ture of corn and each source of SBM were formulated. Urine and feces were collected during a 5-d collection period, and values for DE and ME in each source of SBM were calculated using the difference procedure. Results showed that the ME in SBM-HP tended to be greater (P = 0.10) than in SBM-CONV (4,074 vs. 3,672 kcal/kg of DM). The ME in EE-SBM-HP also tended to be greater (P = 0.10) than in EE-SBM-CONV and in EE-SBM-LO (4,069 vs. 3,620 and 3,721 kcal/kg of DM), but there was no difference in ME between ex- tracted and extruded-expelled meals. It is concluded that SBM-HP has a greater feeding value than SBM- CONV because of greater concentrations of digestible AA and ME. Likewise, EE-SBM-LO has a greater con- centration of most indispensable AA than EE-SBM- CONV, but the concentration of ME is similar in these 2 meals. Results of this experiment also showed that AA digestibility values in extruded-expelled SBM are greater than in hexane-extracted SBM.
Genetic Transformation in Spinacia oleracea L. (Spinach)

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), classified as a potherb vegetable, is a member of the family Chenopodiaceae (Jones and Luchsinger 1979). Fresh spinach is becoming more popular due to the rising demand for fresh green salads in diets. It is the most important vegetable green grown in the USA, and it ranks second only to broccoli in total nutrient concentration (Swiader et al. 1992). In 100 g of spinach are 8100 IU vitamin A, 51 mg vitamin C, and 93 mg of calcium. Spinach is also a good source of iron, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium (Ryder 1979).
Dynamic and Thermodynamic Signatures of Native and Non-Native Protein States with Application to the Improvement of Protein Structures.

Accurate knowledge of the 3D structural ensemble of proteins is important for understanding of their biological function. We report here the application of microsecond all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in explicit solvent for the improvement of the quality of low-resolution structures obtained by protein structure prediction (decoys). Seventy MD simulations of ∼1 μs average duration were performed on 13 different protein systems starting from X-ray crystal structures and decoys. Their behavior can be divided into three groups: 22 trajectories converged toward the native state, 27 trajectories displayed a quasi-equilibrium by populating mainly a single non-native free energy basin, and 21 trajectories drifted away from their initial decoy structure transiently visiting multiple free energy minima. To determine whether the native structure can be identified among non-native ensembles, the free energy was determined for each basin by the MM/GBSA method together with the von Mises entropy estimator...
Digital Initiatives: A Selected Bibliography

This bibliography provides a planning aid to anyone contemplating a digitization project. It emphasizes projects that create digital surrogates from existing holdings and it also includes citations of other works used to select, process, and describe the graphical materials digitized by Temple University Libraries.