cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REV-ERB nuclear receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus control circadian period and restrict diet-induced obesity.

Circadian disruption, as occurs in shift work, is associated with metabolic diseases often attributed to a discordance between internal clocks and environmental timekeepers. REV-ERB nuclear recepto...
Portfolio Balance and Balance of Payments Sterilization

Current interest in the monetary theory of the balance of payments has spurred interest in both the static and dynamic and effects of central bank sterilization policies.â€” In particular, the monetary approach to the balance of payments demonstrates that an improper rate of monetary expansion will lead to an official settlements deficit or surplus. As sterilization policies alter the rate of growth of the domestic money supply, it is important to determine how sterilization affects the balance of payments. The ongoing debate concerning the relative merits of fixed versus flexible exchange rates also serves to underline the importance of balance of payments sterilization. Proponents of flexible exchange rates argue that monetary independence cannot be attained under a pegged rate regime, whereas advocates of fixed rates claim that sterilization can lead to monetary independence even if the exchange rate is pegged.
User-role reachability analysis of evolving administrative role based access control

Role Based Access Control (RBAC) has been widely used for restricting resource access to only authorized users. Administrative Role Based Access Control (ARBAC) specifies permissions for administrators to change RBAC policies. Due to complex interactions between changes made by different administrators, it is often difficult to comprehend the full effect of ARBAC policies by manual inspection alone. Policy analysis helps administrators detect potential flaws in the policy specification. Prior work on ARBAC policy analysis considers only static ARBAC policies. In practice, ARBAC policies tend to change over time in order to fix design flaws or to cope with the changing requirements of an organization. Changes to AR-BAC policies may invalidate security properties that were previously satisfied. In this paper, we present incremental algorithms for user-role reachability analysis of ARBAC policies, which asks whether a given user can be assigned to given roles by given administrators. Our incremental algorithms determine if a change may affect the analysis result, and if so, use the information of the previous analysis to incrementally update the analysis result. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first known incremental algorithms in literature for ARBAC analysis. Detailed evaluations show that our incremental algorithms outperform the non-incremental algorithm in terms of execution time.
A Novel Architecture for Secure and Scalable Multicast over IP Network

Currently, multicast services can be implemented at the IP layer or the application layer. While IP multicast violates the stateless paradigm of Internet and incurs great difficulties to congestion and flow control, application-layer multicast is lack of scalability due to the unreliability and resource constraints of end-hosts. Moreover, security is a main weakness in Internet-wide group communications. We propose in this paper a novel architecture for secure and scalable multicast in the Internet. In our architecture, a Multicast Agent in each Autonomous System (AS) is responsible for delivering multicast packets at the AS-level, relaying packets to end-hosts, and generating and updating keys to secure group communications. The proposed membership management protocol enables no-delay to membership updating; the proposed inter-domain routing protocol reduces the worst-case link stress by one magnitude compared to state-of-the-art protocols, and bounds the extra bandwidth cost within one percent compared to traditional IP multicast.
A theorist’s view of interstellar chemistry

Some comments are made about interstellar chemistry. They are not to be taken seriously. They were made in an after-dinner address given during the conference banquet.
Comparison of prenatal and postnatal MRI findings in the evaluation of intrauterine CNS anomalies

Materials and methods Between 2003 and 2005, 14 foetal MRI scans were performed in mothers suspected on ultrasound scans to have foetuses with congenital CNS defects. Of those, 13 children have been born and assessed with postnatal MR scans. Comparisons between antenatal and postnatal scans were made with particular emphasis on accuracy of diagnosis and consequent prognostic value of the antenatal examinations.
Characterization and simulation of end-to-end data link performance of the NASA deep space network

This paper contains an end-to-end performance characterization of subsystems which are used in both acquisition and data delivery of the NASA deep space network (DSN). Signal Processing WorkSystem (SPW) simulation runs are conducted to gain insight into the dynamics of the front-end subsystem signal acquisition. Comparisons are made among the mathematical acquisition models, the simulation results and the actual Mars Global Surveyer (MGS) emergency mode test data. The test shows that at high symbol signal-to-noise power ratio (SSNR>3 dB), the measured end-to-end acquisition time is about 12 minutes. This result matches the prediction by the end-to-end link model and by the simulation.
Assessing Theory Uncertainties in EFT Power Countings from Residual Cutoff Dependence

I summarise a method to quantitatively assess the consistency of power-counting proposals in Effective Field Theories which are non-perturbative at leading order. It uses the fact that the Renormalisation Group evolution of an observable predicts the functional form of its residual cutoff dependence on the EFT breakdown scale, low-momentum scales, and the order of the calculation. Passing this test is a necessary but not sufficient consistency criterion for a suggested power counting whose exact nature is disputed. For example, in ChiEFT with more than one nucleon, a lack of universally accepted analytic solutions obfuscates the relation between convergence pattern and numerical results, and led to proposals which predict different numbers of Low Energy Coefficients at the same chiral order. The method may provide an independent check whether an observable is renormalised at a given order, and of both the breakdown scale and the momentum-dependent order-by-order convergence pattern of an EFT. Conversely, it may help identify LECs which produce renormalised observables at a given order. I also discuss its underlying assumptions and relation to the RG Equation; useful choices for observables and cutoffs; the momentum window in which the test provides best signals; its dependence on the values and forms of cutoffs as well as on the EFT parameters; the impact of fitting Low Energy Coefficients to data in different or the same channel; caveats and limitations. Since the test is designed to minimise the use of data, it allows one to quantitatively falsify if the EFT has been renormalised consistently, rather than quantifying how an EFT compares to experiment. Its application in particular to the 3P0 and 3P2-3F2 partial waves of NN scattering in ChiEFT may elucidate persistent power-counting issues. Details and a better bibliography can be found in an upcoming publication.
Lead-europium-selenide-telluride grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The band gap of lead-europium-telluride (Pb1-x EuxTe) was determined from room temperature optical absorption measurements and increases as dEg/dx = 3.5 eV for x ≤ 0.044. Eu atoms bond strongly to a PbTe surface during MBE growth and have a small diffusion coefficient (<1 x 10−16 cm /sec at 370°C). The lattice constant of Pb1-x, Eux Te is a nonlinear function of composition, and lattice-matched growth of Pb1-x Eux Sey Te1-y, on PbTe is demonstrated. Preliminary studies of the electrical properties of Pb1-x Eux Te indicate compensation of n-type (Bi) and p-type (Tl) dopants. These results indicate that Pb1-x Eux Sey Te1-y, may be useful for obtaining diode lasers which emit at wavelengths shorter than those available from Pb1-x, Snx Te.
When Bushmen Are Known as Basarwa: Gender, Ethnicity, and Differentiation in Rural Botswana

Recent scholarship on the Bushmen (San) and other hunter-gatherers calls for an understanding of the way specific historical circumstances give rise to a variety of modes of livelihood and strategies of survival of groups. However, little attention has been paid to the analysis of cultural and political dimensions of this process. This article is concerned with a group of “Basarwa” (a Setswana equivalent to “Bushmen”) who have been permanent residents in a Tswana village in eastern Botswana since the turn of the century, and with the historical process that maintained those Basarwa in a position of marginality vis-a-vis their Tswana neighbors. I argue that to fully understand the continued marginality of the Basarwa in changing historical circumstances, one has to analyze the dynamic relations between the cultural definition of Sarwa identity and its material and social grounding in household reproduction. [Bushmen, hunter-gatherers, ethnic formation, gender, rural differentiation, Botswana]
Using scientific experiments in early computer science laboratories

Computer science is an experimental science, in the same sense that biology or physics are experimental sciences. Nonetheless, lab exercises for CS1 and CS2 courses are almost never formal “experiments” as the term would be understood in any other science. This paper describes our experiences using formal experiments in CS1 and 2 laboratories. Such exercises are extremely valuable, in part because they help students relate abstract concepts to concrete programs, but more importantly because they lead students into new areas of computing, and even new forms of learning.
Estimating nonrigid motion from inconsistent intensity with robust shape features

Purpose: To develop a nonrigid motion estimation method that is robust to heterogeneous intensity inconsistencies amongst the image pairs or image sequence. Methods: Intensity and contrast variations, as in dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, present a considerable challenge to registration methods based on general discrepancy metrics. In this study, the authors propose and validate a novel method that is robust to such variations by utilizing shape features. The geometry of interest (GOI) is represented with a flexible zero level set, segmented via well-behaved regularized optimization. The optimization energy drives the zero level set to high image gradient regions, and regularizes it with area and curvature priors. The resulting shape exhibits high consistency even in the presence of intensity or contrast variations. Subsequently, a multiscale nonrigid registration is performed to seek a regular deformation field that minimizes shape discrepancy in the vicinity of GOIs. Results: To establish the working principle, realistic 2D and 3D images were subject to simulated nonrigid motion and synthetic intensity variations, so as to enable quantitative evaluation of registration performance. The proposed method was benchmarked against three alternative registration approaches, specifically, optical flow, B-spline based mutual information, and multimodality demons. When intensity consistency was satisfied, all methods had comparable registration accuracy for the GOIs. When intensities among registration pairs were inconsistent, however, the proposed method yielded pronounced improvement in registration accuracy, with an approximate fivefold reduction in mean absolute error (MAE = 2.25 mm, SD = 0.98 mm), compared to optical flow (MAE = 9.23 mm, SD = 5.36 mm), B-spline based mutual information (MAE = 9.57 mm, SD = 8.74 mm) and mutimodality demons (MAE = 10.07 mm, SD = 4.03 mm). Applying the proposed method on a real MR image sequence also provided qualitatively appealing results, demonstrating good feasibility and applicability of the proposed method. Conclusions: The authors have developed a novel method to estimate the nonrigid motion of GOIs in the presence of spatial intensity and contrast variations, taking advantage of robust shape features. Quantitative analysis and qualitative evaluation demonstrated good promise of the proposed method. Further clinical assessment and validation is being performed.
Osmium isotopes and mantle convection.

The decay of 187 Re to 187 Os (with a half–life of 42 billion years) provides a unique isotopic fingerprint for tracing the evolution of crustal materials and mantle residues in the convecting mantle. Ancient subcontinental mantle lithosphere has uniquely low Re/Os and 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios due to large–degree melt extraction, recording ancient melt–depletion events as old as 3.2 billion years. Partial melts have Re/Os ratios that are orders of magnitude higher than their sources, and the subduction of oceanic or continental crust introduces into the mantle materials that rapidly accumulate radiogenic 187 Os. Eclogites from the subcontinental lithosphere have extremely high 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios, and record ages as old as the oldest peridotites. The data show a near–perfect partitioning of Re/Os and 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios between peridotites (low) and eclogites (high). The convecting mantle retains a degree of Os–isotopic heterogeneity similar to the lithospheric mantle, although its amplitude is modulated by convective mixing. Abyssal peridotites from the ocean ridges have low Os isotope ratios, indicating that the upper mantle had undergone episodes of melt depletion prior to the most recent melting events to produce mid–ocean–ridge basalt. The amount of rhenium estimated to be depleted from the upper mantle is 10 times greater than the rhenium budget of the continental crust, requiring a separate reservoir to close the mass balance. A reservoir consisting of 5–10% of the mantle with a rhenium concentration similar to mid–ocean–ridge basalt would balance the rhenium depletion of the upper mantle. This reservoir most likely consists of mafic oceanic crust recycled into the mantle over Earth9s history and provides the material that melts at oceanic hotspots to produce ocean–island basalts (OIBs). The ubiquity of high Os isotope ratios in OIB, coupled with other geochemical tracers, indicates that the mantle sources of hotspots contain significant quantities (greater than 10%) of lithologically distinct mafic material which represents ancient oceanic lithosphere cycled through the convecting mantle on a time–scale of 800 million years or more.
Organic Thin Film Transiators on Synthesis Paper

We have demonstrated organic thin-film transistor devices on synthesis paper of polypropylene (PP). All the fabrications are in solution-based processes except electrodes. As a barrier and smoother layer, photosensitive epoxy, 5μm-thich was coated on the paper substrate by using slit die coating. Polyvinyl phenol (PVP) was mixed with poly (melamine-co-formaldehyde) methylated, filmed by spin coating and ultraviolet (UV) cross linked to provide the gate dielectric layer. Using poly (3-hexylthiophene) as an active layer, a high-performance organic transistor with field effect mobility up to 0.006 cm2/ V s and an on/off ratio of 50 can be achieved. For the applications in flexible and disposable electronics, to built organic transistors on a cheap synthesis paper substrate can extremely lower the cost.
Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy of Small Carbon−Sulfur Clusters Isolated in Solid Ar

Small asymmetric and symmetric carbon−sulfur clusters, CnS and SCnS (n = 1−5), have been generated by pulsed laser ablation of a carbon/sulfur mixture, deposited in an argon matrix at 12 K, and studied via Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. Previous vibrational band assignments for a number of these clusters have been confirmed and new assignments for others have been made using a combination of isotopic (12C/13C) substitution and density functional (B3LYP/6-311G*) and ab initio (MP2) theoretical calculations. Reactions of neutral Cn (n = 1−9) and CmS (m = 6−0) fragments are shown theoretically to be highly exothermic. Evidence for such aggregation reactions in the formation of the clusters is found from isotopomeric band intensities. Given their calculated vibrational band intensities and estimated column densities, it is proposed that the direct observation via IR spectroscopy of C5S and SC5S clusters in the envelope of the carbon star, IRC+10216, and, possibly, the Taurus molecular clo...
An error in interpretation of double-reciprocal plots and Scatchard plots in the studies of binding of fluorescent probes to proteins, and alternative proposals for determining binding parameters.

One of the objects of experiments in which a fluorochrome is added to suspensions of cell membranes is to determine the parameters n and K D , the capacity of unit mass of protein to bind fluorochrome and the dissociation constant, respectively. Currently, these are estimated from Scatchard plots, construction of which first requires that observed fluorescence intensity be converted to moles of bound fluorochrome. This in turn is said to be possible by analysis of the intercept of a plot of reciprocal fluorescence intensity against reciprocal protein concentration. However, analysis of the classical mass action equilibrium equation, upon which the foregoing procedures are said to be based, reveals that the intercept of the double-reciprocal plot always underestimates the desired value. The error is formalized and shown to increase without bound with fluorochrome concentration. The error in turn leads to erroneous assessment of n and K D . Alternative methods for calculating the desired parameters are proposed, based on direct plots of fluorescence intensity.
The end of the adaptive landscape metaphor

The concepts of adaptive/fitness landscapes and adaptive peaks are a central part of much of contemporary evolutionary biology; the concepts are introduced in introductory texts, developed in more detail in graduate-level treatments, and are used extensively in papers published in the major journals in the field. The appeal of visualizing the process of evolution in terms of the movement of populations on such landscapes is very strong; as one becomes familiar with the metaphor, one often develops the feeling that it is possible to gain deep insights into evolution by thinking about the movement of populations on landscapes consisting of adaptive valleys and peaks. But, since Wright first introduced the metaphor in 1932, the metaphor has been the subject of persistent confusion, from equivocation over just what the features of the landscape are meant to represent to how we ought to expect the landscapes to look. Recent advances—conceptual, empirical, and computational—have pointed towards the inadequacy and indeed incoherence of the landscapes as usually pictured. I argue that attempts to reform the metaphor are misguided; it is time to give up the pictorial metaphor of the landscape entirely and rely instead on the results of formal modeling, however difficult such results are to understand in ‘intuitive’ terms.
Site of leaf origin affects how mixed litter decomposes

Abstract Recent studies have demonstrated that mass loss, nutrient dynamics, and decomposer associations in leaf litter from a given plant species can differ when leaves of that species decay alone compared to when they decay mixed with other species’ leaves. Results of litter-mix experiments have been variable, however, making predictions of decomposition in mixtures difficult. It is not known, for example, whether interactions among litter types in litter mixes are similar across sites, even for litter mixtures containing the same plant species. To address this issue, we used reciprocal transplants of litter in compartmentalized litterbags to study decomposition of equal-mass litter mixtures of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) and red oak (Quercus rubra L.) at four forest sites in northwestern Connecticut. These species differ significantly in litter quality. Red oak always has higher lignin concentrations than maple, and here C:N is lower in oak leaves and litter, a pattern often observed when oak coexists with maple. Overall, we observed less mass loss and lower N accumulation in sugar maple and red oak litter mixtures than we predicted from observed dynamics in single-species litterbags. Whether these differences were significant or not depended on the site of origin of the leaves (P 0.2) . Mixing of leaf litter types could have significant impacts on nutrient cycling in forests, but the extent of the impacts can vary among sites and depends on the origin of mixed leaves even when the species composition of mixes is constant.
Effects of surgical manipulation on coronary stents: should surgical strategy be altered?

Abstract Background . Coronary artery bypass grafting is usually indicated for those patients who undergo open heart surgical procedures who have previously undergone percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty regardless of the absence of stenosis. Occasionally, however, if the treated artery has remained patent for many years and there is a shortage of conduit material or the patient is undergoing a complex operation, the branch is left ungrafted. With the gaining popularity of coronary stent placement, patients with these devices are undergoing open heart operations with increasing frequency. Methods . To determine whether normal surgical manipulation during open heart surgical procedures results in obliteration of the Palmaz-Schatz stents previously deployed in the epicardial arteries, we developed an experimental model using ten isolated adult pig hearts. This allowed us to perform stent deployment and surgical manipulation and to apply direct pressure on the stented areas, with each heart evaluated by angioscopy and angiography and, finally, stent explantation. Results . Retraction of the heart resulted in severe deformity of all left anterior descending artery stents, mild deformity of those in the circumflex artery, and mild or no deformity of those in the right coronary artery. However, direct pressure over the stented epicardial arteries (enough to retract the heart) resulted in complete obliteration of every intracoronary stent. Conclusions . The findings from this study indicate that once the need for surgical revascularization arises, a previously stented coronary artery should be bypassed even if the angiographic findings are normal, because of the likelihood that manipulation during an open heart operation will result in significant deformity or obliteration of the stent. (Ann Thorac Surg 1997;63:37–40)
Epileptic Seizures in Elderly People Aetiology and Seizure Type

We have studied 342 patients who had their first seizures after the age of 60 years. The causes of seizures were identified in 305 patients (89%) with cerebrovascular disease accounting for 39%, head injury 21%, brain tumours 11%, metabolic disorders 7%, multifactorial aetiology 6%, and CNS infection 4%. The majority of patients (80%) had focal onset seizures that were secondarily generalized in 50%.
CLEO II silicon vertex detector

Abstract A Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) has been commissioned for the CLEO II experiment at Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR). The SVD is a three layer tracker using double-sided AC coupled silicon detectors. Detectors are mounted on fiber composite support and read out at the ends, removing all electronics from the tracking volume. CAMEX and JAMEX chips are used to read out 26 208 channels. The condition of detectors and electronics is monitored by a slow control system. A moving shields system provides extra protection from the synchrotron radiation. We present an overview of the design, construction and operation of the SVD.
Editors' Introduction: Heritage Language Instruction in the United States: A Time for Renewal

(2000). Editors' Introduction: Heritage Language Instruction in the United States: A Time for Renewal. Bilingual Research Journal: Vol. 24, Special Issue: Heritage Language Instruction in the United States, pp. iii-vii.
Amino acid sequence of human chorionic somatomammotropin.

The complete amino acid sequence of the HCS molecule has been elucidated. The proposed structure is shown in Fig. 4. It consists of 191 amino acid residues with two disulfide bridges formed by residues 53–165 and 182–189.
Assessing moderate alcohol consumption as a personal risk factor

Abstract Alcohol consumption has been associated with favorable as well as adverse health effects. Risk factors represent formal predictors that such outcomes will occur more frequently than due to chance alone, but these epidemiological indicators are only average statistical associations, and by themselves do not prove causality. However, the concept of risk factors assumes that the total health hazard for any defined age-sex-race cohort can be segmented into one component accounted for by the effects of specified risks and one component accounted for by the “basic average health hazard”. Typically, the riskoutcome relationships of drinking are not linear. A so-called U-shaped association between drinking and total mortality has been proposed, whereby moderate drinkers have lower mortality than either abstainers or heavy drinkers. When the relative risk of drinking is formulated as a quotient (odds ratio) with the basic health hazard used as the denominator, appropriate definition and selection of the reference population used to derive the latter becomes pivotal. Equally crucial is the choice of the yardstick for outcome. To date such objective measures as morbidity or mortality have been used almost exclusively, but the complex impact of drinking would demand assessment of physical, mental and social functioning. Finally, the threshold value above which drinking should be considered epidemiologically significant is a judgmental issue, where ethical bias can express itself. By their very nature epidemiological risk estimates are inadequate if not inapplicable to advise everyone that moderate drinking is a personal medical benefit or risk. To render any health factor identified by statistical relationships applicable in individual medical counselling demands validation by clinical trial of its sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and associated benefits as well as costs. This information has not been compiled, but nevertheless, epidemiological correlations can be used to compare risks and benefits among different health factors to arrive at informed personal choices.
Reactions of laser-ablated first-row transition metal atoms with nitrogen: matrix infrared spectra of the MN, NMN and (MN)2 molecules

Abstract Pulsed-laser-ablated first-row transition metal atoms scandium through nickel dissociate sufficient N2 for atom combination reactions to form MN molecules during condensation at 10 K. The MN molecules are identified by nitrogen-15 substitution and density functional calculations. In the case of chromium and iron, stable bent NCrN and NFeN molecules are formed. Scandium is the best example of the dimetal dinitride (ScN)2, which is an open rhombus with fully reduced dinitrogen. Density functional theory calculations provide vibrational frequencies that help support the identification of these new molecules.
Permeability of Latex Condoms: Do Latex Condoms Prevent HIV Transmission?

Abstract Based on their effectiveness, there has been considerable debate over the promotion of condoms for HIV prevention. The plethora of information, both scientific and nonscientific, has made it difficult for health educators, and the public alike, to discern the facts. This article helps clarify an increasingly asked question, “Do male latex condoms leak HIV?” by reviewing the scientific literature on condoms and their permeability. This review leads to the following conclusions: one, HIV is not very efficient in passing through a hole more than twice its size; two, studies assessing condom permeability to HIV demonstrate that it does not pass through a latex condom; three, studies involving surrogates for HIV show that these agents, equal to or less than the size of HIV, can leak through a latex condom. However, this leakage is infrequent and occurs in minute amounts. Finally, the methods utilized by manufacturers and the Food and Drug Administration to maintain a high level of condom quality may n...
Role of ultrasound for Down syndrome screening in advanced maternal age

Abstract Objective: To determine the sensitivity and false-positive rate of Down syndrome screening by use of maternal serum screen and the genetic sonogram in women ≥35 years of age. Study Design: We searched our perinatal databases retrospectively from January 1992 to January 2000 for the following criteria: known Down syndrome fetus or newborn, advanced maternal age, and genetic sonogram from 14-24 weeks’ gestation. The a priori maternal age or maternal serum screen risk was modified by likelihood ratios for ultrasound markers. Without markers the risk was reduced by 50%. The cut-off was 1:270. Results: Age and maternal serum screen had a sensitivity of 90.5% and a false-positive rate of 27.1%. Age and ultrasound had a 95.2% sensitivity and 43.5% false-positive rate, whereas the combination of age, maternal serum screen, and ultrasound had a 97.6% sensitivity and a 22.0% false-positive rate. Conclusion: The combination of age, maternal serum screen, and ultrasound improves the sensitivity for Down syndrome detection in the advanced maternal age population. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185:·1028-31.)
Multi-generational carbonate assemblages in martian meteorite Allan Hills 84001: Implications for nucleation, growth, and alteration

The carbonate mineralogy of several complex carbonate-rich regions in Allan Hills (ALH) 84001 has been examined. These regions contain familiar forms of carbonate, as well as textural forms previously unreported including carbonate rosettes, planiform "slab" carbonates, distinct "post-slab" magnesites, and carbonates interstitial to feldspathic glass and orthopyroxene. Slab carbonates reveal portions of the carbonate growth sequence not seen in the rosettes and suggest that initial nucleating compositions were calcite-rich. The kinetically controlled growth of rosettes and slab carbonates was followed by an alteration event that formed the magnesite-siderite layers on the exterior surfaces of the carbonate. Post-slab magnesite, intimately associated with silica glass, is compositionally similar to the magnesite in these exterior layers but represents a later generation of carbonate growth. Feldspathic glasses had little or no thermal effect on carbonates, as indicated by the lack of thermal decomposition or any compositional changes associated with glass/carbonate contacts.
Beta thalassemia: Mutations which affect processing of the β-globin mRNA precursor

Abstract To define the molecular lesion which causes decreased β-globin synthesis in β + thalassemia, four patients of diverse ethnic origin were studied. Each had a 2–3 fold higher concentration of β-globin mRNA precursor than that found in control bone marrow cells from patients with sickle cell anemia. Globin RNA metabolism was analyzed in two of these patients. Transcription of the β-globin gene appeared to be normal, since analysis of nuclear RNA indicated that β-globin mRNA synthesis exceeded that of α in a 2 hr pulse but the cytoplasm contained a relative deficiency of labeled β-globin mRNA. An abnormal RNA species approximately 650 nucleotides in length, which contained sequences transcribed from both the large intron and coding portions of the β-globin gene, was found in one patient's bone marrow cells. The second patient's cells contained a significant amount of a 1320 nucleotide RNA species, not initially evident in normal cells, from which part but not all of the large intervening sequence had been removed. Our data thus indicate that mutations which affect RNA processing cause β thalassemia.
Optimum Network Partitioning

The problem of finding the optimum partition of a set of objects into disjoint collectively exhaustive subsets has been treated by several authors as a special set-covering problem. This paper considers this problem when the objects can be represented as nodes in a directed acyclical network and the subsets of the partition define subnetworks of the original network. A dynamic-programming algorithm is presented that solves the latter problem. This algorithm is, in some important cases, more efficient than the implicit-enumeration schemes that have been previously proposed for the more general set-partitioning problem.
Health care-associated and community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections: A comparison of definitions.

Background Different approaches are used to classify methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections as either community-acquired (CA-MRSA) or health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). Methods We collected information on patients seen at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center with MRSA infections from June 2007 through May 2008. We classified MRSA infections as either HA or CA using an epidemiologic definition and an antibiotic susceptibility phenotype rule. We used multivariate logistic regression to describe factors significantly associated with HA-MRSA infections compared with CA-MRSA infections. Results Using the epidemiologic definition to classify infections, we found white race (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-5.2), oral antibiotics in the 3 months prior (OR, 4.0; 95% CI: 1.5-10.4), and endoscopy in the past year (OR, 3.8; 95% CI: 1.8-8.0) were significantly associated with health care-associated infections. When classifying by the resistance phenotype rule, we found hospitalization in the past year (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1-3.1) and an indwelling device in the past year (OR: 6.3; 95% CI: 2.5-15.8) were significantly associated with health care-associated infections. Conclusion We found few differences between CA- and HA-MRSA infections, regardless of how health care-association was defined. We believe that the migration of CA-MRSA into health care settings and the recent increasing antibiotic resistance of CA-MRSA strains contribute to the lack of factors associated with HA (vs CA) MRSA.
Continuous Mode Laser Coating of Hydroxyapatite/Titanium Nanoparticles on Metallic Implants: Multiphysics Simulation and Experimental Verification

A novel methodology of laser coating of mixture of bioceramic and titanium nanoparticles onto metal implants is developed in this work. Feasibility of this approach is demonstrated via both multiphysics simulation and experiments. Treating incident laser as an electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic (EM) module is coupled with a heat transfer (HT) module. The EM-HT model analyzes the interaction between laser and nanoparticles and ends up with a temperature rise in the system. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) and titanium nanoparticles are coated on the Ti–6Al–4V substrate. Processing parameters such as laser power, beam radius, scan speed, and layer thickness are studied, and correlation between these parameters and the final temperature is presented. The effect of the HAp/Ti mixing ratio to the generated temperature is also examined. Experiments are carried out to verify the model. Good agreements have been found between the EM-HT model and experiments.
Megabases for kilodollars

Two approaches for selecting oligonucleotides from complex mixtures improve the fidelity and scalability of DNA synthesis.
Genetic control of two electrophoretic variants of glucosephosphate isomerase in the mouse (Mus musculus).

The autosomal variation and the genetic control of GPI has been determined by a comparison of electrophoretic patterns of F1 and backcross progeny of three inbred strains of mice. The locus controlling the production of GPI in the mouse has been designated Gpi-1. Two alleles at this locus have been described and designated Gpi-1a and Gpi-1b, which represent, respectively, the slow and fast electrophoretic forms. Twenty-seven inbred strains of mice have been classified for these two alleles. The absence of close linkage of Gpi-1 to seven other genetic loci has been determined. It has been demonstrated that the polymorphism of Gpi-1 is widely distributed in feral mice. GPI was expressed in vitro and in four types of malignant tumors.
Regulation and rate limiting mechanisms of Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2) expression in cardiac myocytes.

Involvement of the calcineurin/NFAT pathway in transcription of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2) was demonstrated (Prasad and Inesi, Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 300(1):H173–H180, 2011) by upregulation of SERCA2 following calcineurin (CN) activation by cytosolic Ca2+, and downregulation of SERCA2 following CN inhibition with cyclosporine (CsA) or CN subunits gene silencing. We show here that in cultured cardiac myocytes, competitive engagement of the CN/NFAT pathway is accompanied by downregulation of SERCA2 and Ca2+ signaling alterations. In fact, SERCA2 downregulation occurs following infection of myocytes with adenovirus vectors carrying luciferase or SERCA1 cDNA under control of NFAT-dependent promoters, but not under control of CMV promoters that do not depend on NFAT. SERCA2 downregulation is demonstrated by comparison with endogenous transcription and protein expression standards such as GAPDH and actin, indicating prominent SERCA2 involvement by the CN/NFAT pathway. Transcription of genes involved in hypertrophy, triggered by adrenergic agonist or by direct protein kinase C (PKC) activation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), is also prominently dependent on CN/NFAT. This is demonstrated by CN inhibition with CsA, CN subunits gene silencing with siRNA, displacement of NFAT from CN with 9,10-Dihydro-9,10[1′,2′]-benzenoanthracene-1,4-dione (INCA-6), and myocyte infection with vectors carrying luciferase cDNA under control of NFAT-dependent promoter. We show here that competitive engagement of the CN/NFAT pathway by endogenous genes involved in hypertrophy produces downregulation of SERCA2, reduction of Ca2+ transport and inadequate Ca2+ signaling. It is most interesting that, in the presence of adrenergic agonist, specific protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition with 3-[1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-5-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl]-4-(1H-indol-3-yl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (Go 6983) prevents development of hypertrophy and maintains adequate SERCA2 levels and Ca2+ signaling.
On two-sex models leading to stable populations.

Abstract Lotka's Stable Population Theory is essentially a one-sex model and, in general, it leads to the inconsistent result of two different intrinsic growth rates for the two sexes. This paper is an attempt to remove this anomaly by building a general stable population model treating sex and age simultaneously. The results are derived by a method analogous to Lotka's, viz., by expressing the birth function in the form of an integral equation, the solution of which gives the consistent intrinsic growth rate. New concepts that are introduced include the intrinsic age-specific birth rates and the intrinsic gross and net reproduction rates for males and females. These intrinsic rates for the two sexes can coexist in a stable population unlike the same rates in the conventional sense which are sex-wise internally inconsistent. Seven specific forms of the general model are considered and applied to data for the United States, 1963.
Arabidopsis thaliana contains two genes for TFIID.

THE general transcription initiation factor TFIID plays a primary part in the activation of eukaryotic genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. Binding of TFIID to the TATA box initiates the assembly of other general transcription factors as well as RNA polymerase II at the promoter resulting in a preinitiation complex capable of accurate transcription initiation in vitro1–3. Human TFIID has been shown to interact with various regulatory factors4–8. The observation that stimulation of transcription by different trans-acting factors is mediated through distinct TATA elements led to the suggestion that different types of TFIID may exist in yeast9–11, humans12–15 and plants16. Here we report the cloning and characterization of two distinct TFIID complementary DNA clones from Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, we have found that TFIID from Arabidopsis and other organisms shows homology to helix-loop-helix proteins.
The effects of butacaine hemisulfate on brain and heart catecholamine concentrations of the mouse

Summary Butacaine hemisulfate was tested for possible effects on mouse brain and heart catecholamine concentrations. A single dose (50 mg/Kg) lowered brain dopamine and heart and brain norepinephrine concentrations. Repeated hourly administration for 4 hours markedly lowered brain and heart catecholamines. Butacaine and the reserpine-like drug Ro4-1284 were compared in vitro for effects on accumulation of m-tyramine (m-TA) by mouse striatum. m-TA, a false dopaminergic transmitter, is an MAO substrate and thus depends on granular binding for protection from MAO. There was more than 85% reduction of m-TA accumulation in the presence of butacaine or Ro4-1284 (both at 10−5M). However, in tissues taken from animals previously treated with an MAO inhibitor, neither compound prevented accumulation of m-TA. These observations suggest that butacaine has a weak reserpine-like action at the level of the storage granuale.
Violence, Alcohol, and Completed Suicide: A Case-Control Study

Objective: Violent behavior may represent a risk factor for suicide. The authors tested the hypothesis that violent behavior in the last year of life is associated with completed suicide, even after controlling for alcohol use disorders. Method: The authors analyzed data from the 1993 National Mortality Followback Survey, a nationally representative survey conducted by telephone interview with decedents’ next of kin. Data on 753 victims of suicide were compared with data on 2,115 accident victims. Decedents ranged in age from 20 to 64. Dichotomous measures of violent behavior in the past year and history of alcohol misuse were derived by using the four-item CAGE questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the interactions of violent behavior with alcohol misuse, gender, and age, respectively, in predicting suicide versus accidental death. Education and race were included as covariates. Results: Violent behavior in the last year of life was a significant predictor of suicide; the relationship was especially strong in individuals with no history of alcohol misuse, those who were younger, and women. Conclusions: Violent behavior distinguished suicide victims from accident victims, and this finding is not attributable to alcohol use disorders alone. Given that violent behavior increases the risk of suicide, violence prevention initiatives may serve to decrease the risk of suicide as well.
Coercing Future Freedom: Consent and Capacities for Autonomous Choice

In this paper I examine some of the significant moral concerns inherent in cases of treatment refusal involving patients with psychotic disorders. In particular, I explore the relevance of the principle of autonomy in such situations. After exploring the concept of autonomy and explaining its current and historical significance in a health care setting, I argue that because autonomous choice depends for its existence upon certain human functions such as the ability to reason, judge, and assess consequences, patients cannot be said to be making free and autonomous decisions if these capacities are compromised. I contend further that because psychotic disorders have the potential to compromise these functions in the future, it is appropriate, in some limited cases, to coerce patients with psychotic disorders to undergo treatment in order to preserve their future decision-making capacities and to protect their ability to recognize and respect the autonomy of others.
Achieving interoperability for integration of heterogeneous COTS geographic information systems

Using multiple commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) GIS suites is a common phenomenon, because different COTS products often have different strengths in various applications. On the other hand, deploying heterogeneous GIS software has the tendency to form fragmented data sets and to cause inconsistency. Data consolidation is an effective way to preserve data integrity. To accomplish this, we must achieve interoperability between different GIS tools. While vector spatial data have the standard database models to support interoperability, raster based images have been conventionally managed as files. Compared to the database approach, the file-based management for raster data is disadvantageous in terms of performance and flexibility. We implemented an adapter that allowed the file-based GIS tools to access the raster data storage in databases managed by a COTS software product. To integrate the COTS GIS into the Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE) framework, we have further enhanced this adapter and made it compliant to the J2EE Connector Architecture (J2EE-CA) standard. Using this kind of J2EE-CA adapter, any GIS can be managed by any J2EE server. The J2EE framework is an ideal foundation for building enterprise-wide geographic information systems.
Hostility in fantasy: A further test of the hypoglycemia‐aggression hypothesis

In a recent investigation carried out among the Qolla Indians of Peru, Bolton (1973a) tested the hypothesis that hypoglycemia tends to produce high levels of individual aggressiveness. Glycemic condition was determined by the readings on a 4-hour glucose tolerance test performed on a sample of 54 adult males. Key informants then ranked these subjects on overt aggressiveness. A correlational analysis of the data supported the hypothesis that moderately hypoglycemic subjects would be more aggressive than the normoglycemic subjects. The present paper responds to questions raised about this study and describes the results of an additional test of the hypoglycemia-aggression hypothesis. The dependent variable in this follow-up study is fantasy aggression. Aggression scores were derived from Sentence Completion Test protocols for the same sample of subjects used in the first study. The results indicate a significant correlation between glycemic condition and aggression scores (Biserial, 0.57), thus providing further confirmation of the hypoglycemia-aggression hypothesis.
Radio-frequency beam conditioner for fast-wave free-electron generators of coherent radiation.

A method for conditioning electron beams is proposed, making use of the TM{sub 210} mode of microwave cavities, to reduce the axial velocity spread within the beam, in order to enhance gain in resonant electron beam devices, such as the free-electron laser (FEL). Effectively, a conditioner removes the restriction on beam emittance. The conditioner is analyzed using a simple model for beam transport and ideal RF cavities. Analysis of an FEL is employed to evaluate performance with reduced axial velocity spread. Examples of FELs are presented showing the distinct advantage of conditioning.
Nd isotopic evidence for the antiquity of the Wyoming province

Sm-Nd isotopic data on Late Archean age metasedimentary rocks from around the Wyoming province yield ϵ Nd values at 2.6 Ga from -12.9 to +3.3, which correspond to depleted mantle model ages of 2.7 to 3.8 Ga. These results indicate that crust of a wide variety of ages was exposed and eroding in Late Archean time. The predominance of Middle Archean model ages suggests that continental crust was extensive in the Wyoming province by this time. No resolvable correlation exists between initial ϵ Nd value and geographic location or depositional environment of the metasedimentary rock samples; thus, there is no indication that any part of the province was established at a time different from the rest. The Nd isotopic characteristics of Archean rocks from the Wyoming province contrast with those of the Superior province, confirming that, although their Proterozoic evolution has been parallel, the two cratons did not share a common Archean history.