cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Motion out of noisy states

The relative occupation of competing states of local stability is not determined solely by the characteristics of the locally favored states, but depends on the noise along the whole path connecting the competing states. This is not new, but the sophistication of most modern treatments has obscured the simplicity of this central point, and here it is argued for in simple physical terms. In addition, recent work by van Kampen and by Buttiker, for particles in closed loops, subject to a force field, heavy damping, and a temperature which is a function of position in the loop, are supplemented. In that case, circulating currents are set up, and these are evaluated. A final speculative section emphasizes the difficulty in calculating the long-term time evolution of the probability distribution in complex multistable systems with state-dependent noise.
PET-measured heterogeneity in longitudinal myocardial blood flow in response to sympathetic and pharmacologic stress as a non-invasive probe of epicardial vasomotor dysfunction

Purpose We investigated whether a myocardial perfusion gradient during pharmacologically induced hyperemia also occurred during sympathetic stimulation with cold pressor testing (CPT), which commonly induces a paradoxical coronary vasoconstriction in individuals with coronary risk factors.
Digging Up Archaeological Information

Abstract Information about archaeological sites in the United States is difficult to find for multiple reasons including the large number of publications, the proliferation of gray literature in archaeological publication, the interdisciplinary nature of archaeology, the lack of site name normalization, and inadequate electronic resources. Current archaeological information resources including free and subscription databases, pathfinders, and organizational Web sites are reviewed. Suggestions for the improvement of current resources and the creation of new resources are developed.
Mechanism and feasibility of colloidal particle removal by a microcarrier process

Pollutants associated with colloidal particles in stormwater runoff have received increasing attention. Removal of these toxic particles is of paramount importance in regulating the quality of stormwater effluents. With the promulgation of the USEPA's Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, a means for the removal of these particles in an efficient and rapid manner in treatment facilities is needed. This paper reviews the mechanisms and feasibility of a high rate sedimentation process in enhancing the settling in the flocculation‐sedimentation approach. The advantages of microcarriers, namely, to enhance particle capture as well as rapid sedimentation, are presented. A series of microcarrier‐jar tests was carried out. The experimental results reveal that the microcarrier process is effective in dramatically reducing treatment time and, in turn, reducing the size of treatment facility needed in a standard coagulation/flocculation unit operation.
Thermoelectric Cooling and Power Generation

In a typical thermoelectric device, a junction is formed from two different conducting materials, one containing positive charge carriers (holes) and the other negative charge carriers (electrons). When an electric current is passed in the appropriate direction through the junction, both types of charge carriers move away from the junction and convey heat away, thus cooling the junction. Similarly, a heat source at the junction causes carriers to flow away from the junction, making an electrical generator. Such devices have the advantage of containing no moving parts, but low efficiencies have limited their use to specialty applications, such as cooling laser diodes. The principles of thermoelectric devices are reviewed and strategies for increasing the efficiency of novel materials are explored. Improved materials would not only help to cool advanced electronics but could also provide energy benefits in refrigeration and when using waste heat to generate electrical power.
A framework to access handwritten information within large digitized paper collections

We describe our efforts with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to provide a form of automated search of handwritten content within large digitized document archives. With a growing push towards the digitization of paper archives there is an imminent need to develop tools capable of searching the resulting unstructured image data as data from such collections offer valuable historical records that can be mined for information pertinent to a number of fields from the geosciences to the humanities. To carry out the search, we use a Computer Vision technique called Word Spotting. A form of content based image retrieval, it avoids the still difficult task of directly recognizing the text by allowing a user to search using a query image containing handwritten text and ranking a database of images in terms of those that contain more similar looking content. In order to make this search capability available on an archive, three computationally expensive pre-processing steps are required. We describe these steps, the open source framework we have developed, and how it can be used not only on the recently released 1940 Census data containing nearly 4 million high resolution scanned forms, but also on other collections of forms. With a growing demand to digitize our wealth of paper archives we see this type of automated search as a low cost scalable alternative to the costly manual transcription that would otherwise be required.
Protecting spacecraft against orbital debris impact damage using composite materials

All earth-orbiting spacecrafts are susceptible to impacts by meteoroids and pieces of orbital debris. These impacts occur at extremely high speeds and can damage flight-critical systems, which can in turn lead to catastrophic spacecraft failure. With the advent of many new high-strength composite materials and their proliferation in aircraft applications, it is necessary to evaluate their potential for use in long-duration space and aerospace structural systems. This paper presents the results of several experimental investigations in which several different composite materials were tested for their ability to prevent the perforation of the inner walls in multi-wall systems subjected to hypervelocity projectile impact. Damage to multi-wall systems that employ composite materials is compared to damage in traditional all-aluminum multi-wall structures of similar geometry and weight under similar impact conditions. The advantages and disadvantages of using composite materials in perforation-resistant multi-wall structures are presented and discussed. The analyses performed show that the effectiveness of multi-wall systems with composite materials varies significantly depending upon the location within the multi-wall system of the composite materials. Based on the results obtained, it appears that composite materials are most effective when used as the middle wall of a triple-wall system.
ON THE STRUCTURE AND SCARCITY OF ALTERNATING LINKS AND TANGLES

It is shown that the proportion of alternating n-crossing, prime link types amongst all n-crossing prime link types tends to zero exponentially with increasing n. Also, a characterization is established for essential annuli in alternating tangles, and a simple criterion is given for equivalence of alternating tangles.
Half-Sarcomeres with Heterogeneous Crossbridge Populations can be Stabilized by Accompanying Variations in Titin Filaments

Residual force enhancement occurs when the steady-state force produced by a contracting muscle is increased following stretch even though the average actin-myosin overlap within sarcomeres is reduced. We recently used a computational model to examine the mechanical properties of a system of serially-connected half-sarcomeres. The simulations demonstrated that such a model exhibits force enhancement when the active force generating capacity of the individual half-sarcomeres (the number of functioning myosin heads) varies by as little as 2% (Campbell et al., PLoS Comput Biol 2011). Variability at this level would be hard to detect in real experiments but is difficult to discount in biological systems. We have now performed additional simulations in which we vary the passive mechanical properties of the individual half-sarcomeres (the non-linear stiffness of their titin filaments) as well as their active mechanics. The results show that when both active and passive properties are varied, lengths of half-sarcomeres prior to stretch do not always correlate with post-stretch values. This finding may explain experimental observations of ‘stronger’ (shorter) half-sarcomeres prior to stretch that yield to a greater degree than ‘weaker’ (longer) half-sarcomeres. Data published by other groups (Labeit et al., PNAS 2003; Bagni et al., Biophys J 2002) suggest that the stiffness of titin molecules increases with the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. We predict that when we add Ca2+-dependent titin stiffness to our model it will further stabilize half sarcomeres after stretch (reduce half-sarcomere length variability). This might help to prevent stretch-induced damage, thus increasing the resiliency of the contractile system. A computational model that combines active and passive half-sarcomere variability with a Ca2+-activated stiffness may therefore offer a more complete explanation of residual force enhancement and related phenomena.
Chemical trends of substitutional transition-metal dopants in diamond: An ab initio study

The electronic and magnetic properties of neutral substitutional transition-metal dopants in diamond are calculated within density-functional theory using the generalized gradient approximation to the exchange-correlation potential. Ti and Fe are nonmagnetic, whereas the ground states of V, Cr, and Mn are magnetic with a spin entirely localized on the magnetic ion. For Co, Ni, and Cu, the ground state is magnetic with the spin distributed over the transition-metal ion and the nearest-neighbor carbon atoms; furthermore a bound state is found in the gap that originates from the hybridization of the $3d$-derived level of the dopant and the $2p$-derived dangling bonds of the nearest-neighbor carbons. A $p$-$d$ hybridization model is developed in order to describe the origin of the magnetic interaction. This model predicts high-spin to low-spin transitions for Ni and Cu under compressive strain.
Role of neuromodulators in regulating Hippocampal encoding and retrieval in anxiety disorders

The hippocampus has a critical role in processing context during the acquisition and retrieval of memories. The contextual-dependence of Pavlovian fear extinction is closely associated with the hippocampus [1]. The contextually modulated retrieval of fear extinction leads to limited benefits from exposure therapy for anxiety disorders [1]. We recast extinction learning processing in the hippocampus in terms of a memory task that is dependent on pattern separation and completion machinery in the hippocampus. We developed a spiking neuron model of the Entorhinal cortex, dentate gyrus, and CA3 of the hippocampus. We simulate Acetylcholine and Dopamine effects on regulating pattern separation and completion processes in the hippocampus. Our preliminary results indicate that fear extinction processing can be explained in terms of the encoding and retrieval mechanisms in the hippocampus and accordingly, can be manipulated by neuromodulators. We show that, in our model, manipulating levels of neuromodulators during extinction training can decrease the contextual-dependence of the extinction memory. We conclude that Dopamine is another important modulator of pattern separation and completion in the hippocampus, and that understanding of these neuromodulators will allow targeting specific memories in the hippocampus.
Phase modulation and far-field spatial patterns due to the transformational thermal-lens effect

In earlier work we have reported a thermal-lens effect that is opposite in sign from and much stronger than the well-known effect in fluids and isotropic solids: Very near the transformation temperature in crystals undergoing structural phase transitions, certain indices of refraction have temperature derivatives that are large and positive (\ensuremath{\simeq}+${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ ${\mathrm{K}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$), in contrast to the negative values of dn/dT that arise from thermal expansion in glasses or fluids. We evaluated the steady-state and time-dependent behavior of these effects in ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{NaNb}}_{5}$${\mathrm{O}}_{15}$ near ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$=850 K. In the present paper we extend these studies to examine the far-field spatial pattern produced by self-induced phase modulation. We also utilize the thermal-lens effect to investigate the critical behavior near the tricritical point of ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{NaNb}}_{5}$${\mathrm{O}}_{15}$, and the critical exponent \ensuremath{\beta} is obtained as ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\beta}}}_{\mathit{c}}$=0.28\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\beta}}}_{\mathit{a}}$=0.31\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01.
Optimizing end-to-end performance of data-intensive computing pipelines in heterogeneous network environments

Supporting high-performance data-intensive computing pipelines in wide-area networks is crucial for enabling large-scale distributed scientific applications that require minimizing end-to-end delay for single-input applications or maximizing frame rate for streaming applications. We formulate and categorize the data-intensive computing pipeline mapping problems into six classes with two optimization objectives, i.e. minimum end-to-end delay and maximum frame rate, and three network constraints, i.e. no, contiguous, and arbitrary node reuse. We design a dynamic programming-based optimal solution to the problem of minimum end-to-end delay with arbitrary node reuse and prove the NP-completeness of the rest five problems, for each of which, a heuristic algorithm based on a similar optimization procedure is proposed. These heuristics are implemented and tested on a large set of simulated pipelines and networks of various scales and their performance superiority is illustrated by extensive simulation results in comparison with existing methods.
Synthesis and Reactivity of Silyl Ruthenium Complexes: The Importance of Trans Effects in C−H Activation, Si−C Bond Formation, and Dehydrogenative Coupling of Silanes

A series of octahedral ruthenium silyl hydride complexes, cis-(PMe3)4Ru(SiR3)H (SiR3 = SiMe3, 1a; SiMe2CH2SiMe3, 1b; SiEt3, 1c; SiMe2H, 1d), has been synthesized by the reaction of hydrosilanes with (PMe3)3Ru(η2-CH2PMe2)H (5), cis-(PMe3)4RuMe2 (6), or (PMe3)4RuH2 (9). Reaction with 6 proceeds via an intermediate product, cis-(PMe3)4Ru(SiR3)Me (SiR3 = SiMe3, 7a; SiMe2CH2SiMe3, 7b). Alternatively, 1 and 7 have been synthesized via a fast hydrosilane exchange with another cis-(PMe3)4Ru(SiR3)H or cis-(PMe3)4Ru(SiR3)Me, which occurs at a rate approaching the NMR time scale. Compounds 1a, 1b, 1d, and 7a adopt octahedral geometries in solution and the solid state with mutually cis silyl and hydride (or silyl and methyl) ligands. The longest RuP distance within a complex is always trans to Si, reflecting the strong trans influence of silicon. The aptitude of phosphine dissociation in these complexes has been probed in reactions of 1a, 1c, and 7a with PMe3-d9 and CO. The dissociation is regioselective in the posit...
Phosphatase activity in the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Pfiesteria shumwayae

The ELF-97 phosphatase substrate was used to examine phosphatase activity in four strains of the estuarine heterotrophic dinoflagellate, Pfiesteria shumwayae. Acid and alkaline phosphatase activities also were evaluated at different pH values using bulk colorimetric methods. Intracellular phosphatase activity was demonstrated in P. shumwayae cells that were actively feeding on a fish cell line and in food limited cells that had not fed on fish cells for 3 days. All strains, whether actively feeding or food limited showed similar phosphatase activities. P. shumwayae cells feeding on fish cells showed ELF-97 activity near, or surrounding, the food vacuole. Relatively small, spherical ELF-97 deposits were also observed in the cytoplasm and sometimes near the plasma membrane. ELF-97 fluorescence was highly variable among cells, likely reflecting different stages in digestion and related metabolic processes. The location of enzyme activity and supporting colorimetric measurements suggest that, as in other heterotrophic protists, acid phosphatases predominate in P. shumwayae and have a general catabolic function.
Quantification of electron transfer rates to a solid phase electron acceptor through the stages of biofilm formation from single cells to multicellular communities.

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has enabled new insights into the mechanisms of electron transfer from dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria to a solid phase electron acceptor. Using solid electrodes as electron acceptors enables quantitative real-time measurements of electron transfer rates to these surfaces. We describe here an optically accessible, dual anode, continuous flow MFC that enables real-time microscopic imaging of anode populations as they develop from single attached cells to a mature biofilms. We used this system to characterize how differences in external resistance affect cellular electron transfer rates on a per cell basis and overall biofilm development in Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1. When a low external resistance (100 Ω) was used, estimates of current per cell reached a maximum of 204 fA/cell (1.3 × 106 e− cell−1 sec−1), while when a higher (1 MΩ) resistance was used, only 75 fA/cell (0.4 × 106 e− cell−1 sec−1) was produced. The 1 MΩ anode biomass consistently developed in...
Severe Asymptomatic Phosphate (P) Depletion In Two Infants With Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Managed With Alkalosis. 244

Severe Asymptomatic Phosphate (P) Depletion In Two Infants With Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Managed With Alkalosis. 244
Ca2+-dependent Conformational Changes in Guanylyl Cyclase-activating Protein 2 (GCAP-2) Revealed by Site-specific Phosphorylation and Partial Proteolysis

Guanylyl cyclase-activating proteins (GCAPs) are calcium sensor proteins of the EF-hand superfamily that inhibit retinal photoreceptor membrane guanylyl cyclase (retGC) in the dark when they bind Ca(2+) but activate retGC when Ca(2+) dissociates from GCAPs in response to light stimulus. We addressed the difference in exposure of GCAP-2 structure to protein kinase and a protease as indicators of conformational change caused by binding and release of Ca(2+). We have found that unlike its homolog, GCAP-1, the C terminus of GCAP-2 undergoes phosphorylation by cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases (CNDPK) present in the retinal extract and rapid dephosphorylation by the protein phosphatase PP2C present in the retina. Inactivation of the CNDPK phosphorylation site in GCAP-2 by substitutions S201G or S201D, as well as phosphorylation or thiophosphorylation of Ser(201), had little effect on the ability of GCAP-2 to regulate retGC in reconstituted membranes in vitro. At the same time, Ca(2+) strongly inhibited phosphorylation of the wild-type GCAP-2 by retinal CNDPK but did not affect phosphorylation of a constitutively active Ca(2+)-insensitive GCAP-2 mutant. Partial digestion of purified GCAP-2 with Glu-C protease revealed at least two sites that become exposed or constrained in a Ca(2+)-sensitive manner. The Ca(2+)-dependent conformational changes in GCAP-2 affect the areas around Glu(62) residue in the entering helix of EF-hand 2, the areas proximal to the exiting helix of EF-hand 3, and Glu(136)-Glu (138) between EF-hand 3 and EF-hand 4. These changes also cause the release of the C-terminal Ser(201) from the constraint caused by the Ca(2+)-bound conformation.
Diseases of Quail

An increasing number and variety of quail are being kept for food production, experimental use, release on hunting preserves, preservation of endangered species, zoological display, and as companion birds. Quail are susceptible to a variety of noninfectious, infectious, and parasitic diseases. Because they are related to chickens and turkeys, many of the diseases in quail are similar to those in poultry. In this article, the diagnostic characteristics of diseases affecting quail are presented along with information on their prevention, control, and treatment.
From a Rhetoric of Nostalgia to a Health-Based Policy: Tobacco, Obesity and the WTO

The globalisation of health demands a multilateral response. Instead of the developed world pursuing agricultural policies oriented towards propping up declining sectors of their economies, a better approach would put health concerns as a top priority. The new Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is a good example of a useful global agreement to promote health. This approach could be replicated in a multilateral framework to control obesity.
Attachment of Salmonella typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes to Glass as Affected by Surface Film Thickness, Cell Density, and Bacterial Motility

With equal cell densities, surface film thickness did not influence the numbers ofSalmonella typhimurium andListeria monocytogenes cells which attached to glass. MotileL. monocytogenes cells had a greater cell surface charge and generally attached in higher numbers than non-motile cells.
Constituents of Thamnosma montana Torr. and Frem.

Abstract The structure of the toxic plant-growth-inhibitor occurring in Thamnosma montana Torr. and Frem. was shown to be 5-(3′-methyl-2′,3′-dihydroxybutanyl)-8-methoxypsoralen (I), largely by spectroscopic means. Racemic I was synthesized from alloimperatorin in three steps. In addition to the previously reported psoralens, isopimpinellin and byakangelicin it was found that alloimperatorin methyl ether, skimmianine, γ-fagarine and N-methylacridone also occur in this plant. The isolation and characterization of a coumestan derivative is also described.
C-myc gene effects on cell growth and transformation.

Epidemiological surveys of occurrence of human neoplastic disease as well as in-vitro and in-vivo experimental models indicate that tumorigenesis is a multistep process involving independent genetic events.1-3 In particular, studies with retroviruses and cloned oncogenes demonstrate that cooperation between oncogenes is required for full transformation of primary embryo cells in culture.4–8 Differences in response to growth factors can be observed between normal cells, which are capable of limited replication and are poorly transformable, and established cell lines, which can be more easily transformed by transfer of cloned oncogenes or exposure to carcinogens.9 Recent reports have provided evidence for effects of some oncogenes at specific points along biochemical pathways that regulate mitosis.10–13 For example, altered expression of the myc gene has been implicated in stimulation of cell growth in response to competence-inducing growth factors in normal cells and deregulation of cell growth in some neoplastic cells.14–16 Mouse C3H10T1/2 cells have been widely used in in-vitro transformation studies with chemicals and radiation.17,18 Several lines of evidence are suggestive of more than a single genetic event occurring before cells become able to overgrow the normal monolayer. 19–22 After carcinogenic treatment the appearance of foci of transformed cells is dependent upon proliferation of the initiated cell population, suggesting the requirement for a stochastic event in progression toward a transformed phenotype.23,24 Here we discuss results obtained by introducing the c-myc coding region via a murine retroviral vector into mouse C3H10T1/2 and rat F2408 cells. We observe that constitutive c-myc expression promotes growth in semisolid media and enhances responsiveness to PDGF, EGF, FGF, and TGF-β. Introduction of an exogenous c-myc gene into C3H10T1/2 does not result in cells that are tumorigenic. However, the expression of an exogenous myc gene increases the tumorigenicity of C3H cells carrying a mutated ras oncogene. We also observed that C3H10T1/2 cells expressing an exogenous myc gene are more efficiently transformed upon radiation or chemical carcinogen treatment.
Kovacs effect enhanced broadband large field of view electro-optic modulators in nanodisordered KTN crystals

The unique physical effect-Kovacs effect is explored to enhance the performance of EO modulators by employing the non-thermal equilibrium state nanodisordered KTN crystals created by super-cooling process, which can have a significant 3.5 fold increase in quadratic electro-optic coefficient. This enables to reduce the switching half wave voltage (almost by half) so that a broadband (~GHz range) and large field of view (+/−30 deg) electro-optic modulator can be realized with much lowered driving power, which can be very useful for a variety of applications: laser Q-switches, laser pulse shaping, high speed optical shutters and modulating retro reflectors.
Looking for Childhood Schizophrenia: Case Series of False Positives

ABSTRACT Extensive experience with the diagnosis of childhood-onset schizophrenia indicates a high rate of false positives. Most mislabeled patients have chronic disabling, affective, or behavioral disorders. The authors report the cases of three children who passed stringent initial childhood-onset schizophrenia "screens" but had no chronic psychotic disorder. For two, the European literature yielded more fitting diagnoses: psychosis not otherwise specified (e.g., reactive or psychogenic psychosis, paranoid schizophrenia), single episode in full remission (e.g., anxiety psychosis), and factitious disorder ( DSM-IV 300.16). These cases illustrate that transient psychotic illnesses can be misdiagnosed as childhood-onset schizophrenia. Proper identification can prevent years of inappropriate therapies.
Nonlinguistic memory in aphasia.

Abstract Two experiments were carried out to assess nonlinguistic memory in aphasia. In the first experiment, subjects had to make judgments about the frequency with which words in a study list were repeated, and, in the second, they had to recall the spatial location in which a pictured object had been presented originally. Aphasics were very accurate in both tasks and did not differ from normal controls. It is suggested that a comprehensive account of memory in aphasia requires that we look beyond their omnipresent language deficit to more general processing factors such as attentional capacity.
Targeted treatments to improve stem cell outcome: old and new drugs.

Thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib have been approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the recent years. These agents are now being increasingly integrated into therapeutic regimens for newly diagnosed patients. First data are available on the promising activity of these novel agents in induction therapy, as well as maintenance treatment to improve outcome after stem cell transplantation. Whether these early results will lead to prolonged overall survival and thereby ultimately redefine the role of stem cell transplantation in first-line treatment of multiple myeloma will be one of the most important questions to be answered in the coming years.
Effectiveness of high energy ion beam techniques for the characterization of mesoporous low dielectric-constant materials

Abstract Highly porous silica films can potentially reduce power dissipation, cross talk, and interconnection delay in the deep submicron regime of semiconductor devices. We have synthesized “mesoporous” silica films using both cationic and non-ionic surfactants to template porosity in spin-on sol–gel silica. During this development we have effectively used high-energy ion beam techniques along with optical profilometry to characterize the porosity of these films. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), and 16 O(d, p 1 ) 17 O nuclear reaction were used to determine the total number of Si and O atoms in the films. Interaction of these films with water was characterized by the 1 H( 19 F, αγ) 16 O resonant nuclear reaction. Combination of these techniques provides fast, accurate, and quantitative methods for characterizing these films. However, the high-energy ion beams appear to cause significant damage in the films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements from the ion beam interacted region show a tail in the low binding energy side of the Si 2p core level spectrum which is characteristic to metal Si. In addition, craters as deep as 175 nm were left in the films where the ion beams interacted with the material.
The Gravitational Field of Deimos

Abstract Deimos may be largely uniform in density. We find here the gravitational field of Deimos and its moments of inertia from the moon's shape and an assumed uniform density distribution. From these data we compute the expected orientation. The orientation of the model Deimos relative to Mars agrees with that observed to within the observation uncertainties (a few degrees). Hence Deimos may be homogeneous and not have significant density variations in its interior. We also find that the spherical harmonic coefficient J2 is about 0.108 for the model, so that Deimos is about as gravitationally flattened as Phobos, whose J2 is about 0.105.
Differences in Human Milk (HM) Consumption Based on Discharge Diet During Nicu Hospitalization of Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) Infants

Background/aims: One difficulty in improving HM feeding is identifying patients at risk for HM feeding failure. No previous prospective study has examined the relationship between discharge diet and HM consumption during hospitalization. This study examines how discharge diet relates to early and average daily dose of HM in VLBW infants.
ANTIBODIES IN HUMAN COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS: IMMUNOELECTROPHORETIC PROPERTIES.

SummaryAn immunoelectrophoretic study was undertaken on two types of antibody detectable in human coccidioidomycosis, early precipitins and later complement-fixing antibodies. By using concentrated precipitin sera and dilute coccidioidal antigen, arcs of precipitation were produced which appeared to correspond to the mobility of 19S β2 macro-globulin. Complement-fixing sera and cerebro-spinal fluids reacted with coccidioidal antigen to give precipitation arcs with the mobility of 7S γ2 globulin.
Identification of tarsal coalition and frequency estimates from skeletal samples

Tarsal coalition is a congenital defect that results when adjacent tarsals fail to separate properly during embryonic development. Anatomically, coalitions present as non-osseous bridges of cartilage or fibrocar- tilage - and occasionally as osseous bridges - between two neighboring bones. In skeletons, non-osseous tarsal coalitions are recognizable as matching lesions between two bones at predictable locations. These coalitions are of interest because they are known to be heritable and are therefore useful for tracing genetic relatives in archaeological cemeteries, because they can be misinterpreted in skeletons as trauma or joint disease, and because they can result in associated pathology. However, despite a considerable literature on tarsal coalition, estimates of coalition frequencies disagree considerably, perhaps due to biases inherent in clinical sampling. In order to gain a better estimate of tarsal coalition frequencies in human populations, data were gathered on 342 European-Americans from the Terry Collection (Smithsonian Institution), 536 South Africans from the Dart Collection (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa), and 756 medieval Danish skeletons (Anthropological Database, Odense University). The Danish skeletons are archaeological, with sample sizes by coalition type ranging from 366-507 individuals. Examples of eight different types of intertarsal coalition were identified among the 1634 skeletons examined. Overall frequency estimates for tarsal coalition ranged from 2.1%-3.5%. South Africans exhibited significantly higher frequencies in the midfoot, with naviculocuneiform I coalition (1.0%) the most common type. Conversely, no coalitions of the midfoot were found among the Euro-Americans or medieval Danes. Instead, these groups exhibited calcaneonavicular coalition as the most common type in the hindfoot (2.0% and 2.1% respectively), while calcaneonavicular coalition was among the least common in the South Africans (0.2%). Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of the A·T/T·A Degeneracy of Pyrrole−Imidazole Polyamide Recognition in the Minor Groove of DNA†

Pairing rules have been developed to predict the sequence specificity of minor groove binding polyamides containing pyrrole (Py) and imidazole (Im) amino acids. An Im/Py pair distinguishes G·C from C·G and both of these from A·T/ T·A base pairs. A Py/Py pair appears not to distinguish A·T from T·A base pairs. To test the extent of this degeneracy, the affinity and binding orientation of the hairpin polyamide ImPyPy-γ-PyPyPy-β-Dp were measured for eight possible five base pair 5‘-TG(A,T)_3-3‘ match sites. Affinity cleavage experiments using a polyamide with an EDTA·Fe(II) moiety at the carboxy terminus, ImPyPy-γ-PyPyPy-β-Dp-EDTA·Fe(II), are consistent with formation of an oriented 1:1 hairpin polyamide complex at all eight 5‘-TG(A,T)_3-3‘ binding sites [20 mM HEPES, 200 mM NaCl, 50 mg/ml glycogen, pH 7.0, 22 °C, 5 mM DTT, 1 mM Fe(II)]. Quantitative DNase I footprint titration experiments reveal that ImPyPy-γ-PyPyPy-β-Dp binds all eight 5‘-TG(A,T)_3-3‘ target sites with only a 12-fold difference in the equilibrium association constants between the strongest site, 5‘-TGTTT-3‘ (K_a = 2.1 × 10^8 M^(-1)), and the weakest site, 5‘-TGAAT-3‘ (K_a = 1.8 × 10^7 M^(-1)) (10 mM Tris·HCl, 10 mM KCl, 10 mM MgCl_2, 5 mM CaCl_2, pH 7.0, 22 °C). This relatively small range indicates that the Py/Py pair is approximately degenerate for recognition of A,T base pairs, affording generality with regard to targeting sequences of mixed A·T/T·A composition.
Multilayer protection analysis for photovoltaic manufacturing facilities

This paper gives an overview of environmental health and safety (EHS) issues related to photovoltaic (PV) technologies, and strategies for reducing EHS risks. These strategies include layers of prevention and mitigation in six sequential steps. Prevention layers are related to safer technologies, processes, and materials; safer use of materials; preventing accident-initiating events; preventing or minimizing releases, and preventing human exposures. The mitigation options include secondary confinement, emergency scrubbers, and adsorption units. As the PV industry approaches these issues and mitigation strategies in a vigilant, systematic way, the risk to industry, workers, and the public will be minimized.
Acupuncture and Multiple Sclerosis: A Review of the Evidence

Use of acupuncture to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is fairly common, but little literature exists which studies its effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the use of acupuncture to treat MS. A literature search resulted in twelve peer-reviewed articles on the subject that examined the use of acupuncture to treat MS related quality of life (QoL), fatigue, spasticity, and pain. The majority of the studies were poorly designed—without control, randomization, or blinding. Description of the subjects, interventions, and outcome measures as well as statistical analysis was often lacking or minimal. Although many of the studies suggested that acupuncture was successful in improving MS related symptoms, lack of statistical rigor and poor study design make it difficult to draw any conclusions about the true effectiveness of this intervention in the MS population. Further studies with more rigorous designs and analysis are needed before accurate claims can be made as to the effectiveness of acupuncture in this population.
Reconsideration of the WHO NCTB strategy and test selection.

Abstract The World Health Organization-recommended neurobehavioral core test battery (NCTB) became the international standard for identifying adverse human behavioral effects due to neurotoxic chemical exposure when it was first proposed in 1983. Since then the WHO NCTB has been repeatedly cited as the basis for test selection in human neurotoxicology research. A discussion group was held before the International Symposium on Neurobehavioral Methods and Effects in Occupational and Environmental Health to review the NCTB and reconsider its tests. The workshop made three consensus recommendations to the International Congress on Occupational Health (ICOH) Scientific Committee on Neurotoxicology and Psychophysiology (SCNP):. 1. A ‘screening’ battery of broadly sensitive tests is needed as guidance to the field of human neurotoxicology 2. The SCNP should convene a panel to reconsider the functions measured and the tests in the WHO NCTB 3. Three disciplines should be represented in the panel recommending a revised NCTB: neuropsychology; experimental psychology; neurology This recommendation will be pursued at the next meeting of the International Congress on Occupational Health (ICOH) Scientific Committee on Neurotoxicology and Psychophysiology (SCNP).
Early Signs of Self-Regulating Print: Kindergartners at Work Reading to Understand Fiction and Nonfiction Text.

The purpose of this study was to examine how 28 kindergartners in two half-day classrooms from a rural midwestern school monitored and self-regulated their understanding of texts (fiction and nonfiction) while reading. Three different interviews (fall, early spring, and late spring) were conducted while the children read from one of two self-selected books offered in each setting: (1) fiction in the fall (to develop routines), (2) nonfiction in the early spring, and (3) fiction in late spring. The interview protocol included questions to examine what the children were thinking as they read and what strategies were used to understand. Observational data also were collected. The results revealed that these kindergartners used strategies while reading, although more strategies (e.g., pictures) were used to construct the meaning of the nonfiction text. More often, the children considered themselves as “readers” with the nonfiction. Words were noted as important to the children as they pointed out words they d...
Suicide Mortality Among Individuals Receiving Treatment for Depression in the Veterans Affairs Health System: Associations with Patient and Treatment Setting Characteristics

Objectives. We sought to report clinical and demographic factors associated with suicide among depressed veterans in an attempt to determine what characteristics identified depressed veterans at high risk for suicide.Methods. We used longitudinal, nationally representative data (1999–2004) to determine suicide rates among depressed veterans, estimating time until suicide using Cox proportional hazards regression models.Results. Of 807694 veterans meeting study criteria, 1683 (0.21%) committed suicide during follow-up. Increased suicide risks were observed among male, younger, and non-Hispanic White patients. Veterans without service-connected disabilities, with inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations in the year prior to their qualifying depression diagnosis, with comorbid substance use, and living in the southern or western United States were also at higher risk. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with comorbid depression was associated with lower suicide rates, and younger depressed veterans with PTSD ...
Flight effects on exhaust noise for turbojet and turbofan engines—comparison of experimental data with prediction

Recent experiments on the effects of flight on jet engine exhaust noise have produced apparently conflicting results. Some of these results do not agree with projections based on classical jet noise theories nor with experimental results from model jet simulated flight tests. It has been shown that in some of the cases reported, the proper corrections were not made to account for the distributed nature of the jet noise sources. It is shown herein that the remaining discrepancies can be reconciled by considering the combined effects of jet‐mixing noise, internally generated engine exhaust noise, and shock noise. This paper demonstrates that static and in‐flight jet engine exhaust noise can be predicted with reasonable accuracy when the multiple‐source nature of the problem is taken into account. Jet mixing noise and shock noise are predicted from an improved version of the NASA interim prediction method. A provisional method of estimating internally generated noise is used, based partly on existing prediction methods and partly on recently reported engine data.
Light-bending tests of Lorentz invariance

Classical light-bending is investigated for weak gravitational fields in the presence of hypothetical local Lorentz violation. Using an effective field theory framework that describes general deviations from local Lorentz invariance, we derive a modified deflection angle for light passing near a massive body. The results include anisotropic effects not present for spherical sources in General Relativity as well as Weak Equivalence Principle violation. We develop an expression for the relative deflection of two distant stars that can be used to analyze data in past and future solar-system observations. The measurement sensitivities of such tests to coefficients for Lorentz violation are discussed.
Dissolved free amino acids in hydrothermal vent habitats of the Guaymas Basin

Abstract Total dissolved free amino acid (DFAA) concentrations and molecular compositions were determined in high-temperature smoker fluids (exit temperatures 152–319°C) and interstitial waters of a sediment-covered hydrothermal vent system located in the southern Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California. DFAAs were not detected (≤ 1 nM) in the hot vent fluids, a result which probably reflects the instability of these compounds when exposed to the extreme high temperatures and pressures characteristic of hydrothermal fluids. Ammonium is the principal end-product of this thermal catalytic diagenesis. Hydrothermal vent and non-vent control sediments had DFAA concentrations ranging from 5−445 and 10–28 μM, respectively. The DFAA concentrations in both habitats were highest in the near-surface region (0–4 cm) and decreased at greater depths. The depth-dependent concentration gradients for hydrothermally impacted sediments were steeper than for the control samples and covaried with total microbial biomass. The molecular composition of the hydrothermally impacted samples included most common protein amino acids in addition to β-aminoglutaric acid. Glutamate, glycine, serine, and alanine were major constituents of the DFAA pool.
cDNA Cloning and Expression of a Novel UDP-N-acetyl-d-galactosamine:PolypeptideN-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase

Abstract The cDNA for a fourth member of the mammalian UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase family, termed ppGaNTase-T4, has been cloned from a murine spleen cDNA library and expressed transiently in COS7 cells as a secreted functional enzyme. Degenerate primers, based upon regions that are conserved among the known mammalian members of the enzyme family (ppGaNTase-T1, -T2, and -T3) and three Caenorhabditis elegans homologues (ppGaNTase-TA, -TB, and -TC), were used in polymerase chain reactions to identify and clone this new isoform. Substrate preferences for recombinant murine ppGaNTase-T1 and ppGaNTase-T4 isozymes were readily distinguished. ppGaNTase-T1 glycosylated a broader range of synthetic peptide substrates; in contrast, the ppGaNTase-T4 preferentially glycosylated a single substrate among the panel of 11 peptides tested. Using Northern blot analysis, a ppGaNTase-T4 message of 5.5 kilobases was detectable in murine embryonic tissues, as well as the adult sublingual gland, stomach, colon, small intestine, lung, cervix, and uterus with lower levels detected in kidney, liver, heart, brain, spleen, and ovary. Thus, the pattern of expression for ppGaNTase-T4 is more restricted than for the three previously reported isoforms of the enzyme. The variation in expression patterns and substrate specificities of the ppGaNTase enzyme family suggests that differential expression of these isoenzymes may be responsible for the cell-specific repertoire of mucin-type oligosaccharides on cell-surface and secretedO-linked glycoproteins.
Incentives and their influence on appointment compliance in a teenage family-planning clinic

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether or not the family-planning compliance patterns of indigent adolescents could be influenced by various types of incentives. From February 1988 through January 1989, 534 postpartum inner city teenagers, aged 12-19, who delivered at a large city-county public hospital, participated. Teens were randomly assigned to two treatment groups that either offered a coupon for milk for the infant or a gift for the teenage mother if they returned for their postpartum visit 4-6 weeks after delivery. A third group, which used no incentive for appointment keeping, acted as a control. Although overall compliance was low, a significant relationship was found between type of program incentive and compliance outcome. The program using milk coupons as an incentive had the best compliance rate. This incentive appeared to be most effective with black adolescents. Such incentive programs, although not without controversy, offer a potential way to enhance postpartum contraceptive appointment-keeping compliance in a high-risk population.
Soman hydrolysis catalysed by HEPES buffer

Abstract The tertiary amine, N -2-hydroxyethylpiperazine- N '-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) is a common buffer used in measuring the hydrolysis of neurotoxins such as the phosphonofluoridates soman and sarin. The hydrolysis of soman was monitored in the presence of various concentrations of HEPES at 25 °C and pH= 7. The rate of hydrolysis of soman was linearly related to the concentration of HEPES present as free base in solution. The second-order rate for the HEPES catalysis was 1.6 × 10 −3 M −1 s −1 , in contrast to a value of 10 M −1 s −1 for the hydroxide ion-catalyzed nucleophilic attack on soman.
The effects of selected psychosocial factors on the self-reporting of pulmonary symptoms.

Abstract Smelter and mine workers (1110) responded to an interviewer-administered questionnaire on symptoms and attitudes and performed pulmonary function tests measuring FEV 1 and FVC. The correspondence between self-reported respiratory symptoms and measured pulmonary function was found to be significantly related to three psychosocial factors: lack of hypochondriasis, high job satisfaction, and low life stress. All three factors were significantly related to each other. The effects of age, smoking history, work location and years of work (reflecting exposure to sulfur dioxide) were also tested. Ninety-six per cent of the subjects whose symptoms did not correspond with their measured pulmonary function overreported symptoms relative to impairment. Over-reporting was significantly related to low job satisfaction. These findings support the authors' hypothesis that some psychosocial factors may provide useful indicators of the validity of medical questionnaires.
Diagnostic Validity of Sensory Over-Responsivity: A Review of the Literature and Case Reports

Atypical responses to sensory stimulation are frequently reported to co-occur with diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, and Fragile-X syndrome. It has also been suggested that children and adults may present with atypical sensory responses while failing to meet the criteria for other medical or psychological diagnoses. This may be particularly true for individuals with over-responsivity to sensation. This article reviews the literature related to sensory over-responsivity and presents three pediatric cases that present a profile of having sensory over-responsivity without a co-occurring diagnosis. Findings from these cases provide very preliminary evidence to support the suggestion that sensory over-responsivity can occur as a sole diagnosis. Within this small group, tactile over-responsivity was the most common and pervasive form of this condition.