cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retinoic Acid-responsive Enhancers Located 3′ of the Hox A and Hox B Homeobox Gene Clusters FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

Homeobox genes control the spatial identity and differentiation of tissues in the developing vertebrate embryo. Retinoids are signaling molecules involved in the regulation of Hox genes. We previously identified a 3' enhancer called the RAIDR5, which contained a DR5 retinoic acid response element (RARE) and was responsible for the retinoic acid (RA)-associated expression of the murine Hoxa-1 gene in teratocarcinoma cells. We demonstrate that a similar enhancer, which contains a DR5 RARE, is located at a DNase I-hypersensitive site 3' of the murine Hoxb-1 gene. This enhancer, the Hoxb-1 RAIDR5, regulates the RA responsiveness of the Hoxb-1 gene and is different in location and sequence from the RA-regulated 3' Hoxb-1 enhancers previously described. Several DNA elements within the murine Hoxa-1 RA-inducible RAIDR5 enhancer, including the DR5 RARE, conserved element (CE) 1, and CE2, are conserved in the murine Hoxb-1 RAIDR5 enhancer, the human homolog of Hoxa-1, and in the chicken Hoxb-1 gene. Gel shifts show that the CE2 sequence TATTTACTCA binds an RA-inducible factor, while UV cross-linking indicates that a 170-kDa protein binds to this sequence. Thus, the Hoxa-1 and Hoxb-1 genes possess 3' enhancers with similar sequences through which their expression and responsiveness to endogenous retinoids are controlled.
The evaluation of the health care needs of women with disabilities

There are 27 million disabled women in the United States. These women face many unique challenges in accessing medical care and frequently report an insensitivity to their specific health care needs. Disabled women also have a wide array of health-related issues, including multiple concurrent medical disorders, psychosocial issues, and socioeconomic concerns. Their overall experience is that of a fragmented health care delivery system that often is inadequate in many important areas such as reproductive health, post-reproductive health, sexuality, etc.In order to address these issues, the departments of neurology and gyn/ob formed a multidisciplinary Women's Health Collaborative Research Group (WHCRG). Its mission is to develop a wellness model of comprehensive women-centered care that meets the special health care requirements of women with chronic disabling conditions. The Women's Health Issues Survey is a 72-item self-report needs assessment that was administered to over 300 women with multiple sclerosis, stroke, and other neurologic disorders. The results of the survey were critical to the planning and implementation of a center for women with disability.Approximately 50% of the women (median age 45 years) were moderately to severely disabled, as measured by the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale. Over 20% of those surveyed reported a history of uterine fibroids, endometriosis or ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual periods, and deterioration of their neurologic condition (eg, multiple sclerosis) during menstruation. Forty percent were sexually inactive. Seventy percent of the postmenopausal cohort were not taking hormone replacement therapy.The ability to identify and survey a representative sample of disabled women and develop a database linking demographic, physical disability, economic, and health care access information is a key step in implementing a cross-functional approach toward improving the level and scope of health care for disabled women.
HISTOCHEMISTRY OF THE DEVELOPING CHICK ESOPHAGUS AND TRACHEA. I. ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE.

Tissues of White Leghorn embryos of stages 17–45, and chicks of one day, two days, and three weeks of age were frozen or fixed in 85% ethanol. Alkaline phosphatase was identified using the azo-dye or Gomori techniques. Alkaline phosphatase activity is found in the ventral mesenchyme of the esophagus surrounding the epithelium to stage 34. At stage 38 activity appears in the basal layers of the epithelium and is subsequently lost in the mesenchymal tissues. This activity persists in the epithelium throughout development and following hatching. At 16 days the mucous glands arise as solid buds of epithelium projecting into the tunica propria. These buds are highly positive for alkaline phosphatase. As differentiation of the glands becomes complete they and their ducts lose their positive phosphatase reaction. On the fourth day of development the trachea is found lying ventral to the esophagus. Mesenchyme has condensed around the tracheal epithelium by the fifth day, at stage 37 (11 days) the first cartilaginous rings appear, and by stage 38 (12 days) all are completely formed. During the third week of development the trachea increases in size. Pseudo-stratified columnar ciliated epithelium begins to appear at 15 days. Alkaline phosphatase is highly reactive in the mesenchyme surrounding the epithelium prior to cartilage formation. After the cartilages have formed the reaction diminishes and in late stages of development phosphatase is found only in the epithelium.
Hydrocarbon gas in sediment of the Southern Pacific Ocean

Methane, ethane, ethene, propane, and propene are common hydrocarbon gases in near-surface sediment from offshore areas in the southern Pacific Ocean near Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, New Zealand, and Antarctica. Sea floor sites for sampling of sediment were selected on the basis of anomalies in marine seismic records, and the samples were intentionally biased toward finding possible thermogenic hydrocarbon gases. In none of the areas, however, were thermogenic hydrocarbons clearly identified. The hydrocarbon gases that were found appear to be mainly the products ofin situ microbial processes.
The prefrontal cortex of the rat. I. cortical projection of the mediodorsal nucleus. II. efferent connections

Abstract The cortical projection field of the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus (MD) was identified in the rat using the Fink-Heimer silver technique for tracing degenerating fibers. Small stereotaxic lesions confined to MD were followed by terminal degeneration in the dorsal bank of the rhinal sulcus (sulcal cortex) and the medial wall of the hemisphere anterior and dorsal to the genu of the corpus callosum (medial cortex). No degenerating fibers were traced to the convexity of the hemisphere. The cortical formation receiving a projection from MD is of a relatively undifferentiated type which had been previously classified as juxtallocortex. A study of the efferent fiber connections of the rat's MD-projection cortex demonstrated some similarities to those of monkey prefrontal cortex. A substantial projection to the pretectal area and deep layers of the superior colliculus originates in medial cortex, a connection previously reported for caudal prefrontal (area 8) cortex in the monkey. Sulcal cortex projects to basal olfactory structures and lateral hypothalamus, as does orbital frontal cortex in the monkey. The rat's MD-projection cortex differs from that in the monkey in that it lacks a granular layer and appears to have no prominent direct associations with temporal and juxtahippocampal areas. Furthermore, retrograde degeneration does not appear in the rat thalamus after damage to MD-projection areas, suggesting that the striatum or thalamus receives a proportionally larger share of the MD projection in this animal than it does in the monkey. Comparative behavioral investigations are in progress to investigate functional differences between granular prefrontal cortex in the primate and the relatively primitive MD-projection cortex in the rat.
Criminal victimization in contemporary China: a review of the evidence and challenges for future research

The rapid economic growth in China over recent decades has been accompanied by higher levels of crime, but there have been few studies of the Chinese experience of criminal victimization. A recent victimization survey of a representative sample of households in Tianjin represents a major effort to fill this gap in the literature. The present paper reviews the research based on the Tianjin survey along with other studies of crime and criminal victimization in China that have been published since 1990. We summarize the major findings, discuss the theoretical perspectives and methodological strategies that have been applied, identify the limitations of the research to date, and offer suggestions for future research.
The Ethics of the F Word: Faith‐Based Science in a Faith‐Based World

And you never ask questions when god's on your side,''FBob Dylan (1963). Science demands organized skepticism and the acknowledgement that science is a product of nature and not of a particular religion, culture, or political system. Faith-based science that demands an unquestioning acceptance of a particular view or opinion is thus an oxymoronic discipline. Nonetheless, the incursion of faith-based religious or political values into scientific disciplines and science-based decision-making is a persistent and increasing challenge. Religious values have always been a major part of American public and political life, but have assumed increased significance over the past two decades. In particular, the Presidency of George W. Bush has brought such issues to the forefront in many areas where science and science-based decision-making impacts the political decision-making process. The current role of religion in impacting science-based decision-making in the United States is discussed. Drug Dev Res 63:112-120, 2005. � c 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Tech Talk: Networked CD‐ROM Drives in a NetWare Environment

Lafayette College currently provides access to thirty‐two shared CD‐ROM data‐bases of various types ranging from the complete works of Shakespeare to the ProPhone national telephone directory on CD‐ROM. The task of providing users access to the many different vendors' front ends for searching these databases can be daunting, not to mention the technical issues involved with sharing CD‐ROMs in the networked environment. This article describes the equipment used at Lafayette College and how it is configured and connected.
A survey of particle measurements in the Arctic from the Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe MODEL 300

A new instrument, the Forward Scattering Spectrometer Probe (FSSP) 300, was used on the NASA ER-2 during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE) to count and size particles in the size range 0.4-24 microns in diameter. A brief description of the instrument is presented, and observations for each ER-2 flight are summarized. Measurements were made in both type I and type II polar stratospheric clouds as well as in the background sulfuric-acid particles. Total particle concentrations up to 16/cu cm with total particle volumes up to 10 cubic micron/cu cm were observed in some of the polar-stratospheric-cloud events.
Psychology Graduate Students Weigh In: Qualitative Analysis of Academic Dishonesty and Suggestion Prevention Strategies

The current qualitative study investigated prevalence and types of academic integrity violations in psychology graduate students (N = 201) and solicited student recommendations for how academic institutions, professors, and peers may act to discourage or prevent its occurrence. Students were recruited through email lists and asked to participate in an online study with a series of open-ended questions assessing integrity violations and prevention recommendations. Results revealed academic integrity violations were relatively infrequent (8 % of the sample) and most (75 % of reported incidents) were of relatively low severity (e.g., unauthorized use of notes during an assignment). Common antecedents to integrity violations included inadequate preparation, task difficulty, and external stressors such as health ailments that interfered with preparation. Most (53 %) violators reported engaging in a rational decision making process, weighing the pros and cons of cheating, and most (60 %) did not reveal the violation to anyone. The majority of violations (81 %) resulted in no negative consequences to the student and 44 % reported they would do it again. Students recommended better dissemination of integrity policies, greater oversight of graduate students, harsher punishments for violations, and consistent reporting of violations as prevention strategies. Results highlight how academic dishonesty in psychology graduate students may be a product of multiple time and resource demands, coupled with low self-efficacy to meet or negotiate these demands. Despite reports of external pressures being the top reason for academic integrity violations, few recommendations focused on decreasing external pressures as a mechanism to curb cheating.
Cryogenic IR/optical/UV fast spectrophotometers for the study of time-variable astronomical sources

Our detectors are superconducting Transition-Edge Sensors that have been designed for photon counting in the energy (wavelength) range of 0.5 eV (2.5 micrometers ) to 10 eV (124 nm). Our design consists of a 6 X 6 array of 20 micrometers by 20 micrometers pixels, of which four were operated simultaneously at count rates exceeding 30 K-counts/pixel. Each photon is time-tagged to 0.4 microsecond(s) using a GPS signal processor, and the energy is determined to approximately 0.15 eV FWHM. These results are the best achieved for an energy dispersive spectrometer in the optical range. We discuss the detector design and operation, optical coupling, and high-rate data acquisition system. In addition, we discuss the next step towards detectors with improved light collection and higher energy resolution. We also present recent results from latest application of our fast spectrophotometers to the study of highly time-variable sources using the 2.7 m telescope at the McDonald Observatory.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Antilock Brake Systems and Risk of Different Types of Crashes in Traffic

Antilock braking systems (ABS) use electronic controls to maintain wheel rotation under hard braking that would otherwise lock a vehicle's wheels. It has been demonstrated that ABS enhances braking performance, but the relationship between improved braking and safety is not clear. This paper aims at understanding about the relationship between ABS and traffic safety by examining two published studies which used police reported crashes and augmenting the findings by including new data and additional results, and then comparing the results to other results in the literature.
Program development in military toxicology laboratories

Military toxicology evolved from needs identified during the World Wars. The Army, Navy and Air Force developed toxicological capabilities in response to their respective operational needs. These 3 previously separate military toxicology efforts have been integrated into Tri-Service Toxicology in response to the continually changing and growing operational needs of the military. The continual process of program development must be initiated in order for Tri-Service Toxicology to improve, grow and better serve its customers. Program development entails developing and maintaining good customer relationships and cooperative relationships with other governmental agencies, industry and academia. The benefits of identifying and obtaining customers and collaborators will substantially outweigh the costs incurred by committing to the implementation of program development within Tri-Service Toxicology.
Comecon: A “Trade-Destroying” Customs Union?

Abstract In traditional theory the nations forming a customs union reduce barriers among themselves but maintain tariffs against nonmembers at the pre-customs-union level. This leads to trade creation and/or trade diversion. It is argued here that the formation of Comecon led to trade destruction and that this resulted because the members of Comecon were poorly suited to trade with each other and increased significantly barriers to trade with nonmembers. Thus trade with nonmembers that could not be replaced at low-enough cost at home or by member trading partners was eliminated.
Housing environment modulates physiological and behavioral responses to anxiogenic stimuli in trait anxiety male rats

Environmental enrichment can modulate mild and chronic stress, responses to anxiogenic stimuli as well as drug vulnerability in a number of animal models. The current study was designed to examine the impact of postnatal environmental enrichment on selectively bred 4th generation high- (HAn) and low-anxiety (LAn) male rats. After weaning, animals were placed in isolated (IE), social (SE) and enriched environments (EE) (e.g., toys, wheels, ropes, changed weekly). We measured anxiety-like behavior (ALB) on the elevated plus maze (EPM; trial 1 at postnatal day (PND) 46, trial 2 at PND 63), amphetamine (AMPH) (0.5mg/kg, IP)-induced locomotor behavior, basal and post anxiogenic stimuli changes in (1) plasma corticosterone, (2) blood pressure and (3) core body temperature. Initially, animals showed consistent trait differences on EPM with HAn showing more ALB but after 40 days in select housing, HAn rats reared in an EE showed less ALB and diminished AMPH-induced activity compared to HAn animals housed in IE and SE. In the physiological tests, animals housed in EE showed elevated adrenocortical responses to forced novel object exposure but decreased body temperature and blood pressure changes after an air puff stressor. All animals reared in EE and SE had elevated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-positive cells in the central amygdala (CeA), CA1 and CA2 hippocampal regions and the caudate putamen, but these differences were most pronounced in HAn rats for CeA, CA1 and CA2. Overall, these findings suggest that environmental enrichment offers benefits for trait anxiety rats including a reduction in behavioral and physiological responses to anxiogenic stimuli and AMPH sensitivity, and these responses correlate with changes in BDNF expression in the central amygdala, hippocampus and the caudate putamen.
Modified colorimetric method for plasma prednisolone

A simple, precise, rapid, and sensitive colorimetric method was adapted for the quantitative analysis of prednisolone in dog plasma. A paper chromatographic procedure was modified by the use of thin-layer plates coated with microcrystalline cellulose. Heparinized blood samples were separated from the cellular elements and extracted with methylene chloride. After washing with acid and alkali, the extract was evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved in methanol and streaked on the TLC plate. After development, the band that was detected by UV light was scraped off and extracted with methanol. The methanol extract was treated with the Porter-Silber reagent (phenylhydrazine). Absorbance was measured at 410 nm. Replicate assays indicated a mean recovery of 97.5% and a coefficient of variation of 5.13%.
Molecular mechanisms of diabetic vasculopathy

Diabetes and its attendant complications constitute a burgeoning global health threat. Hyperglycemia, the sine qua non of diabetes, induces alterations in several signaling pathways that culminate in the clinical manifestations of diabetic vasculopathy (DV). Ultimately, cellular behavior is regulated by gene transcription. Direct manipulation of gene transcription has largely been outside the purview of conventional therapeutics. However, with the sophistication of current molecular approaches, this arena is now poised for rapid development. In this review, we describe key transcription factors that show potential as therapeutic targets for DV.
Toward a spaceworthy picometer laser gauge

Metrology will be an enabling technology for a new generation of astronomical missions having large and distributed apertures and delivering unprecedented performance. The x-ray interferometer Black Hole Imager, the UV interferometer Stellar Imager, and other missions will require measurements of incremental distance as accurate as 0.1 picometer, and absolute distance capability. Our Tracking Frequency laser distance Gauge (TFG) was developed a decade ago for a NASA-funded study of a spaceborne astronomical interferometer. It has achieved an accuracy of 10 picometer with a 0.1 second averaging time, and 2 picometer in 1 minute. The standard approach, the heterodyne gauge, displays nanometer-scale cyclic bias, whose mitigation has been the subject of much effort. Our approach is free of that bias and can measure absolute distance with little or no additional hardware. It provides the option of operation with a resonant optical cavity, which in many applications would provide increased accuracy of both incremental and absolute distance. We plan to develop a next-generation laser gauge based on our unique and successful architecture. We will improve incremental and absolute distance accuracy, increase sample and readout rates, and establish a capability for measuring long distances. The new TFG will use solid-state lasers and fiber-connected components in place of a HeNe laser and free-space beams. We expect that the new TFG will have low replication cost and be rugged, modular, and easy to set up. It will employ components that are likely to be space qualifiable.
An oxygen-18 tracer investigation of the mechanism of myo-inositol oxygenase.

Abstract In the conversion of myo -inositol to D-glucuronic acid catalyzed by myo -inositol oxygenase only one atom of 18O from 18O2 is incorporated into the product, and it is found exclusively in the carboxyl group. Control experiments indicate that under the reaction conditions no exchange of solvent oxygens with D-glucuronate occurs. To avoid exchange during isolation and analysis the oxygenase product was enzymically reduced to L-gulonate and isolated in that form. The results eliminate one possible mechanism for the oxygenase reaction, but are consistent with two others which seem chemically reasonable.
Deformation-Induced Structural Changes in Crystalline Polyolefins

The crystal structures and the hierarchy of structural order in melt crystallized polyolefins are well known. Structural changes that occur at various levels during solid-state deformations of poly...
Channel access and traffic control for dynamic-spectrum networks with single-transmit, dual-receive radios

Cognitive radios have a great potential to improve spectrum utilization by enabling dynamic spectrum access. A key challenge in operating these radios is how to implement an efficient medium access control (MAC) mechanism that adaptively and efficiently allocates transmission powers and spectrum according to the surrounding environment. In this work, we propose a distributed MAC protocol for operating spectrum-agile radios in a multi-hop ad hoc network. Our protocol is unique in that it exploits the ''dual-receive'' capability of radios, which is used to overcome channel access problems that are common to multi-channel designs. We conduct theoretical analysis of the protocol and study its performance via simulations. To further improve the system throughput, we propose a framework for joint adaptive load and medium access controls. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme achieves more than 90% of the maximum (global) system throughput that is achieved at saturation, while guaranteeing low collision rates.
Lost in Transgenesis A User's Guide for Genetically Manipulating the Mouse in Cardiac Research

The advent of modern mouse genetics has benefited many fields of diseased-based research over the past 20 years, none perhaps more profoundly than cardiac biology. Indeed, the heart is now arguably one of the easiest tissues to genetically manipulate, given the availability of an ever-growing tool chest of molecular reagents/promoters and "facilitator" mouse lines. It is now possible to modify the expression of essentially any gene or partial gene product in the mouse heart at any time, either gain or loss of function. This review is designed as a handbook for the nonmouse geneticist and/or junior investigator to permit the successful manipulation of any gene or RNA product in the heart, while avoiding artifacts. In the present review, guidelines, pitfalls, and limitations are presented so that rigorous and appropriate examination of cardiac genotype-phenotype relationships can be performed. This review uses examples from the field to illustrate the vast spectrum of experimental and design details that must be considered when using genetically modified mouse models to study cardiac biology.
If an IRDAM Journal Is What You Choose, Then Sequential Results Are What You Use

Sequential results? IRDAM journals? Both of these entities really exist, and both are relevant to how results are reported for some types of studies. How and when they apply become clearer if we start with a refresher on the organization of the scientific paper. An earlier article in this series (1) introduced the IMRAD4 format (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion), a standard set in 1972 by the American National Standards Institute and the most commonly used format today. This format works well for studies in which the experiments are planned in advance or performed in a predefined order. It therefore includes a study design subsection in the Methods section, usually at the beginning. Examples of these types of studies include method development and validation, randomized controlled trials, studies of diagnostic test performance, intervention trials, and observational studies. In contrast, basic research studies often begin with a hypothesis to be tested, but beyond the initial experiment or starting point, the experiments performed throughout the study are not necessarily planned in advance. In fact, the results of one experiment typically set the direction for subsequent experiments. Because the results, not a preset series of experiments or methods, drive the study, articles written for many basic research journals tend to emphasize the Results section and subordinate the Methods section to the Results. The format used by many high-impact basic research journals, such as Nature , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , Journal of Clinical Investigation , and Journal of Cell Biology , is arranged so that the Results section immediately follows the Introduction. The Methods section is placed at the end, or it may even be published as a supplemental data file. This is the IRDAM format (Introduction, Results, Discussion, and Methods) (2). The IRDAM format requires a substantial …
Environmental and Taxonomic Bacterial Diversity of Anaerobic Uranium(IV) Bio-Oxidation

ABSTRACT Microorganisms in diverse terrestrial surface and subsurface environments can anaerobically catalyze the oxidative dissolution of uraninite. While a limited quantity (∼5 to 12 μmol liter−1) of uranium is oxidatively dissolved in pure culture studies, the metabolism is coupled to electron transport, providing the potential of uraninite to support indigenous microbial populations and to solubilize uranium.
Virtual rooms for building complex interactive learning environments

Through the specific example of an early 1990s office-based prototype prepared for students in the first analog electronics course in electrical engineering, the paper discusses how an interconnected collection of virtual rooms offers designers a flexible and efficient means of incorporating learning materials into student-centered interactive learning environments that, according to current learning theories, can develop higher order thinking skills. The paper also discusses increasing the feedback to both teachers and students based on automatically recorded logs of learner activity, and implementing a collection of interconnected interactive virtual rooms with Web technologies.
A design methodology for finite phased arrays and repetitive structures

Periodic and repetitive structure have been of great importance in electromagnetic applications due to unique properties and ease of fabrication. Although infinite periodic structures have been modeled and designed very effectively, repetitive and “piecewise periodic” structures are often unavoidable, or are intentionally created to meet various constraints or enrich design space, cf. Figure 1. Untill now the design of these structures has been based on the infinite periodic cell analysis with FEM, BEM or FDTD, whereas truncation or other effects arising form the lack of perfect periodicity were designed using rules-of-thumb or measurements. Recently, a new generation of CEM methods have been developed based on domain decomposition (DD) [1], that enables the full-wave simulation of repetitive structures with relatively moderate computational overhead. Nevertheless, these methods are not suitable for design since optimizing large parameter spaces would require many months. This paper presents a design methodology that utilizes both infinite periodic cell methods and DD, but more importantly it introduces a new intermediate stage that requires the analysis of few infinite × finite structures first. This is not a new idea, yet its practical implementation has not been successful because solving infinite×finite structures with conventional methods remains computationally expensive. The present approach will combine ideas from DD and infinite periodic cell approaches in order to exploit repetitions within the infinite×finite cell. The combination significantly reduces the computational overhead, making the method suitable for optimization purposes.
Dereverberation of ultrasound echo data in vascular imaging applications

Two-dimensional speckle tracking methods have shown great promise in imaging tissue motion and deformations in the vicinity of blood vessels offering the promise of new methods for detecting and staging of vascular disease. However, vessel wall echo reverberations overwhelm the echoes (scattering) from the blood and result in loss of flow information in large regions within the vessel. In this paper, we present a design approach for a time-varying dereverberation inverse filter for echo data within the vessel. The design approach is motivated by the fact that the reverberation pattern varies significantly with the pulsatory motion of the vessel wall. Minute changes in the location/orientation of the vessel wall with respect to the imaging beam result in measurable changes in the speckle-specular echo mixture at the vessel wall and the observed periodicities in the reverberation pattern within the vessel. Therefore, a time-varying inverse filter is necessary to remove the reverberation components appropriately during the heart cycle. A maximum likelihood approach for optimizing the inverse filter parameter is presented. The performance of the dereverberation algorithm is illustrated using pulse-echo data from realtime imaging of the carotid artery of a healthy volunteer.
Insertions using geometric analysis and hybrid force-position control: method and analysis

Techniques based on active compliance implemented with hybrid force-position control are presented which are capable of inserting a wide variety of shaped pegs. The forces encountered during the insertions are analyzed to determine what classes of shapes these techniques will consistently insert. The analysis also gives guidance in selecting parameters of these techniques for specific shapes. Particular attention is given to polygonal, convex polygonal, and smooth convex parts. >
Distinct Facial Characteristics Differentiate Communicative Intent of Infant-Directed Speech

Adults and infants can differentiate communicative messages using the nonlinguistic acoustic properties of infant-directed (ID) speech. Although the distinct prosodic properties of ID speech have been explored extensively, it is currently unknown whether the visual properties of the face during ID speech similarly convey communicative intent and thus represent an additional source of social information for infants during early interactions. To examine whether the dynamic facial movement associated with ID speech confers affective information independent of the acoustic signal, adults’ differentiation of the visual properties of speakers’ communicative messages was examined in two experiments in which the adults rated silent videos of approving and comforting ID and neutral adult-directed speech. In Experiment 1, adults differentiated the facial speech groups on ratings of the intended recipient and the speaker’s message. In Experiment 2, an original coding scale identified facial characteristics of the speakers. Discriminant correspondence analysis revealed two factors differentiating the facial speech groups on various characteristics. Implications for perception of ID facial movements in relation to speakers’ communicative intent are discussed for both typically and atypically developing infants. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular genetics of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and related neuropathies

Collectively, the inherited disorders of peripheral nerves represent a common group of neurologic diseases. Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1 (CMT1) is a genetically heterogeneous group of chronic demyelinating polyneuropathies with loci mapping to chromosome 17 (CMT1A), chromosome 1 (CMT1B), the X chromosome (CMTX) and to another unknown autosome (CMT1C). CMT1A is most often associated with a tandem 1.5 megabase (Mb) duplication in chromosome 17p11.2-12, or in rare patients may result from a point mutation in the peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22) gene. CMT1B is associated with point mutations in the myelin protein zero (P0) gene. The molecular defect in CMT1C is unknown. X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMTX) is associated with mutations in the connexin32 gene. Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type II (CMT2) is an axonal neuropathy, also of undetermined cause. One form of CMT2 maps to chromosome 1p36 (CMT2A). Dejerine-Sottas disease, also called hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type III (HMSNIII), is a severe, infantile onset demyelinating polyneuropathy syndrome that may be associated with point mutations in either the PMP22 gene of the P0 gene. Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is an autosomal dominant disorder that results in a recurrent, episodic demyelinating neuropathy. HNPP is associated with a 1.5 Mb deletion in chromosome 17p11.2-12 and may result from reduced expression of the PMP22 gene. CMT1A and HNPP are apparent reciprocal duplication/deletion syndromes originating from unequal crossover during germ cell meiosis.
Generic binary trees in APL2

The combination of APL2 constructs and direct definition notation makes the description and implementation of complex generic types easy and natural. This paper illustrates this with an APL2 paradigm for modelling binary trees. It considers the problems of constructing trees, inserting new items, searching for items, counting leaves, counting comparisons, and testing for equivalence.
Relational support for flexible schema scenarios

Efficient support for applications that deal with data heterogeneity, hierarchies and schema evolution is an important challenge for relational engines. In this paper we show how this flexibility can be handled in Microsoft SQL Server. For this purpose, the engine has been equipped in an integrated package of relational extensions. The package includes sparse storage, column set operations, filtered indices, filtered statistics and hierarchy querying with OrdPath labeling. In addition, economical loading of metadata allow us to answer queries independently of the number of columns in a table and drastically improve scaling capabilities. The design of a prototypical content and collaboration application based on a wide table is described, along with experiments validating its performance.
Demonstrating distributed consensus building by locating the spatial centroid of a WSN

In this demonstration, distributed consensus building is used to improve the performance of RSSI based trilateration algorithms. Specifically, the objective of the consensus is to determine the spatial centroid for a distribution of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network (WSN). Incorporating a consensus aspect reduces the sensitivity of the objective to dropped packets, changing topologies, and received signal strength indicator (RSSI) fluctuations. The work will present results for both fully and partially connected networks through simulation and a hardware implementation.
Economic Inequality and Homicide in the Developed Nations From 1975 to 1995

This study tests the Blau and Blau theory about the relationship between economic inequality and homicide rates. This literature has largely ignored cumulative effects and the time it takes for long-term relationships to be completed. Cross-sectional studies also have difficulty correcting for omitted variable bias, but fixed-effects panel designs can better overcome problems with dynamic relationships and omitted variables. Using moving averages to capture long-term cumulative relationships, this study uses a fixed-effects pooled time-series design to analyze the relationship between inequality and homicide rates in 14 developed democracies. The findings support Blau and Blau as they suggest that homicide rates are higher in the most unequal societies, but the nonlinear relationship the authors detect provides additional support for relative deprivation theory. Elasticities show that economic inequality and the presence of young males have strong relationships with the murder rates. These results have po...
Infectious Transcripts of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Generated in Days by RT-PCR

Abstract Construction of infectious clones of flaviviruses can be problematic owing to instability, toxicity, and recombination events occurring while cloning cDNA in the bacterial vectors. To overcome these difficulties we have devised a rapid and simple method for producing an infectious genetically engineered tick-borne encephalitis virus in less than 10 days using viral RNA from an unpurified virus suspension. The experimental protocol utilized the high fidelity reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to produce two long (5.7 and 5.2 kb) overlapping cDNA segments. To produce full-length cDNA the two overlapping segments were either ligated or fused by polymerase chain reaction. The cDNA was then transcribed and the derived full-length RNA was injected intracerebrally into young mice which reproduced the infectious virus within 8–20 days. To differentiate the engineered virus from parent virus, aSunI restriction site was introduced by substituting nucleotides at positions 5688 and 5691 of the viral genome. This restriction site was present in the engineered virus recovered from infected mice. Antigenic and electrophoretic analysis of the proteins recovered from the engineered virus confirmed that it was indistinguishable from parent virus. In addition to its applicability as a rapid method of producing infectious engineered virus, this protocol offers the opportunity to introduce changes by site-directed mutagenesis without needing to clone the viral DNA. The method should be applicable to most viruses possessing an infectious RNA molecule and reduces the time required to produce a genetically engineered virus from years to days. When appropriate, the choice of mice for transfection of RNA has the advantage of being extremely simple, very sensitive, and producing high titers of stable virus.
Availability and Metabolism of Various Substrates in Ruminants. V. Entry Rate into the Body and Incorporation into Milk Fat of d(−)β-Hydroxybutyrate

Abstract Acetate-1- 14 C or d(−) β -hydroxybutyrate-1,3- 14 C (BHBA) was infused into the left front quarters of the udders of cows fed either a normal (control) or a high-grain, low-fiber diet. Approximately twice as much 14 C was recovered in the milk fat during 20 hr after acetate- 14 C infusion as after BHBA- 14 C infusion. Also, about twice as much 14 C was recovered in the fat of control cows as in those fed a high-grain diet. Specific radioactivities indicated that 50% of the four carbon atoms at the methyl-terminal end of the C 4 -C 12 milk fatty acids arose from BHBA and that only one molecule of BHBA was incorporated into any fatty acid molecule. It was calculated that BHBA contributes a maximum of 8% of the milk fatty acid carbon. Labeling patterns after acetate- 14 C infusion indicated an orderly condensation of C 2 units in the formation of milk fatty acids from C 4 to C 16 ; however, about 40% of the milk fat palmitate and all of the C 18 milk fatty acids arose from a source other than mammary synthesis. No differences were observed between dietary treatments in the plasma concentrations of BHBA, the entry rate of BHBA, its oxidation to carbon dioxide, or its contribution to the total expired carbon dioxide. About one-half of the total entry of BHBA appeared in milk fatty acids and expired carbon dioxide; the fate of the remainder was unaccountable. It is concluded that in cows fed high-grain, low-roughage diets, a deficiency of BHBA for milk fatty acid synthesis is not a causative factor in depressed production of milk fat.
A Midterm Assessment of the Host Population’s Perceptions of the 1996 Summer Olympics: Support, Attendance, Benefits, and Liabilities

This midterm assessment of a trend study analysis that began in 1992 was designed to monitor the perceptions of residents of Georgia regarding the 1996 Olympic Games. Over time, Georgia resident support remained strong, projected attendance decreased greatly, the intangible benefits were ranked greater than the economic issues, and the top perceived negative consequences dealt with law enforcement issues.
Prognostic factors and risk stratification in early mycosis fungoides.

AbstractAvailable demographic, clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical and laboratory findings, including serum cytokine/cytokine receptor levels, obtained at initial evaluation in a cohort of 33 patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) at stages I–IIA who had subsequent progression of disease were compared against 70 stage-matched cases of MF without observed progression. Significant factors that correlated with both disease progression and overall survival were: (1) presence of large Pautrier microabscesses (10 or more atypical lymphocytes), (2) presence of atypical lymphocytes with hyperchromatic or vesicular nuclei in the dermal infiltrate, (3) less than 20% CD8 + cells in the dermal infiltrate and (4) above normal (> 122 U/mL) serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) level. Combination of these factors was used to construct prognostic groupings which, if validated, might be useful to identify patients with clinically early MF at highest risk for disease progression and poor outcome.
Changing Business Opportunities: The Geography Of Rapidly Growing Small U.S. Private Firms, 1982–1992*

The objective of this paper is to analyze the changing geography of the 500 fastest growing small, private companies, as defined by Inc magazine, in the United States from 1982 to 1992. The study focuses on rates of formation of these firms within types of metropolitan region, the impact of economic restructuring, and the locational dynamics of companies within the fastest growing economic sectors. Results suggest that there is little regional or hierarchical logic to the distribution of the firms, that the influence of economic restructuring is clearly evident, and that new rapidly growing high-technology firms are highly concentrated in San Francisco and Los Angeles, while higher-order service firms are dispersing down the urban hierarchy.
The contextual effect of the local food environment on residents' diets: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study

Objectives. We studied the association between the local food environment and residents’ report of recommended dietary intake. Methods. Recommended intakes of foods and nutrients for 10 623 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities participants were estimated from food frequency questionnaires. Supermarkets, grocery stores, and full-service and fast-food restaurants were geocoded to census tracts. Results. Black Americans’ fruit and vegetable intake increased by 32% for each additional supermarket in the census tract (relative risk [RR] = 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 1.60). White Americans’ fruit and vegetable intake increased by 11% with the presence of 1 or more supermarket (RR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.93, 1.32). Conclusions. These findings suggest the local food environment is associated with residents’ recommended diets.
Methods for Determining Agent Concentration Profiles in Agarose Gel During Convection-Enhanced Delivery

Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a promising technique to deliver large molecular weight drugs to the human brain for treatment of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, or brain tumors. Researchers have used agarose gels to study mechanisms of agent transport in soft tissues like brain due to its similar mechanical and transport properties. However, inexpensive quantitative techniques to precisely measure achieved agent distribution in agarose gel phantoms during CED are missing. Such precise measurements of concentration distribution are needed to optimize drug delivery. An optical experimental method to accurately quantify agent concentration in agarose is presented. A novel geometry correction algorithm is used to determine real concentrations from observable light intensities captured by a digital camera. We demonstrate the technique in dye infusion experiments that provide cylindrical and spherical distributions when infusing with porous membrane and conventional single-port catheters, respectively. This optical method incorporates important parameters, such as optimum camera exposure, captured camera intensity calibration, and use of collimated light source for maximum precision. We compare experimental results with numerical solutions to the convection diffusion equation. The solutions of convection-diffusion equations in the cylindrical and spherical domains were found to match the experimental data obtained by geometry correction algorithm.
Strategic Self-Orientalism: Urban Planning Policies and the Shaping of New York City's Chinatown, 1950-2005

Although Manhattan's Chinatown bears few traces of it today, from 1950 to 2005 local elites attempted to use city planning schemes to fashion an urban space that exploited exoticized notions of the...
Robust independent joint controller design for industrial robot manipulators

A novel approach is presented for the design of simple robust independent joint controllers for industrial robot manipulators. In this approach, each joint actuator is treated as a simple inertial system plus a disturbance torque representing all the unmodeled dynamics. By a very simple algorithm, the disturbance is instantly estimated and rejected, thus allowing a simple proportional-derivative (PD) control scheme to be used. The stability of the proposed control law is analyzed. Experimental evaluations of the controller on a microcomputer-controlled PUMA 560 arm were performed. It is shown that the control scheme is simple and practical and that it can be easily implemented on an industrial manipulator presently in use. >