cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PrEMeR-CG: inferring nucleotide level DNA methylation values from MethylCap-seq data.

Motivation: DNA methylation is an epigenetic change occurring in genomic CpG sequences that contribute to the regulation of gene transcription both in normal and malignant cells. Next-generation sequencing has been used to characterize DNA methylation status at the genome scale, but suffers from high sequencing cost in the case of whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, or from reduced resolution (inability to precisely define which of the CpGs are methylated) with capture-based techniques. Results: Here we present a computational method that computes nucleotide-resolution methylation values from capture-based data by incorporating fragment length profiles into a model of methylation analysis. We demonstrate that it compares favorably with nucleotide-resolution bisulfite sequencing and has better predictive power with respect to a reference than window-based methods, often used for enrichment data. The described method was used to produce the methylation data used in tandem with gene expression to produce a novel and clinically significant gene signature in acute myeloid leukemia. In addition, we introduce a complementary statistical method that uses this nucleotide-resolution methylation data for detection of differentially methylated features. Availability: Software in the form of Python and R scripts is available at http://bioserv.mps.ohio-state.edu/premer and is free for non-commercial use. Contact: ude.cmuso@nay.yllraep; ude.etats-oiho.spm@huhcsdnub Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Hanging out for the hypersonic plane

The United States must learn how to cooperate with others if space research is to continue. The dilemma of the hypersonic plane is a case in point.
Pattern Classification by Iteratively Determined Linear and Piecewise Linear Discriminant Functions

This paper describes iterative procedures for determining linear and piecewise linear discriminant functions for multicategory pattern classifiers. While classifiers with the same structure have often been proposed, it is less well known that their parameters can be efficiently determined by simple adjustment procedures. For linear discriminant functions, convergence proofs are given for procedures that are guaranteed to yield error-free solutions on design samples, provided only that such solutions exist. While no similar results are known for piecewise linear discriminant functions, simple procedures are given that have been effective in various experiments. The results of experiments with artificially generated multimodal data and with hand-printed alphanumeric characters are given to show that this approach compares favorably with other classification methods.
UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE IMPACTS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH VARIABLES

The paper uses a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for a small city to exam- ine how expansions in export and local sectors, changes in total factor productivity (TFP), and growth in population impact an economy. We examine the effects of each source of growth and find that the level and distribution of economic activity vary considerably. We also evaluate each source of growth in the context of a variety of policy metrics, which provide guidelines to policy makers, including the types of firms to be recruited in specific regions.
Friedel-Crafts phenylethylation of benzene and toluene with alpha- and beta-phenylethyl chlorides: pi-aryl participation in polarized donor-acceptor beta-phenylethylating complexes distinct from phenonium ions (sigma complexes).

Abstract Friedel-Crafts alpha-phenylethylation of benzene and toluene, compared with beta-phenylethylation, shows a low ratio of ortho/para substitution with only 2-3% meta isomer formation, with kT/kB rate ratios between 58 and 76. The data indicate late arenium ion (sigma complex)-like transition states. beta-Phenylethylation in contrast gives low kT/kB rate ratios with a substantially higher ortho/para isomer ratio of 17-21% for the meta substituent. Experimental evidence points to thermodynamically controlled isomerizations effecting results. The data also indicate formation of an oriented pi-complex involving phenyl participation (as contrasted with complete phenonium ion formation) in the alkylation intermediates of the beta-phenylethylation reactions.
Microscopic derivation of particle-based coarse-grained dynamics

In this paper we revisit the derivation of equations of motion for coarse-grained (CG) particles from the microscopic Hamiltonian dynamics of the underlying atomistic system in equilibrium. The derivation is based on the projection operator method and time-convolution equation. We demonstrate that due to the energy exchange between CG and intraparticle phase space coordinates in the microscopic system, the choice of projection operator is not unique, leading to different CG equations of motion that have the form of the nonlinear generalized Langevin equation (GLE). We derive the idempotence properties for the projection operators along the system trajectories and show that these properties result in streaming terms of the respective GLEs that are conservative forces and allow the expression of the non-conservative forces explicitly through thermodynamic averages, which can be measured from the microscopic simulations. The difference between GLEs that are presented herein lies in how the non-conservative forces are partitioned into dissipative and projected contributions. We compute the projected force and analyze conditions under which the projected (stochastic) force is orthogonal to (uncorrelated with) the momenta of CG particles, therefore justifying a transition to a framework of stochastic differential equations. We show that a position- and momentum-independent memory function appears only if the projected force is fully decoupled from the past CG positions and momenta, respectively. In the case of non-vanishing correlations between the projected force and the CG coordinates in past times, we derive explicitly the position- and momentum-dependent memory function in a form of projection onto a space spanned by N-order Hermite polynomials. The expressions presented herein can be used to construct a hierarchy of thermodynamically consistent CG models with momentum-dependent memory functions. They can also be used to design computational schemes for obtaining the parameters for GLEs and their variants such as dissipative particle dynamics equations from the microscopic data. We illustrate these applications by presenting the GLE with a memory function that is quadratic in the particle momenta.
High-Throughput Measurement of GPCR Stability At Femtomole Scale

The inherent instability of heptahelical G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) during purification and reconstitution is a primary impediment to biophysical studies and to obtaining high-resolution crystal structures. New approaches to stabilize receptors during purification and to screen reconstitution procedures are needed. Here we report the development of a novel homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence assay (HTRF) to quantify properly folded CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5). The assay permits high-throughput thermal stability measurements of femtomole quantities of CCR5 in detergent and in engineered nanoscale apolipoprotein bound bilayer (NABB) particles. We show that recombinant expressed CCR5 can be incorporated into NABB particles in high yield, resulting in greater thermal stability compared with CCR5 in detergent solution. We also demonstrate that CCR5 binding to the HIV-1 cellular entry inhibitors maraviroc, AD101, CMPD 167, and vicriviroc dramatically increases receptor stability. The HTRF assay technology reported here is applicable to other membrane proteins and could greatly facilitate structural studies of GPCRs.
The role of interphase debonding on cumulative fibre fractures in a continuous fibre-reinforced composite

In continuous fibre-reinforced composites, individual fibre filaments can fracture at stresses less than 50% of the ultimate strength of the composite. A finite element analysis has been used to simulate the effects of different modes of crack propagation following the fracture of a single filament on the subsequent failure of adjacent fibres. A statistical analysis of the probability of failure at specific points along adjacent fibres was used to determine the most probable location of subsequent failures. The analysis confirms previously published data showing that there is a high probability of a coordinated pattern of fibre fractures when fibre spacings are less than six fibre diameters.
Recent progress in the chemistry of wood hemicelluloses

Following a brief review of the general chemical composition of wood, the present status of the chemistry of the wood hemicelluloses is summarized, with special emphasis on recent contributions. The distribution of the hemicelluloses in the various wood tissues and wood cells and over the cell wall of tracheids and fibers is discussed in somewhat more detail. In conclusion, problems still to be solved in the chemistry of wood hemicelluloses are mentioned, and an attempt is made to predict future developments in this field.
Wavelengths for the 3s 2 1 S 0 –3s3p 3 P 1 transition of the magnesiumlike ions Fe 14+ through Nd 48+

The wavelengths of the 3s2 1S0–3s3p3P1 transition for the magnesiumlike ions Zn18+, Ge20+, Se22+, Mo30+, Sn38+, and Xe42+ have been measured in spectra from the Princeton Large Torus tokamak. When we compare these and other recently available observations with wavelengths calculated using Grant’s multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock program, wavelengths are predicted for the ions Fe14+ through Nd48+.
How large is the hand in the puppet? Ecological and evolutionary factors affecting body mass of 15 trematode parasitic castrators in their snail host

Parasitic castration is an adaptive strategy where the parasite usurps its host’s phenotype, most notably the host’s reproductive effort. Though castrators are loosely known to be large relative to their hosts (compared to typical parasites), their mass has rarely been quantified and little is known about size variation, even if such variation exists. By cross-sectioning snails, we examined intra- and inter-specific variation in the parasite/host mass of 15 trematode species that castrate the California horn snail, Cerithidea californica. Trematode species occupied 14–39% (mean = 20.3%) of an infected snail’s soft tissue mass. Intraspecific variation in castrator mass fluctuated with variables that covary with energy available for host reproduction. Specifically, trematode mass was 24% higher in summer than in winter, 15% greater in snails from intertidal flats than from tidal channels, and increased with host mass to the 1.37 power (a finding contrary to that previously documented for other types of parasites). Relative body mass differed across trematode species, varying interspecifically with: (1) taxonomic family, (2) host tissue use (larger species used more types of host-tissue), (3) position in the trematode interspecific competitive dominance hierarchy (the two most subordinate species were the largest, otherwise size tended to increase with dominance), and (4) type of host used by offspring (species whose offspring infect relatively predictably occurring benthic invertebrates were larger than those infecting transient vertebrates). Our findings suggest that ecological constraints and life history trade-offs between reproduction and survival influence the mass of these very large parasites.
Tropical spastic paraparesis treated with Combivir (lamivudine-zidovudine).

Abstract Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) or human T-cell leukemia virus–type 1 (HTLV–I)-associated myelopathy is caused by human T-lymphotropic virus type 1. It is a slow, progressive spastic paraparesis with significant morbidity and causing profound repercussions on quality of life. No therapies have been found to persistently improve the outcome in these patients. We present a patient with HTLV–1-associated myelopathy/TSP (HAM/TSP) who was treated with Combivir® (lamivudine–zidovudine, GlaxoSmithKline, London, UK). She was walker-dependent for several years but, soon after treatment with lamivudine–zidovudine, was able to walk using only a cane. The role of lamivudine–zidovudine should be investigated further in this patient population.
The Cuban missile crisis : the struggle over policy

Preface The Soviet Decision The Intelligence Story The Intelligence Post-Mortem The First American Reaction The Question of Soviet Motives The Policy Decisions The Resolution The Aftermath The Significance Index
Rhenium(VII) Oxo−Alkyl Complexes: Reductive and α-Elimination Reactions

Alkylation of ReO2(CH2CMe3)2X(py) (X = Cl, Br) with ZnR2 at low temperature gives ReO2(CH2CMe3)2R (R = Me, CH2CMe3, CH2SiMe3, Ph) in high yield. The crystal structure of ReO2(CH2CMe3)2Ph shows that it has a distorted trigonal bipyramidal structure with the oxo and Ph ligands in the equatorial plane. Photolysis of ReO2(CH2CMe3)3 in pyridine gives neopentane and ReO2(CHCMe3)(CH2CMe3), and ReO2(CHCMe3)(CH2CMe3) reacts with quinuclidine to give ReO2(CHCMe3)(CH2CMe3)(quinuclidine). In the solid state, ReO2(CHCMe3)(CH2CMe3) has a distorted tetrahedral structure, and ReO2(CHCMe3)(CH2CMe3)(quinuclidine) is trigonal bipyramidal with the neopentylidene and oxo ligands defining the equatorial plane. The Re−N bond distance is long, suggesting the rhenium−quinuclidine interaction is weak. Thermolysis of ReO2(CH2CMe3)2Ph in pyridine gives ReO2(CH2CMe3)(py)3 and neopentylbenzene. An X-ray structure of ReO2(CH2CMe3)(py)3 shows that it is octahedral with trans oxo groups. In solution ReO2(CH2CMe3)(py)3 is unstable in the ...
The effect of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine on immunological priming induced by 7-valent conjugate vaccine in asplenic subjects with β-thalassemia☆☆☆

The effect of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) on the 7-valent conjugate (PCV) vaccine-induced priming was evaluated in 35 splenectomised beta-thalassemics [median (range) age: 30 (12-41) years] vaccinated with either PCV/PPV or two PCVs 1 month apart, followed by a PPV booster 12 months later. 28/35 had already received 1-3 PPVs in the past. Different schedules induced similar anamnestic responses; however priming for 3/5 serotypes induced by one or two PCVs, was inferior in subjects who had received > or =2 PPVs in the past when compared with 23 aged-matched PPV-naive beta-thalassemics. One PPV following PCV does not affect PCV priming; multiple PPVs induce hyporesponsiveness for some serotypes in splenectomised subjects with beta-thalassemia.
Inner-shell photodetachment from Se− negative ions at the ALS

The photodetachment spectrum of Se− from 50 – 62 eV has been investigated using the merged ion-photon beam photodetachment technique. Se+ and Se++ ions formed by double and triple detachment were detected as a function of photon energy. Correlations in short-lived negative ion resonances formed by completely filling the valence 4p shell in Se- by photoexcitation of 3d electrons lead to three resonance structures. The resonances are observed in both the Se+ and Se++ decay channels bound by several eV below the 3d detachment threshold near 54 eV.
Adult and adolescent readers' comprehension monitoring performance: An investigation of monitoring accuracy and related eye movements

Abstract This study investigated the pattern of eye movements produced when adolescent and adult readers encountered contradictions of common knowledge and crosssentence contradictions. Subjects read paragraphs that did or did not contain inserted errors. Uninformed subjects were asked to prepare to answer a question about each paragraph. Informed subjects were asked to prepare to answer a question, but were also told that the paragraphs might contain errors and that they should prepare to report any errors that were located. Informed adult readers were more aware of inserted errors than were informed adolescent readers and this situation was particularly true when the errors were contradictions of common knowledge. Eye movement patterns were influenced by the presence of inserted errors and by instructions to locate errors.
Wavepacket dynamics of the nonlinear Harper model

The destruction of anomalous diffusion of the Harper model at criticality, due to weak nonlinearity $\chi$, is analyzed. It is shown that the second moment grows subdiffusively as $ \sim t^{\alpha}$ up to time $t^*\sim \chi^{\gamma}$. The exponents $\alpha$ and $\gamma$ reflect the multifractal properties of the spectra and the eigenfunctions of the linear model. For $t>t^*$, the anomalous diffusion law is recovered, although the evolving profile has a different shape than in the linear case. These results are applicable in wave propagation through nonlinear waveguide arrays and transport of Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices.
Transnational Feminist Networks: Collective Action in an Era of Globalization

Current theories of social movements have added much to our understanding of the dynamics of collective action. This includes attention to the role of grievances, political opportunities and constraints, mobilizing structures, and framing processes (McAdam, McCarthy and Zald, 1996). However, there are gaps and biases: (i) a Western bias and a tendency to focus research on movements in Western countries; (ii) a gender bias and a tendency to ignore women’s participation in social movements or theorize the gender dynamics of collective action; (iii) a national bias and a tendency to ignore global or world-systemic developments. Feminist sociologists have certainly advanced our understanding of the social dynamics of women’s movements and women’s organizations (Katzenstein and Mueller, 1987; Ferree and Hess, 1995; Ferree and Martin, 1995), but this body of knowledge is based largely on research concerning single, Western societies. Studies that have had an international focus include Morgan (1985), Moghadam (1994), Stienstra (1994), and Basu (1995), but these have not explicitly addressed social movement theory; nor have they theorized women’s movements as transnational or global social movements. (Basu [1995] explicitly rejects this proposition.)
The vitamin D analog 1α,25-Dihydroxy-2β-(3-Hydroxypropyloxy) vitamin D(3) (Eldecalcitol) is a potent regulator of calcium and phosphate metabolism.

The vitamin D analog 1α,25-dihydroxy-2β-(3-hydroxypropyloxy)vitamin D3 (ED-71 or eldecalcitol) has been developed for treatment of osteoporosis, but its effects on mineral metabolism have not been investigated in detail. In the present study, we compared the effects of eldecalcitol and calcitriol on calcium (Ca) and phosphate (Pi) handling in rats. Oral administration of eldecalcitol (0, 7.5, 20, or 50 pmol) q.o.d. for 2 weeks dose-dependently increased ionized Ca, intestinal Ca absorption, and urinary Ca excretion, while these doses of calcitriol had no significant effects. The highest dose of eldecalcitol did not alter serum Pi but stimulated both intestinal Pi absorption and urinary Pi excretion; the latter was attributable, in part, to increased serum FGF-23. The effects of high-dose eldecalcitol on Ca and Pi absorption and urinary excretion and FGF-23 persisted for several days following cessation of treatment. The higher potency of eldecalcitol on Ca and Pi handling was also observed in parathyroidectomized rats infused with PTH, excluding a role for differential regulation of PTH. Direct measurement of duodenal Ca absorption by the in situ loop method confirmed the higher potency of eldecalcitol in this segment via induction of TRPV6. These studies indicated that with chronic administration eldecalcitol is more potent than calcitriol at stimulating intestinal absorption of Ca and Pi, as well as FGF-23. The mechanisms responsible for the higher potency of eldecalcitol are speculated to be its higher vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) affinity and resistance to metabolism.
Modeling of residual stresses for thermally strained GaN/Al2O3 heterostructures

A finite element model and a specialized constitutive formulation were used to predict the evolving interfacial thermal mismatch stresses and strains in gallium nitride/alumina epitaxial layered systems. The constitutive formulation was based on having the coefficients of thermal expansion vary as a function of temperature for both material systems, which were assumed to be transversely isotropic. Different layer configurations were investigated, and it is shown that layer geometry is controlled by the evolution of induced thermal mismatch properties and residual stresses.
Ketotifen and Neurofibromatosis-Reply

In Reply.— The letter from Dr Krause, regarding the report by Riccardi 1 of decreased rate of neurofibroma growth observed during treatment with ketotifen, addresses the fundamental question of ketotifen therapeutic mechanisms in the treatment of neurofibromatosis. Specifically, Dr Krause raises concerns about the evidence that ketotifen can stabilize mast cells in vivo and, hence, the potential for mast-cell blockers to be important in the treatment of neurofibromatosis. Ketotifen has been shown to have several effects on mast cells in vitro. First, ketotifen has antihistamine activity as an H-1 receptor antagonist. 2,3 Second, ketotifen can prevent mast-cell degranulation as determined by membrane-triggered histamine release. 2,3 Third, ketotifen can prevent calcium flux across the cell membrane. 4 Evidence that ketotifen can prevent mast-cell degranulation in vivo is presented in the report by Huston et al 5 regarding three patients with physical urticarias. Dr Krause raises a concern regarding the observations of Huston and
Juvenile retinal detachment.

We feel that the management of juvenile retinal detachment can best be improved by earlier diagnosis. School vision-screening tests should be encouraged, and long-term followup of patients with high myopia, aphakia, and retrolental fibroplasia should be practiced. The peripheral retina should be examined in all traumatized eyes since delayed detachment is the rule. When retinal breaks are found in high-risk eyes, in our opinion, prophylactic treatment is indicated. Language: en
Wall-impedance-driven collective instability in intense charged particle beams

The linearized Vlasov-Maxwell equations are used to investigate detailed properties of the wall-impedance-driven instability for a long charge bunch ($\mathrm{\text{bunch}}\text{ }\mathrm{\text{length}}\text{ }{\ensuremath{\ell}}_{b}\ensuremath{\gg}\mathrm{\text{bunch}}\text{ }\mathrm{\text{radius}}\text{ }{r}_{b}$) propagating through a cylindrical pipe with radius ${r}_{w}$ and wall impedance $\stackrel{\texttildelow{}}{Z}(\ensuremath{\omega})$. The stability analysis is carried out for perturbations about a cylindrical Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij beam equilibrium with a flattop density profile in the smooth-focusing approximation. The perturbations are assumed to be of the form $\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\psi}(\mathbf{x},t)=\ensuremath{\delta}{\ensuremath{\psi}}^{\ensuremath{\ell}}(r)\mathrm{exp}﻿(i\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\theta}+i{k}_{z}z\ensuremath{-}i\ensuremath{\omega}t)$, where $(r,\ensuremath{\theta})$ are the radial and azimuthal coordinates in the transverse direction, and $z$ is the coordinate in the longitudinal direction. Here, $\ensuremath{\ell}=1,2,\dots{}$ is the azimuthal mode number of the perturbation in the transverse direction, ${k}_{z}$ is the wave number in the longitudinal direction, and $\ensuremath{\omega}$ is the oscillation frequency. As an example, detailed stability properties are determined for dipole-mode perturbations $(\ensuremath{\ell}=1)$ assuming negligibly small axial momentum spread of the beam particles. The stability analysis is valid for a general value of the normalized beam intensity ${s}_{b}={\stackrel{^}{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{pb}^{2}/2{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{b}^{2}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\perp}}^{2}$ in the interval $0l{s}_{b}l1$, where ${\stackrel{^}{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{pb}=(4\ensuremath{\pi}{\stackrel{^}{n}}_{b}{e}_{b}^{2}/{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{b}{m}_{b}{)}^{1/2}$ is the relativistic plasma frequency and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\perp}}$ is the applied focusing frequency.
Assembly site of the virus PBCV-1 in a Chlorella-like green alga: ultrastructural studies.

Abstract Ultrastructural studies revealed that PBCV-1 capsid assembly and DNA packaging occur in distinct regions in the cytoplasm of the host Chlorella -like green alga.
Peak Wet Braking Coefficient Measurement

Abstract The effect of brake application time and data filtering frequency on peak braking coefficient measurements are discussed. The study was conducted using the vehicle deceleration method, essentially in accordance with ASTM procedure Testing Tires for Wet Traction in Straight‐Ahead Braking Using Highway Vehicles (F 403‐74). It is shown that within the range covered in this program, the brake application time does not influence peak braking coefficient measurements. The selection of the data filtering frequency is shown to be very critical and dependent on brake application rate.
Experience and Explanation: Using Videogames to Prepare Students for Formal Instruction in Statistics

Well-designed digital games can deliver powerful experiences that are difficult to provide through traditional instruction, while traditional instruction can deliver formal explanations that are not a natural fit for gameplay. Combined, they can accomplish more than either can alone. An experiment tested this claim using the topic of statistics, where people’s everyday experiences often conflict with normative statistical theories and a videogame might provide an alternate set of experiences for students to draw upon. The research used a game called Stats Invaders!, a variant of the classic videogame Space Invaders. In Stats Invaders!, the locations of descending alien invaders follow probability distributions, and players need to infer the shape of the distributions to play well. The experiment tested whether the game developed participants’ intuitions about the structure of random events and thereby prepared them for future learning from a subsequent written passage on probability distributions. Community-college students who played the game and then read the passage learned more than participants who only read the passage.
Guanidine derivatives restore activity to carboxypeptidase lacking arginine-127.

Arg-127 stabilizes the oxyanion of the tetrahedral intermediate formed during Zn2+ carboxypeptidase A-catalyzed hydrolysis. Mutant carboxypeptidases lacking Arg-127 exhibit substantially reduced rates of hydrolysis with the change manifest almost entirely in kcat (kcat/Km is decreased by 10(4) for R127A). Therefore, Arg-127 stabilizes the enzyme-transition state complex but not the ground state enzyme-substrate complex (Phillips, M.A., Fletterick, R., & Rutter, W.J., 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 265, 20692-20698). The addition of guandine, methylguanidine, or ethylguanidine to R127A increases the kcat for hydrolysis of Bz-gly(o)phe by 10(2) without changing the Km. Dissociation constants (Kd) for the guanidine derivatives range from 0.1 to 0.5 M. The binding affinity for the transition state analog Cbz-phe-alaP(o)ala is increased similarly by 10(2); in contrast, the binding affinity of the ground state inhibitor benzylsuccinic acid is not altered. Thus, guanidine derivatives mimic Arg-127 in stabilizing the rate-limiting transition state. Hydrolysis of Bz-gly-(o)phe by wild-type carboxypeptidase, R127K, or R127M is not substantially affected by guanidine derivatives. Additionally, primary amines do not change the activity of R127A. These observations imply that guanidine binds in the cavity vacated by Arg-127 specifically and in a productive conformation for catalysis.
Superconductivity versus phase separation, stripes, and checkerboard ordering: A two-dimensional Monte Carlo study

Using Monte Carlo techniques, we study a simple model which exhibits a competition between superconductivity and other types of order in two dimensions. The model is a site-diluted XY model, in which the XY spins are mobile, and also experience a repulsive interaction extending to one, two, or many shells of neighbors. Depending on the strength and range of the repulsion and spin concentration, the spins arrange themselves into a remarkable variety of patterns at low temperatures T, including phase separation, checkerboard order, and straight or labyrinthine patterns of stripes, which sometimes show hints of nematic or smectic order. This pattern formation profoundly affects the superfluid density . Phase separation tends to enhance , checkerboard order suppresses it, and stripe formation increases the component of parallel to the stripes and reduces the perpendicular one. We verify that T =0 is proportional to the effective conductance of a random conductance network whose conductances equal the couplings of the XY system. Possible connections between the model and real materials, such as single high-Tc cuprate layers, are briefly discussed.
A numerical model for analysis of riveted splice joints accounting for secondary bending and plates/rivet interaction

Abstract The paper presents a numerical procedure for the analysis of riveted splice joints, taking into account the effect of the secondary out-of-plane bending and plates/rivet interaction. The joint is idealized by two separate layers that are linked by beam connectors with variable circular cross-sections, in order to account for the countersunk effect of the rivet heads. Rotational spring elements are used to partially restrain the rivet heads in the x–y plane. Gap elements are used to simulate the in-plane load transfer between the rivets and spliced plates. The efficiency of the method is illustrated by analyzing three models of splice joints. It is shown that the secondary bending largely affects the maximum tensile and compressive stresses within the joint. The difference may reach up to 39%. Finally, experimental comparison is made with photo-elastic test results for a spliced specimen with eighteen rivets. The predicted maximum shear strains along several lines within the splice region, for both cases, are found to be in reasonable agreement. Factors affected the experimental and the finite element results are also discussed.
Information in pallidal neurons increases with parkinsonian severity

Abstract Introduction The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) present with pathological neuronal activity in the basal ganglia. Although neuronal firing rate changes in the globus pallidus internus (GPi) and externus (GPe) are reported to underlie the development of PD motor signs, firing rates change inconsistently, vary confoundingly with some therapies, and are poor indicators of symptom severity. Methods We explored the relationship between parkinsonian symptom severity and the effectiveness with which pallidal neurons transmit information. We quantify neuronal entropy and information – alternatives to firing rate and correlations respectively – in and between GPe and GPi neurons using a progressive, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, non-human primate model of PD. Results Neuronal entropy and symptom severity were not linearly correlated: in both pallidal segments, entropy increased from naive to moderate parkinsonism, but decreased with further progression to the severely parkinsonian condition. In contrast, information transmitted from GPe to GPi increased consistently with symptom severity. Furthermore, antidromic information from GPi to GPe increased substantially with symptom severity. Together, these findings suggest that as parkinsonian severity increases, more and more information enters GPe and GPi from common sources, diminishing the relative importance of the orthodromic GPe to GPi connection. Conclusions With parkinsonian progression, the direct and indirect pathways lose their independence and start to convey redundant information. We hypothesize that a loss of parallel processing impairs the ability of the network to select and implement motor commands, thus promoting the hypokinetic symptoms of PD.
The consequences of childhood overweight and obesity.

Summary Researchers are only gradually becoming aware of the gravity of the risk that overweight and obesity pose for children’s health. In this article Stephen Daniels documents the heavy toll that the obesity epidemic is taking on the health of the nation’s children. He discusses both the immediate risks associated with childhood obesity and the longer-term risk that obese children and adolescents will become obese adults and suffer other health problems as a result. Daniels notes that many obesity-related health conditions once thought applicable only to adults are now being seen in children and with increasing frequency. Examples include high blood pressure, early symptoms of hardening of the arteries, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary disorder, and disordered breathing during sleep. He systematically surveys the body’s systems, showing how obesity in adulthood can damage each and how childhood obesity exacerbates the damage. He explains that obesity can harm the cardiovascular system and that being overweight during childhood can accelerate the development of heart disease. The processes that lead to a heart attack or stroke start in childhood and often take decades to progress to the point of overt disease. Obesity in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood may accelerate these processes. Daniels shows how much the same generalization applies to other obesity-related disorders—metabolic, digestive, respiratory, skeletal, and psychosocial—that are appearing in children either for the first time or with greater severity or prevalence. Daniels notes that the possibility has even been raised that the increasing prevalence and severity of childhood obesity may reverse the modern era’s steady increase in life expectancy, with today’s youth on average living less healthy and ultimately shorter lives than their parents—the first such reversal in lifespan in modern history. Such a possibility, he concludes, makes obesity in children an issue of utmost public health concern.
Breaking Surface Wave Effects on River Plume Dynamics during Upwelling-Favorable Winds

This study examines the dynamics of a buoyant river plume in upwelling-favorable winds, concentrating on the time after separation from the coast. A set of idealized numerical simulations is used to examine the effects of breaking surface gravity waves on plume structure and cross-shore dynamics. Inclusion of a wavebreaking parameterization in the two-equation turbulence submodel causes the plume to be thicker and narrower, and to propagate offshore more slowly, than a plume in a simulation with no wave breaking. In simulations that include wave breaking, the plume has much smaller vertical gradients of salinity and velocity than in the simulation without breaking. This leads to decreased importance of shear dispersion in the plumes with wave breaking.Much of the wideningrate of the plume is explainedby divergentEkmanvelocities at the off- and onshore edges. Some aspects of plume evolution in all cases are predicted well by a simple theory based on a critical Richardson number and an infinitely deep ocean. However, because the initial plume in thesesimulationsisincontactwiththeseafloorintheinnershelf,somedetailsarepoorlypredicted,especially around the time that the plume separates from the coast.
A Novel Role of VIP in Colonic Motility Function: Induction of Excitation–Transcription Coupling in Smooth Muscle Cells

Background & Aims: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) relaxes smooth muscle by generation of cAMP and activation of protein kinase A (PKA). However, PKA activation also phosphorylates the transcription factor CREB. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the phosphorylation of CREB induces gene expression of the pore-forming α1C subunit of Cav1.2 channels (L-type calcium channels), whose promoter has 2 binding sites for CREB. Methods: The experiments were performed on primary cultures of human colonic circular smooth muscle cells and freshly obtained human and rat colonic circular muscle strips. Results: The incubation of human colonic circular smooth muscle cells or muscle strips with VIP for 24 hours enhanced the expression of α1C protein and mRNA as well as the contractile response to acetylcholine and KCl. On the contrary, incubation of the muscle strips with VIP antagonist for 24 hours suppressed cell contractility. The incubation of the cells with VIP caused sustained generation of cAMP for 24 hours, but PKA activation and CREB phosphorylation were transient. The inhibition of PKA by H-89 or silencing of CREB gene with targeted RNAi blocked the transcription of α1C. Progressive 5′ deletions of hα1C1b promoter and site-directed mutations of the 2 CREB binding cis-elements indicated that most of α1C transcription was mediated by the 5′ cAMP response element. Conclusions: The excitation–transcription coupling stimulated by VIP induces expression of the Cav1.2 channels. The influx of calcium through these channels is a critical step in excitation–contraction coupling in smooth muscle cells.
The oxidized porous silicon field emission array

The goal of developing a highly efficient microwave power source has led us to investigate new methods of electron field emission. One method presently under consideration involves the use of oxidized porous silicon thin films. We have used this technology to fabricate the first working field emission arrays from this substance. This approach reduces the diameter of an individual emitter to the nanometer scale. Tests of the first samples are encouraging, with extracted electron currents to nearly 1 mA resulting from less than 20 V of pulsed DC gate voltage. Modulated emission at 5 MHz was also observed. Development of a full-scale emission array capable of delivering an electron beam at 18 GHz of minimum density 100 A/cm/sup 2/ is in progress. >
Antiapoptotic effects of estrogen in normal and cancer human cervical epithelial cells.

The present study investigated the antiapoptotic effects of estrogen in normal and cancer human cervical cells and the mechanisms involved. Baseline apoptosis in human cervical epithelial cells is mediated predominantly by P2X7-receptor-induced, Ca2+-dependent activation of the mitochondrial (caspase-9) pathway. Treatment with 10 nm 17β-estradiol blocked apoptosis induced by the P2X7-receptor ligands ATP and 2′,3′-0-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)-ATP in normal human cervical epithelial cells (hECEs) and attenuated the effect in hECEs immortalized with human papillomavirus-16 (ECE16–1) and the cancer cervical cells HT3 and CaSki. Diethylstilbestrol and to a lesser degree estrone could mimic the effects of 17β-estradiol, whereas actinomycin-D and cycloheximide attenuated the response. The antiapoptotic effect of estrogen did not depend on cell cycle phase, and in both normal and cancer cervical cells, it involved attenuation of activation of caspase-9 and the terminal caspase-3. However, involvement of cascades upstrea...
Humor and Health in Early Adolescents: Perceived Field Motion as a Mediating Variable

The purpose of this study was to test a mediational model, developed within the science of unitary human beings, by examining the relationship between humor and eudaimonistic health conception in early adolescents and by examining the extent to which perceived field motion mediated this relationship. The sample consisted of 136 adolescents, aged 12 to 14, who responded to instruments measuring humor, perceived field motion, and eudaimonistic health conception in classroom settings. Correlational analysis supported the three hypothesized relationships. Regression analyses indicated that perceived field motion was one mediator of the relationship between humor and eudaimonistic health conception.
Computer-Based Counselor-in-Training Supervision: Ethical and Practical Implications for Counselor Educators and Supervisors

Computer-based clinical supervision of counselors-in-training is becoming more prevalent (M. Reisch & L. Jarman-Rohde, 2000); however, its use is still in its infancy, and ethical standards have not been established regarding its practice. There exists a dearth of literature focusing on the ethical practice and development of supervisees when using computer-based supervision. This article (a) explores ethical practice when using technology to facilitate counselor supervision, (b) reviews specific types of computer-based applications, (c) presents potential advantages and disadvantages of computer-based supervision, and (d) offers implications for counselor educators and supervisors.
Evaluation of hydroxyurea-induced fetal skeletal changes in Dutch belted rabbits by micro-computed tomography and alizarin red staining.

BACKGROUND: This laboratory has been investigating the utility of X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to produce high-resolution, 3D images of skeletal structures in common laboratory species. The present investigation uses micro-CT evaluation of skeletons from rabbit fetuses exposed to the known teratogen, hydroxyurea. METHODS: Groups of 4–6 mated Dutch Belted female rabbits each were administered vehicle or hydroxyurea (62.5 to 500 mg/kg) once on GD 12. On GD 28, all live fetuses were weighed, euthanized, and viscera removed. Up to 7 fetuses per litter were placed into a custom-made polystyrene holder and scanned in the micro-CT imaging system. Raw projection data were acquired in approximately 15 seconds, and reconstructed images at 100-micron cubic voxel dimension could be viewed as early as 20 minutes later. Fetuses were subsequently stained with alizarin red, and findings recorded separately for each method without knowledge of treatment group. RESULTS: Except for a few isolated cases, micro-CT evaluation detected the same skeletal malformations, variations, and incomplete ossifications as seen by the staining method. Skeletal elements that are very small (e.g., caudal-most vertebrae, metacarpal no. 1) or those with a minimal degree of ossification were occasionally not observed with micro-CT. However, this difference did not impact the overall study conclusions. Femur length was easily measured by micro-CT. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that micro-CT imaging can effectively assess rabbit fetal skeletal structures, and for those laboratories with this resource, may be used to significantly reduce time prior to skeletal evaluation and hazardous wastes associated with staining. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 33:220–226, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Modeling on statistical distribution of noise parameters in pulse-doped GaAs MESFETs

Process-related variation of noise parameters in pulse-doped GaAs MESFETs is discussed. Fluctuation in gate length of the proposed devices is shown to be a dominant source of variation in noise parameters. The statistical distribution of the minimum noise figure (Fmin) is modeled and the probability density function is described. A comparison between the calculated result of the derived equation and the measured distribution of Fmin is also shown. >
The Impact of Stereotypical Versus Counterstereotypical Media Exemplars on Racial Attitudes, Causal Attributions, and Support for Affirmative Action

This study examines how exposure to media characters of color shapes viewers’ opinions of race-targeted policies. Exemplar-based information processing, attribution theory, and heuristic policy decision-making formed the theoretical foundation for the study. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment (N = 363) exposed participants to stereotypical or counterstereotypical exemplars representing the in-group (Whites) and the out-group (Blacks). The experiment revealed that exposure to stereotypical African American media characters compared to exposure to counter-stereotypical ones influenced real-world beliefs of African American stereotypes, internal attributions for perceived failures of this out-group, prejudicial feelings toward this out-group, and lack of support for pro-minority affirmative action policies. A structural model established “internal attributions for out-group failures” as a crucial mediator. Implications for entertainment studies and political communication are discussed.
Involvement of neuropeptide Y Y1 receptors in the regulation of neuroendocrine corticotropin-releasing hormone neuronal activity

The neuroendocrine parvocellular CRH neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus are the main integrators of neural inputs that initiate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression is prominent within the PVN, and previous reports indicated that NPY stimulates CRH mRNA levels. The purpose of these studies was to examine the participation of NPY receptors in HPA axis activation and determine whether neuroendocrine CRH neurons express NPY receptor immunoreactivity. Infusion of 0.5 nmol NPY into the third ventricle increased plasma corticosterone levels in conscious rats, with the peak of hormone levels occurring 30 min after injection. This increase was prevented by pretreatment with the Y1 receptor antagonist BIBP3226. Immunohistochemistry showed that CRH-immunoreactive neurons coexpressed Y1 receptor immunoreactivity (Y1r-ir) in the PVN, and a majority of these neurons (88.8%) were neuroendocrine as determined by ip injections of FluoroGold. B...
The penetration depth of plasma treatment into porous media at atmospheric pressure

Summary form only given, as follows. The effects on fabrics of plasma treatment by these discharges were investigated with respect to the depth of penetration of plasma treatment. Stacks of ten thin layers of polypropylene nonwoven fabric sheets were exposed to both types of discharge operated in air. The surface energy increase of each individual layer was measured. Measurement was performed for materials of various porosities. While in the case of SBD the depth of treatment was given mainly by diffusion of active particles originated from the thin layer of discharge plasma, the depth of treatment was connected with the size of pores, probably because of limitations given by distance, over which a charge imbalance (Debye length) can exist.
Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction in transposition of the great arteries: An angiographic study of 74 cases

Recent advances in techniques of angiocardiography now allow highly accurate assessment of the anatomy of the left ventricle in patients with transposition of the great arteries. The cineangiograms of 225 children with transposition were reviewed using axial cineangiographic techniques and 33 percent were found to have significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with or without coexisting ventricular septal defects. The varieties of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and the associated ventricular septal defects found in this group of patients are described, illustrated and correlated. The advantages of axial angiocardiography in the diagnosis of transposition are pointed out, and the techniques used to produce the axial angiocardiograms are reviewed.
STENOTHECOIDA, A PROPOSED NEW CLASS OF CAMBRIAN MOLLUSCA

Cambridium, Bagenovia, and Stenothecoides, composing the Family Cambridiidae, a monotypic superfamily and an order, were in 1960 assigned (although with a query) to the molluscan class Monoplacophora. The basic error of this assignment, according to the author, was the assumption that these specimens are univalves. One specimen from Siberia and a second from Alaska demonstrate that Stenothecoides is bivalved; Bagenovia was first described as a bivalve, but the implication of two valves was ignored. Short internal ridges normal to the shell margin in Cambridium and Stenothecoides, described by Rasetti and Horný, show little resemblance to features of pelecypod shells. These markings are not homologous to paired muscle scars of monoplacophorans. The asymmetric bivalved shell and internal furrows are interpreted as features of class-rank significance; the extinct class Stenothecoida is proposed to accommodate these genera. These animals are most common in Lower Cambrian, but range into Middle Cambrian. They may have been functionally similar to brachiopods, but were unable to compete with those more efficient bivalves.