cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetases

This chapter describes the chemistry and structure of nonribosomal peptide (NRP) biosynthetic machinery responsible for the construction of peptide-based natural products including the clinically important vancomycin and penicillin antibiotics. Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are large, multimodular enzymes which catalyze the formation of peptides using a thiol-templated mechanism. The modules contain enzyme domains often arranged in a colinear fashion with the amino acid building blocks of the natural product. With a focus on recent advances in the field, the chapter covers the diverse transformations catalyzed by synthetases and the chemistry of peptide biosynthesis. In addition, the role NRPS enzymology plays in the biosynthesis of nonproteinogenic amino acids and how these building blocks contribute to the diversity of natural products are reviewed. This work also covers the use of chemical tools to probe the function and structure of NRPSs. Overall, recent advances in understanding the chemistry and structure of these enzymatic assembly lines provide significant insight into the complex enzymology of NRPSs.
CEREBRAL VENTRICULAR SIZE: A BIOLOGICAL MARKER FOR SUB-TYPING CHRONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA

Cerebral ventricular enlargement, a non-specific finding suggestive of cerebral atrophy, appears to be a useful marker for sub-typing the schizophrenia syndrome. The results of a growing body of research indicate that a sizeable minority of chronic schizophrenic patients have enlarged ventricles. This group tends to have the following characteristics: predominantly negative symptoms, an irreversible course, neuropsychological deficits, clinical neurological signs, poor premorbid adjustment, poor response to neuroleptic drugs, and little response to dopamine agonistic drugs. It is suggested that this is a group for whom the dopamine hypothesis is not of major pathogenic relevance. Evidence in support of this is described.
Teaching Matters: Undergraduate Grant Writing Curriculum

Little literature on grant writing courses/assignments in undergraduate education exists. To gather data and best practices, a semester long undergraduate grant writing assignment was developed as ...
Early-career teachers’ instructional visions for mathematics teaching: impact of elementary teacher education

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of teacher education by examining instructional visions of graduates from a teacher education program, 2 or 3 years post-graduation. An instructional vision is a teacher’s idealized image of teaching practice, encompassing aspirations and hopes of what could occur in her classroom. We conducted an inductive analysis of participants’ self-reports of: (1) their instructional visions for teaching elementary mathematics, (2) whether their visions changed over time, (3) whether teacher education influenced changes in their visions, and (4) what their teacher education program promoted as an ideal instructional vision. We administered an open-ended questionnaire to 81 graduates from two cohorts of the same teacher education program. Using latent class analysis, we identified three profiles. Two profiles (89% of the participants) appeared to align with teacher education, suggesting more than one manifestation of the impact of teacher education. Our results indicated alignment between instructional visions and teacher education experiences with respect to teaching mathematics for conceptual understanding and engaging students in productive struggle. A contribution of this study is an awareness that teacher education programs could impact the instructional visions of their graduates in more than one way, with different subsets of intended visions remaining as residue. We conjectured that experiencing instruction that aligned with these instructional visions as learners while in teacher education influenced the development of these graduates’ visions.
Provider Responses to Patients With Chronic Conditions Who Follow a Plant-Based Diet:

Family involvement is encouraged to manage conditions and address issues of noncompliance in chronic disease. This study explored the patient–provider partnership experiences of highly motivated pa...
Using Peer Education to Promote Psychosocial and Occupational Health and Empowerment Among Female Sex Workers in Nepal

Female sex workers (FSWs) in Nepal are vulnerable to an array of occupational risks, which may compromise their psychosocial health and ability to engage in protective behaviors. A peer education (PE) intervention designed to empower and promote the psychosocial health of FSWs was pilot tested in Kathmandu, Nepal. FSWs who were exposed to the PE intervention (n = 96) had significantly higher scores on psychosocial health knowledge, perceived self-efficacy and ability to access resources, happiness, and job control compared with those who were not (n = 64). PE may be a promising way to promote psychosocial health and empowerment among FSWs.
Limitations of In2O3 as a transparent conducting oxide

Sn-doped In2O3 or ITO is the most widely used transparent conducting oxide. We use first-principles calculations to investigate the limitations to its transparency due to free-carrier absorption mediated by phonons or charged defects. We find that the main contribution to the phonon-assisted indirect absorption is due to emission (as opposed to absorption) of phonons, which explains why the process is relatively insensitive to temperature. The wavelength dependence of this indirect absorption process can be described by a power law. Indirect absorption mediated by charged defects or impurities is also unavoidable since doping is required to obtain conductivity. At high carrier concentrations, screening by the free carriers becomes important. We find that charged-impurity-assisted absorption becomes larger than phonon-assisted absorption for impurity concentrations above 1020 cm–3. The differences in the photon-energy dependence of the two processes can be explained by band structure effects.
Fibrin-VLDL Receptor-Dependent Pathway Promotes Leukocyte Transmigration by Inhibiting Src Kinase Fyn and is a Target for Fibrin β15-42 Peptide

According to the current view, binding of fibrin degradation product E1 fragment to endothelial VE-cadherin promotes transendothelial migration of leukocytes and thereby inflammation, and fibrin-derived β15-42 peptide reduces leukocyte transmigration by competing with E1 for binding to VE-cadherin and, in addition, by signaling through Src kinase Fyn. However, the very low affinity of β15-42 to VE-cadherin raised a question about its ability to inhibit E1-VE-cadherin interaction. Further, our previous study revealed that fibrin promotes leukocyte transmigration through the very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) receptor (VLDLR)-dependent pathway and suggested a possible link between the inhibitory properties of β15-42 and this pathway. To test such a link and the proposed inhibitory mechanisms for β15-42, we performed in vitro experiments using surface plasmon resonance, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and leukocyte transendothelial migration assay, and in vivo studies with wild-type and VLDLR-deficient mice using mouse model of peritonitis. The experiments revealed that β15-42 cannot inhibit E1-VE-cadherin interaction at the concentrations used in the previous in vivo studies leaving the proposed Fyn-dependent signaling mechanism as a viable explanation for the inhibitory effect of β15-42. While testing this mechanism, we confirmed that Fyn plays a critical role in controlling fibrin-induced transendothelial migration of leukocytes and found that signaling through the VLDLR-dependent pathway results in inhibition of Fyn, thereby increasing leukocyte transmigration. Furthermore, our in vivo experiments revealed that β15-42 inhibits this pathway, thereby preventing inhibition of Fyn and reducing leukocyte transmigration. Thus, this study clarifies the molecular mechanism underlying the VLDLR-dependent pathway of leukocyte transmigration and reveals that this pathway is a target for β15-42.
Prophylactic Antibiotics Reduce Morbidity from Septicemia during Intensive Treatment for Pediatric Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.

Abstract Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who receive intensive chemotherapy regimens containing high-dose cytarabine are at high risk for bacterial sepsis due to prolonged neutropenia and severe mucositis. To determine if the use of prophylactic antibiotics during periods of neutropenia reduced bacterial infections and viridans streptococcal infections (VSI) in particular, we reviewed the charts of 66 AML patients who were treated on our front line protocol (AML02) from October 2002 to June 2006. During this time, several consecutive prophylactic antibiotic strategies were implemented for use after intensive myelosuppressive therapy. All patients also received prophylactic antifungal therapy. Overall, patients who received any prophylactic antibiotic regimen had an 86% (95% CI: 66–95%) reduction in VSI (P
Speed-Interactive Pedaling Training Using Smartphone Virtual Reality Application for Stroke Patients: Single-Blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of speed-interactive pedaling training (SIPT) using a smartphone virtual reality application to improve lower limb motor function, trunk sitting balance, and gait in stroke patients. Forty-two patients who had previously experienced a stroke and could sit independently participated in the study. The subjects were assigned to the SIPT group (n = 21) and the control group (n = 21). The SIPT group had cycle training with SIPT for 40 min a day, five days a week, in a six-week period, in addition to conventional therapy. The control group had cycle training without SIPT and conventional therapy. The Fugl–Meyer Assessment, postural sway, modified functional reach test, trunk impairment scale, and spatiotemporal parameters of gait were used to assess the changes in lower extremity function, the static balance of sitting, the dynamic balance of sitting, and gait ability after the intervention. The Fugl–Meyer Assessment, postural sway, modified functional reach test, trunk impairment scale, and gait ability in the SIPT group were significantly better compared to that of the control group (p < 0.05). Based on this result, we propose that SIPT, which improves function, balance, and gait, could be used as an effective training method to improve patients’ functional activities in the clinical setting. The results of this study suggest that SIPT could be used as an effective training method to restore a patient’s function by improving trunk balance and motor function.
Parametric characterization of a taste phenotype in rats selectively bred for high versus low saccharin intake.

Taste signals food quality and reflects energy status and associated processes. Occidental high- and low-saccharin consuming rats (HiS, LoS) have been selectively bred for nearly 60 generations on intake of 0.1% saccharin in a 23-h two-bottle test, as a tool for studying individual differences in taste and its correlates in the domains of feeding, defensive, and social behavior. The saccharin phenotype itself has not been well characterized until now. The present series of parametric studies examined suprathreshold saccharin concentration-intake functions (Experiment 1), saccharin preference threshold (Experiments 2A and 2B), and intra- and inter-sweetener carryforward effects (Experiments 2B, 3A-3D). Results indicate high stability in line differences in behavior toward saccharin and also line-specific mutability of intake of saccharin and certain other sweeteners. Methodological and conceptual implications are discussed.
Neutron detection performance of gallium nitride based semiconductors.

Neutron detection is crucial for particle physics experiments, nuclear power, space and international security. Solid state neutron detectors are of great interest due to their superior mechanical robustness, smaller size and lower voltage operation compared to gas detectors. Gallium nitride (GaN), a mature wide bandgap optoelectronic and electronic semiconductor, is attracting research interest for neutron detection due to its radiation hardness and thermal stability. This work investigated thermal neutron scintillation detectors composed of GaN thin films with and without conversion layers or rare-earth doping. Intrinsic GaN-based neutron scintillators are demonstrated via the intrinsic 14N(n, p) reaction, which has a small thermal neutron cross-section at low neutron energies, but is comparable to other reactions at high neutron energies (>1 MeV). Gamma discrimination is shown to be possible with pulse-height in intrinsic GaN-based scintillation detectors. Additionally, GaN-based scintillation detector with a 6LiF neutron conversion layer and Gd-doped GaN detector are compared with intrinsic GaN detectors. These results indicate GaN scintillator is a suitable candidate neutron detector in high-flux applications.
Livestock Handling at the Abattoir: Effects on Welfare and Meat Quality

Low-stress handling that uses behavioral principles can help reduce bruises and improve meat quality in cattle, pigs, and sheep. Short-term stressors before stunning, such as electric prod use or jamming in the race, may increase Pale, Soft, Exudative meat in pork and reduce tenderness in beef. Longer term stresses may increase Dark, Firm and Dry meat. Continuous assessment of livestock handling practices is recommended. Handlers should be trained to move small groups of livestock. They also need to understand behavioral principles. The most important ones are flight zone and the point of balance at the shoulder. Calm animals will be easier to handle. Simple economical improvements in races and lairages can help facilitate animal movement through the facility. The movement of livestock can often be improved by (1) installation of a light at a dark stun box entrance, (2) moving lamps to reduce reflections on shiny metal, (3) installation of solid shields to prevent incoming animals from seeing people on moving conveyors, (4) redirection of air flow at the stun box entrance, or (5) in elevated conveyor restrainers, use of a false floor to prevent entering animals from seeing the “visual cliff ” effect. Continuous assessment and supervision are required to maintain low-stress handling methods.
Multimodal, Multiuser Immersive Brainstorming and Scenario Planning for Intelligence Analysis

This paper discusses two pieces of software designed for intelligence analysis, the brainstorming tool and the Scenario Planning Advisor. These tools were developed in the Cognitive Immersive Systems Lab (CISL) in conjunction with IBM. We discuss the immersive environment the tools are situated in, and the proposed benefit for intelligence analysis.
Advancements in Post-packaging Technologies

After packaging (post-packaging), the product and package are considered as a single unit. The package begins a journey that can go in many directions depending upon its ultimate end use. For the purposes of this chapter, post-packaging technologies will be limited to storage, distribution and transport to final product utilization. How the package is re-used, recycled or any other sustainability initiative will not be addressed but should be considered as a separate important issue. Post-packaging technologies are divided into four major categories: (1) active packaging, (2) intelligent packaging, (3) cold chain innovations, (4) insect invasion control. Current research and innovations leading to commercially available or possible future implement will be covered.
Clinical and laboratory features of patients with scleroderma and silicone implants.

We reviewed the available clinical and laboratory data from 56 patients with scleroderma and silicone implants from the English medical literature and 19 ases which have not been previously reported. The average age of onset of scleroderma was 43.6 ±. 10 years (range 20–73). Patients had silicone implants or an average of 9 ± 4 years prior to the development of scleroderma (range 1–32). Most patients had limited scleroderma (41 %). Twenty three percent had intermediate scleroderma and 36% had diffuse scleroderma. Clinical findings included: Raynaud’s phenomenon in 77%, esophageal dysfunction in 53%, and pulmonary involvement in 47%. Cardiac and renal involvement were uncommon. Antinuclear antibodies by immunofluorescence were found in 83 ercent of patients. The immunofluorescence pattern was speckled in 53%, centromere in 31% and nucleolar in 9%. Other antibodies (Scl-70, RNP, SSA/Ro, PM-Scl) were found in only a small proportion of patients. A clinical, serologic and immunogenetic comparison of patients with silicone implants and scleroderma and patients with idiopathic scleroderma is needed to better understand the pathogenesis of this disorder.
Monitoring and Analysis of Power Consumption on HPC Clusters using XDMoD

As part of the NSF funded XMS project we are developing tools and techniques for the audit and analysis of HPC infrastructure. This includes a suite of tools for the analysis of HPC jobs based on performance metrics collected from compute nodes. Although it may not be salient to the user, the energy consumption of an HPC system is an important part of the cost of maintenance and contributes a substantial fraction of the cost of calculations done with the system. We added support for energy usage analysis to the open-source XDMoD tool chain. This allows HPC centers to provide information directly to HPC stakeholders about the power consumption. This includes providing end users with energy usage information about their jobs as well as providing data to allow HPC center staff to analyze how the energy usage of the system is related to other system parameters. We explain how energy metrics were added to XDMoD and describe the issues we overcame in instrumenting a 1400 node academic HPC cluster. We present an analysis of 14 months of data collected on real jobs on the cluster. We performed a machine learning analysis of the data and show how energy usage is related to other system performance metrics.
POSITIVE PSYCHIATRY INTERVENTIONS IN GERIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH.

Positive psychiatry shifts the focus of geriatric mental healthcare beyond studying disorders and psychopathology to studying factors that contribute to mental well-being and successful aging. An increasing number of interventional studies are using treatments that target modifiable positive psychosocial characteristics (PPCs) and study their impact on mental health. Here we provide an overview of the literature on positive psychiatry interventions using illustrative examples of interventions targeting social connectedness, meaning in life, wisdom, and resilience. There is growing evidence that PPCs are modifiable constructs that may be associated with improved well-being, physical health, and mental health outcomes. The preliminary evidence summarized in this narrative review indicates that positive psychiatry interventions targeting social connectedness, meaning in life, wisdom, and resilience can improve overall well-being and other positive health outcomes amongst older adults. The effect sizes of these interventions reported in RCTs and meta-analyses are typically small to medium, but occasionally large effect sizes are also reported. Current literature is restricted by heterogeneous methodology, limiting clinicians’ abilities to extrapolate these principles of positive psychiatry into everyday practice. With the expanding body of evidence, positive psychiatry may have the potential to transform the landscape of geriatric mental health.
Patient health status and case complexity of outpatient surgeries at various facility types in the United States: An analysis using the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry.

Abstract Study objective Among the various types of outpatient surgery centers, there are differences in higher American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) scores and surgical complexity among patients who are undergoing surgery. The primary objective of this study was to describe the differences performed at various types of outpatient surgery facilities. Design We performed a retrospective analysis of the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry (NACOR) data. Setting NACOR from 2012 to 2017. Patients From 2012 to 2017, there were a total of 13,053,115 outpatient surgeries in the database. After removing cases with unknown facility type, the final study sample was 9,217,336. Interventions None. Measurements To calculate the probability of either American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) score ≥ 3 or physiologically complex cases (defined as Common Procedural Terminology start-up units ≥8), we performed mixed effects logistic regression for each institution per facility type, controlling for year and using facility identification as the random effect. We present the mean rate of these two classifications as case per 10,000 cases and report the 99.9% confidence interval (CI), to control for multiple comparisons. Main results Among all cases, 5,919,844 (64.2%) were classified as ASA PS 1 or 2 and 254,110 (2.8%) of surgical procedures were considered physiologically complex. The mean rate of cases with ASA PS ≥ 3in the university setting was 2982 per 10,000 cases [99.9% CI 2701–3278 per 10,000 cases]. Large community hospitals had a higher proportion of ASA PS ≥3 patients, medium-sized hospitals had no difference, and all other facility types had a decreased proportion. The mean rate of cases that were physiologically complex in the university setting was 133 per 10,000 cases [99.9% CI 117–151 per 10,000 cases]. Large community hospitals had a higher proportion of physiologically complex cases, medium-sized and small-sized hospitals had no difference, and all other facility types had a decreased proportion. Conclusions Freestanding and attached surgery centers exhibited smaller rates of patients that were ASA PS ≥ 3, as well as a decrease in surgically complex cases, when compared to university settings. This suggests that the level of conservativeness for patient and surgery appropriateness for outpatient surgery differs across various facility types.
How do Parents Manage Symptomatic Children? Social-Distancing Insights for COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza

Strategies for controlling pandemics include social distancing. Using data from a 2016 nation-wide survey pertaining to influenza, (generalized) ordered logit models are developed to identify the factors associated with the relative frequency (never/sometimes/always) a household (a) isolates a sick child from others in the household, (b) keeps the sick child out of school/daycare, (c) stops the child's social activities, (d) has a parent stay home to care for the child, and (e) has another adult care for the child. Marital status is non-significant for isolation practices but is significant in caregiving. Married individuals are 25% more likely to report a parent always staying home with a sick child. Males are more likely to report never isolating a sick child (6%, 3%, and 2% for actions a, b, and c, respectively) and 3% more likely to never have a parent stay home. Individuals knowledgeable about the disease are 10% more likely to always keep a sick child home from school/daycare. Parents are 27% more likely to always stay home with an infant. Individuals who had never worn masks (before the survey) are less likely to isolate a child within the household, but do not act significantly differently with respect to school/daycare.
Surface Plasmon Polariton Properties in Topological Continua under Radial Bias Using a Coordinate Free Dyadic Green’s Function

The concept of a photonic topological insulator (PTI) was first introduced for photonic crystals, which are periodic structures. Recently, it was suggested that continuous media with broken time-reversal symmetry, and without intrinsic periodicity, such as a magnetized ferrite or a magnetized semiconductor, are topologically nontrivial. A static magnetic field originates a gyrotropic response which makes the material response nonreciprocal. One of the most important aspects of PTIs is their ability to support unidirectional SPPs with unique properties, such as propagation in one direction, protection from backscattering and diffraction upon encountering discontinuities. They are also characterized by an integer Chern invariant, which cannot change except when the underlying momentum space topology of the bulk bands is changed.
Predicting Hygrothermal Degradation of Composites in Accelerated Testing

Advanced fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials have been increasingly used in many applications relevant to the Army’s transformation. Many of these applications require the FRP composites to perform over long periods in harsh environments with extremes of temperature, humidity, water, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation and chemicals. It is important to understand the long term durability of FRP composites to environmental stimuli. This paper presents results of the hygrothermal degradation of E-glass/epoxy composites in accelerated tests and compares these results to predictions made using a modeling methodology based on Arrhenius-type reaction laws. To investigate the hygrothermal degradation behavior, E-glass/epoxy composites were subjected to accelerated tests at controlled temperatures and relative humidities. The specimens were exposed in an unloaded state and with a static tensile load of 2% of the ultimate transverse tensile strength. In the model predictions, three degradation mechanisms were considered: (1) post-curing, (2) thermal degradation, and (3) hygrothermal degradation.
Besov and Triebel-Lizorkin Spaces on Ahlfors-Regular Quasi-Metric Spaces

The 1960s and 1970s saw the birth of a new scale of spaces in the Euclidean setting known as Besov spaces, \(B_{s}^{p,q}\big(\mathbb{R}^{d}\big)\), and Triebel-Lizorkin spaces, \(F_{s}^{p,q}\big(\mathbb{R}^{d}\big)\), where the parameters \(s \in \mathbb{R}\) and p, q ∈ (0, ∞] measure the “smoothness” and, respectively, the “size” of a given distribution in these spaces.
Ethnomusicology as the Study of People Making Music

This essay defines ethnomusicology as the study of people making music. People make sounds that are recognized as music, and people also make “music” into a cultural domain. The essay contrasts this idea of music as a contingent cultural category with earlier scientific definitions that essentialized music as an object.
Cardiac myocyte-specific overexpression of caveolin-3 enhances β-adrenergic signaling and response in young and aged mice (850.8)

Caveolins (Cavs) are scaffolding proteins essential to the formation of caveolae, membrane domains that compartmentalize numerous signaling molecules, including β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs). A de...
Maastrichtian North Atlantic warming, increasing stratification, and foraminiferal paleobiology at three timescales

[1] Analysis of 944 single specimens of three species of late Maastrichtian planktonic foraminifera (Racemiguembelina fructicosa, Contusotruncana contusa, and Rugoglobigerina rugosa) from 38 samples spanning the last 3 Myr of the Cretaceous shows consistent isotopic trends through time, consistent isotopic differences among taxa, and high within-sample isotopic variability throughout. Within-sample variability does not change systematically through time for any taxon, but average δ18O values decrease by ∼1.5‰, and average δ13C values diverge up section. Comparing taxa, average δ18O values are similar within most samples, but average δ13C values generally decrease from R. fructicosa to R. rugosa to C. contusa. In addition, the within-sample variability of individual δ13C measurements is larger for R. fructicosa than for either C. contusa or R. rugosa, an observation which is consistent with a photosymbiotic habitat for R. fructicosa. In terms of Maastrichtian paleoceanography the negative δ18O trend of ∼1.5‰ corresponds to a temperature increase of ∼6°C, and the divergence of δ13C values up section suggests an increasingly stratified water column in the western Atlantic through the late Maastrichtian. We suggest that these trends are best explained by increasing import of South Atlantic waters into the North Atlantic and an intensification of the Northern Hemisphere polar front.
Sonographically guided proximal tibiofibular joint injection: technique and accuracy.

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to describe a technique for sonographically guided proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) injections and compare its accuracy with that of palpation guided injections in a cadaveric model. Methods A single experienced operator completed 12 sonographically guided and 12 palpation guided PTFJ injections in unembalmed cadavers. The injection order was randomized, and all injections were completed with diluted colored latex. Coinvestigators blinded to the injection technique dissected each specimen and graded the colored latex location as accurate (in the PTFJ), accurate with overflow (within the PTFJ but also in other regions), or inaccurate (no latex in the joint). For statistical analysis, all injections placing latex within the PTFJ were considered "accurate," whereas "inaccurate" injections resulted in no PTFJ latex. Results All 12 sonographically guided PTFJ injections accurately placed latex into the PTFJ (100% accuracy), whereas only 7 of 12 palpation guided injections (58%) placed latex within the PTFJ (P = .01). All 5 inaccurate palpation guided injections were superficial and inferior to the PTFJ. Four of 12 accurate sonographically guided PTFJ injections (33%) showed some overflow into the adjacent anterior musculature, whereas 5 of the accurate palpation guided injections (42%) resulted in overflow into the anterior musculature (1), knee joint (2), or both (2). Conclusions This cadaveric investigation suggests that sonographic guidance can be used to inject the PTFJ with a high degree of accuracy and should be considered superior to palpation guidance. Clinicians should consider using sonographic guidance to inject the PTFJ for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes when clinically indicated.
Skinfold thicknesses in a national probability sample of U.S. males and females aged 6 through 17 years

Cycles II and III of the Health Examination Survey included measurements of the skinfolds of over 14,000 individuals 6 through 17 years of age, statistically weighted to provide an accurate national probability sample. Analyses of the triceps and subscapular skinfolds of Negroes and whites are reported here, utilizing the median in preference to the mean. Females of either racial group have thicker skinfolds at all ages studied. Whites have greater median triceps thicknesses than Negroes of the same sex and age, but there are no differences between the two racial groups in the subscapular. Since, between all but one pair of adjacent ages in males, from 12 years on, the median triceps fold decreases, but the estimated cross-sectional are of fat increases, it is strongly recommended that reductions in triceps thickness not be automatically interpreted as meaning a loss of subcutaneous fat. Since greater skewness is found in the subscapular distributions in whites, but not in the triceps, it is suggested that racial differences in triceps thickness at these ages occurs from the operation of hereditary factors, while differences in the subscapular skinfold arise from environmental causes.
Effect of Changing the Light/Dark Schedule, the Time of Onset of the Light or Dark Period, or the Daylength, on Rhythms of Epidermal Cell Proliferation

Rhythms of labeling and mitotic indices were studied in the hindlimb epidermis of the anuran tadpole Rana pipiens under different light/dark (LD) cycles and daylengths in order to examine the role of the various parameters of the lighting regimen in setting the periods of the rhythms and the timing of the cell proliferation peaks. Altering the time of, or inverting, the 12 h light period on a 24 h day resulted in phase shifting of basically bimodal circadian rhythms with peaks in the light and dark. Thus the cell proliferation rhythms were entrained to the LD cycle. These rhythms also entrained to noncircadian schedules since they lengthened on a 15L : 15D cycle and shortened on a 9L : 9D cycle, although the bimodal characteristic of a peak in the light and a peak in the dark remained. Studies of 18L: 6D and 6L : 18D cycles in which either the time of onset of light or dark was changed relative to the 12L: 12D control indicated that the onset of dark may regulate the timing of the labeling index peaks whi...
The pFF plasmids: cassettes utilising CaMV sequences for expression of foreign genes in plants.

Abstract A plant expression cassette was constructed using the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S 5′ regulatory region with the enhancer duplicated and the 35S polyadenylation signal. Insertion of a polylinker between the transcription initiation and polyadenylation sites allows for easy cloning of genes. To test the usefulness of the cassette chimeric bacterial genes were prepared. The constructs were introduced into Nicotiana tabacum suspension culture cells by the particle bombardment process. Expression of the β-glucuronidase reporter gene was verified by histochemical staining. Stable kanamycin and hygromycin resistant transgenic lines were obtained after introduction of chimeric genes encoding the enzymes neomycin phosphotransferase and hygromycin B phosphotransferase, respectively. The number of stable transformants was approximately 2% of the cells that transiently expressed the β-glucuronidase reporter gene.
Semiconductor quantum well lasers with nanoscale resonant periodic active layers

Quantum dot semiconductor lasers have been the subject of significant investigation for many years. In part this is for potential applications based on desirable properties when compared with traditional quantum well-based lasers such as ultra-low threshold current density and reduced temperature sensitivity. The most common technique for quantum dot growth is the self-assembly technique, in which dots form as a result of the large strain which exists between the dot material and substrate material. Unfortunately self-assembly results in dots with random positions and a broad size distribution. This leads to inhomogeneous broadening, decreased peak gain, and increased threshold current density. The lack of complete control over individual quantum dot properties inherent with the self-assembly technique has been the predominant obstacle to realizing their full potential for use in photonic devices.
Prospective payment for nursing homes increased therapy provision without improving community discharge rates.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) on therapy use and community discharge rates. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study examining the pre-demonstration (1994) to demonstration (1997) change in amount of therapy provided, and in community discharge rates at PPS participating and non participating facilities. SETTING: Eighteen PPS participating and 17 nonparticipating SNFs in five states. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand sixty-seven admissions to 18 PPS participating and 17 nonparticipating SNFs in five states. MEASUREMENTS: We compared changes in number of physical and occupational therapy visits per stay for patients receiving therapy and likelihood of being located in the community 60 days after admission between 1994 and 1997. Analyses were stratified by functional category and risk adjusted using multivariate methods. RESULTS: Demographics and percentage of patients in each stratum were similar in participating and nonparticipating sites and between 1994 and 1997. Amount of therapy received by the highest-functioning patients increased in participating sites (19.3 to 26.5 visits per stay, P = .005), but not in nonparticipating sites (23.3 3 to 18.2, P = 98). After adjusting for covariates, likelihood of community discharge for the highest-functioning patients did not change between participating and nonparticipating sites. CONCLUSIONS: The highest-functioning patients treated under the SNF PPS demonstration experienced great increases in therapy, without any improvement in rate of community discharge.
Regulation of cytochrome P-450 isozymes by methylenedioxyphenyl compounds

Regulation of cytochrome P-450 isozymes 1a-1, 1a-2, and 2b-10 by methylenedioxyphenyl compounds was studied by measuring levels of mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity in hepatic tissue from C57BL/6 (Ah+) and DBA/2 (Ah-) mice dosed with isosafrole (ISO) or piperonyl butoxide (PBO). Increases in 1a-2 and 2b-10 protein were observed for ISO and PBO in both strains of mice, suggesting an Ah receptor-independent mechanism for induction of these isozymes; 1a-1 induction, however, was seen only in C57 mice. Piperonyl butoxide was the more potent inducing agent in both strains. In C57 mice treated with five dose levels of PBO, induction of 1a-1 mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity were seen at doses equal to or greater than 104 mg/kg, but were not detected at lower doses. With isosafrole, induction of 1a-1 mRNA was observed only at the highest dose tested (400 mg/kg); however, neither 1a-1 protein nor increased enzymatic activity was seen at this dose. Dose-response studies showed maximum inducible levels for 1a-2 and 2b-10 protein, beyond which the mRNAs continued to increase while the protein levels remained constant.
Nuclear spin relaxation in the presence of internal rotation II. Nuclear-spin-internal rotational coupling in benzotrifluoride and hexafluorobutyne-2

Abstract A magnetic nucleus located on an internal rotor is coupled not only to the rotational magnetic field generated by the end-over-end rotation of the molecule but also to the magnetic field produced by the internal rotation of the top relative to the frame. We have examined the importance of this nuclear-spin-internal-rotational coupling as a nuclear spin-lattice relaxation mechanism for the fluorine spins in benzotrifluoride and hexafluorobutyne-2. In order to elucidate the nature of the stochastic processes which modulate the spin-rotation interaction and are thereby responsible for the coupling of the nuclear-spin system to the lattice in these molecules, both the temperature and the viscosity dependences of the fluorine spin-lattice relaxation times in benzotrifluoride as well as the viscosity dependence in hexafluorobutyne-2 have been investigated. It is concluded that the rotational magnetic fields generated by overall and internal rotation are fluctuating independently and that each field is described by a distinct correlation time. It is also concluded that, contrary to previous proposals, the nuclear-spin-internal-rotation interaction contributes significantly to the spin-lattice relaxation of the methyl group protons in molecules such as toluene at room temperature.
Equivalent electrical circuits for advanced energy harvesting

Energy harvesting is now an established field, and the linear equivalent circuit models for single- and multiple-degree-of-freedom systems are being routinely used to assess the energy harvesting efficiency of various interface and electronic circuits. However, as the field of energy harvesting moves toward more complex systems such as nonlinear energy harvesting and fluidic energy harvesting, modified equivalent circuits are required to effectively capture the behavior of these devices. This article presents two general methods (a system-level approach and a dependent source equivalent approach) that can adequately model the behavior of more advanced harvesters. These approaches can also be easily used to model single- and multiple-degree-of-freedom linear harvesters. Equivalent circuits for both piezoelectric and electromagnetic harvesters are discussed. Four case studies are presented to illustrate the application of these equivalent circuit approaches including the following: (1) a piezoelectric Duffi...
Inhibition of hamster sperm Na+, K+-ATPase activity by taurine and hypotaurine.

Abstract Taurine, hypotaurine and the structural analogue, beta-alanine, were tested for their effects on Na+, K+-ATPase activity of crude homogenates prepared from washed cauda epididymal hamster sperm. Preincubation with 0.1–10 mM taurine or hypotaurine inhibited Na+, K+-ATPase in a dose-dependent manner, while beta-alanine had an inhibitory effect only at 10 mM. The results of this study are the first evidence to demonstrate inhibition of Na+, K+-ATPase activity by taurine and hypotaurine and are discussed in relation to the ability of these compounds to sustain hamster sperm motility and fertility.
IMIDAZOBENZODIAZEPINE RO15-4513 AUGMENTS ETHANOL-INDUCED WHEEL-RUNNING SUPPRESSION IN THE RAT

The ability of RO15-4513 to block ethanol-induced motor incapacitation and was assessed via ethanol-induced suppression of wheel-running. However, either ethanol or RO15-4513 administration alone produced an equivalent decrease (75% and 72%, respectively) in wheel-running performance. Administration of RO15-4513 at 2.5, 1.25, 0.625, 0.312, 0.156, and 0.078 mg/kg doses produced a dose-dependent suppression of wheel-running. Finally, ethanol administration following pretreatment with RO15-4513 (3.0 mg/kg) produced greater suppression of wheel-running (89%) than ethanol administration alone (55%). These results demonstrate intrinsic suppressant effects of RO15-4513, and the lack of generality in the previously reported antagonism of ethanol-induced intoxication by RO15-4513.
Communicating brand gender through type fonts

The marketing literature suggests that positioning a brand in terms of brand gender (i.e., brand masculinity and brand femininity) generates favorable consumer responses, yet there is little research on how brand gender perceptions arise. This research examines whether type font can be employed to create brand gender perceptions in the context of unfamiliar brands. Building on the theoretical framework of personality inferences based on static cues, three studies involving a range of type fonts, brand names, and product categories demonstrate that type font influences consumers’ perceptions of brand gender. Type font effects emerged for brand names presented in isolation (Study 1), brand names presented on signage (Study 2a), and brand names on product labels (Studies 2b and 3). Importantly, type font effects on brand gender persisted in the presence of a competing brand gender cue (i.e., brand name with gender associations), and type font and brand name influenced brand gender perceptions independently. ...
Synthesis and characterization of main‐chain NLO oligomers and polymer that contain 4‐dialkylamino‐ 4′‐(alkylsulfonyl)azobenzene chromophores

An ω-amino carboxylic acid monomer that contained a nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophore was prepared by a convergent synthesis. Strategies for selective protection/deprotection of the amino and carboxylic acid functionalities were developed. The protected monomer, 4-[N-(4-benzyloxycarbonyl)butyl-N-methylamino]-4′-[2″,5″-bis(decyloxy)-4″-(phthalimidomethyl)benzylsulfonyl]azobenzene, could be deprotected selectively or sequentially to give HOOC-monomer-N-phthaloyl, benzyl-OOC-monomer-NH2, or HOOC-monomer-NH2. Sequential synthesis was performed to yield main-chain NLO dimers and tetramers. This was accomplished by selective deprotection and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide coupling. The HOOC-monomer-NH2 was polymerized by treatment with diphenylphosphoryl azide to give a main-chain NLO polyamide. The monomer, dimer, tetramer, and polymer NLO materials were characterized by 1H, 13C, IR, and UV–visible spectroscopy as well as by gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and elemental analysis. The NLO properties of these materials were measured. Thin films of the oligomers and polymer were prepared by spin casting on indium-tin oxide coated glass. The second-order NLO properties of the oligomers and polymer thin films were studied by in situ corona poling/second-harmonic generation and attenuated total reflection methods. The optimal poling temperatures were significantly lower than the melting temperatures or glass-transition temperatures of the oligomers and polymer. The poling efficiency increased in the following order: monomer, oligomers, and polymer. An electro-optic coefficient of 4 pm/V at 1.06 μm was obtained for the polymer. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 546–559, 2000
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases: managing genome stability

The importance of poly(ADP-ribose) metabolism in the maintenance of genomic integrity following genotoxic stress has long been firmly established. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and its catabolic counterpart, poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) play major roles in the modulation of cell responses to genotoxic stress. Recent discoveries of a number of other enzymes with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity have established poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation as a general biological mechanism in higher eukaryotic cells that not only promotes cellular recovery from genotoxic stress and eliminates severely damaged cells from the organism, but also ensures accurate transmission of genetic information during cell division. Additionally, emerging data suggest the involvement of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in the regulation of intracellular trafficking, memory formation and other cellular functions. In this brief review on PARP and PARG enzymes, emphasis is placed on PARP-1, the best understood member of the PARP family and on the relationship of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation to cancer and other diseases of aging.
Thiazide-Type Diuretics: Ongoing Considerations on Mechanism of Action

Thiazide-type diuretics have enjoyed a considerable success in the management of hypertension. These drugs have assumed a standard-of-care position in the minds of many health care providers; however, a number of questions remain unresolved in relation to their use. Such questions include issues of mechanism of action, comparability to loop-diuretics in their actions, class-effect, and the basis for their additivity with non-diuretic antihypertensive medication classes. Understanding these issues is important to the effective use of these compounds.
The Theory And Measurement Of Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (Brdf) And Bidirectional Transmittance Distribution Function (BTDF)

The concepts of BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) and BTDF (Bidirectional Transmittance Distribution Function) are defined and discussed as being the ratios of differential outputs of radiance divided by differential inputs of irradiance. Appropriate measurement arrangements and procedures are presented, and the problems are described that are involved in going from the differentials of theory to the finite quantities of measurement. Finally appropriate data reduction schemes are given for determining BRDF and BTDF from these measurements.
Zeros in Amplitudes: Gauge Theory and Radiation Interference

It is found that any complete single-photon tree amplitude has a general canonical form which vanishes in certain kinematical zones provided that any derivative couplings are as prescribed by gauge theory. The location of these zones depends only on the external charges and momenta. Their occurrence is based on classical radiation interference that is a generalization of the well-known absence of dipole radiation by colliding particles with the same charge-to-mass ratio. Weak-boson amplitude zeros are explained.
Corrigendum to "Biomass and primary productivity of the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium spp. in the tropical N Atlantic Ocean" . [Deep Sea Research—Part I 51 (2004) 173-203]

Corrigendum to ‘‘Biomass and primary productivity of the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium spp. in the tropical N Atlantic Ocean’’ [Deep Sea Research—Part I 51 (2004) 173–203] Edward J. Carpenter , Ajit Subramaniam, Douglas G. Capone Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, 3152 Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA 94920, USA Department of Biological Sciences, Wrigley Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA