cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fertility management of Klinefelter syndrome

Introduction: Klinefelter syndrome (KS) represents the most common chromosomal abnormality in the general population, and one of the most common genetic etiologies of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and in severe oligospermia. Once considered untreatable, men with KS and NOA now have a variety of treatment options to obtain paternity.Areas covered: The cornerstone of treatment for both KS and NOA patients remains the surgical retrieval of viable sperm, which can be used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection to obtain pregnancy. Although the field has advanced significantly since the early 1990s, approximately half of men with KS will ultimately fail fertility treatments. Presented is a critical review of the available evidence that has attempted to identify predictive factors for successful sperm recovery. To optimize surgical success, a variety of treatment modalities have also been suggested and evaluated, including hormonal manipulation and timing of retrieval.Expert opinion: Individuals with KS have a relatively good prognosis for sperm recovery compared to other men with idiopathic NOA. Surgical success is heavily dependent upon surgical technique and the experience of the andrology/embryology team tasked with the identification and use of testicular sperm.
A Wave Model and Diffusion Coefficients for Plasmaspheric Hiss Parameterized by Plasmapause Location

The scattering of electrons via plasmaspheric hiss whistler-mode plasma waves has profound consequences for the dynamics of electrons in the inner terrestrial magnetosphere, including the radiation...
Anatol Roshko, 1923–2017

We present a brief account of Anatol Roshko's research and educational contributions to fluid mechanics, focusing on the spirit of his transformative ideas and legacy.
Advancements in the gold standard: Measuring steroid sex hormones by mass spectrometry

Sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogens, play an essential role in regulating physiological and reproductive development throughout the lifetime of the individual. Although variation in levels of these hormones are observed throughout the distinct stages in life, significant deviations from reference ranges can result in detrimental effects to the individual. Alterations, by either an increase or decrease, in hormone levels are associated with physiological changes, decreased reproductive capabilities, and increased risk for diseases. Hormone therapies (HTs) and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are commonly used to address these factors. In addition to these treatments, gender-affirming therapies, an iteration of HTs, are also a prominent treatment for transgender individuals. Considering that the effectiveness of these treatments relies on achieving therapeutic hormone levels, monitoring of hormones has served as a way of assessing therapeutic efficay. The need for reliable methods to achieve this task has led to great advancements in methods for evaluating hormone concentrations in biological matrices. Although immunoassays are the more widely used method, mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods have proven to be more sensitive, specific, and reliable. Advances in MS technology and its applications for therapeutic hormone monitoring have been significant, hence integration of these methods in the clinical setting is desired. Here, we provide a general overview of HT and ART, and the immunoassay and MS-based methods currently utilized for monitoring sex hormones. Additionally, we highlight recent advances in MS-based methods and discuss future applications and considerations for MS-based hormone assays.
Analysis on the characteristics of new occupational diseases in Changzhou City from 2006 to 2018

Objective: To explore the characteristics of new occupational diseases in Changzhou City from 2006 to 2018, and provide scientific basis for relevant departments to formulate prevention and control strategies. Methods: In July 2019, the data of new occupational diseases in Changzhou City from 2006 to 2018 were collected, and the distribution of new occupational diseases, such as disease types, regions, population, industries, economic types and scale of enterprises were analyzed. Results: From 2006 to 2018, a total of 432 new cases of occupational diseases were reported in Changzhou, mainly including occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases (175 cases, 40.51%) , occupational chemical poisoning (130 cases, 30.09%) , and occupational otorhinolaryngological and oral diseases (83 cases, 19.21%) . There were 378 males (87.50%) and 54 females (12.50%) . The gender distribution of new occupational diseases in different categories was statistically significant (χ(2)=32.12, P<0.01) . The average age of onset was (48.3±12.2) years, of which 40-49 years (152 cases, 35.19%) were the most. The age distribution of new occupational diseases in different categories was statistically significant (χ(2)=157.53, P<0.01) . The average length of service was (9.38±9.05) years, and most of them were 1-9 years (175 cases, 40.51%) . Manufacturing industry (290 cases, 67.13%) and mining industry (78 cases, 18.06%) are the major industries; private economic enterprises (274 cases, 63.43%) and state-owned economic enterprises (74 cases, 17.13%) are the major economic types; small enterprises (295 cases, 68.29%) and medium-sized enterprises (75 cases, 17.36%) are the major enterprises. Conclusion: We should strengthen the prevention and control of occupational diseases in key areas, people, industries, etc, and the employer, workers and government department should exercise their rights and obligations together to do a good job in the prevention and control relevant of occupational diseases.
Explore, Create, Annotate: Designing Digital Drawing Tools with Visually Impaired People

People often use text in their drawings to communicate their ideas. For visually impaired people, adding textual information to tactile graphics is challenging. Labeling in braille is a laborious process and clutters the drawings. Audio labels provide an alternative way to add text. However, digital drawing tools for visually impaired people have not examined the use of audio for creating labels. We conducted a study comprising three tasks with 11 visually impaired adults. Our goal was to understand how participants explored and created labeled tactile graphics (both braille and audio), and their interaction preferences. We find that audio labels were quicker to use and easier to create. However, braille labels enabled flexible exploration strategies. We also find that participants preferred multimodal interaction commands, and report hand postures and movements observed during the drawing process for designing recognizable interactions. Based on our findings, we derive design implications for digital drawing tools.
The Charney Sensitivity of Homicides to Atmospheric CO2: A Parody

Homicides in England and Wales 1898-2003 are studied against the atmospheric carbon dioxide data for the same period. The Charney Equilibrium Sensitivity of homicides is found to be λ=1.7 thousands of additional annual homicides for each doubling of atmospheric CO2. The sensitivity estimate is supported by a strong correlation of ρ=0.95 and detrended correlation of ρ=0.86. The analysis illustrates that spurious proportionalities in time series data in conjunction with inadequate statistical rigor in the interpretation of empirical Charney climate sensitivity estimates impedes the orderly accumulation of knowledge in this line of research.
Nutritional Management of the Late Pregnant Dry Cow with Particular Reference to Dietary Cation-Anion Difference and Calcium Supplementation

All too often the dry pregnant cow is the most neglected creature on the dairy because she is not contributing to current cash flow and profit. It is commonly accepted that the milk yield peak the cow achieves in early lactation, to a large extent, influences her total lactational yield. Proper management of the late pregnant dry cow period should be portrayed to dairy producers as an investment in the future; an investment targeted towards achievement of maximal lactational and reproductive performance in the next lactation. Nutritional management strategies should be implemented during the last 3 to 4 weeks of pregnancy that can help ensure a high return on that investment postpartum. In recent years one such potential strategy, incorporation of the cation-anion difference concept into formulation of diets for cows in late gestation, has been reported and application is occurring in some commercial dairies.
Environmental persistence but not per capita transmission rates of a chytrid fungus determines infection prevalence

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWUnderstanding local-scale variability in disease dynamics can be important for informing strategies for surveillance and management. For example, the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; Bd), which is implicated in population declines and species extinctions of amphibians, causes spatially variable epizootics and extirpations of its hosts. Outbreak heterogeneity could be driven by differential survival of zoospores, the free-living infectious life stage of Bd, or the persistence of dead zoospores and/or its metabolites in water, which could induce resistance among hosts. To gain a mechanistic understanding of the potential for variation in local transmission dynamics of Bd, we conducted Bd survival and infection experiments and then fit models to discern how Bd mortality, decomposition, and per-capita transmission rate vary among water sources. We found that infection prevalence differed among water sources, which was driven by differences in mortality rates of Bd zoospores, rather than differences in per-capita transmission rates. Specifically, zoospore mortality rates varied significantly among pond water treatments and were lower in artificial spring water compared to pond water sources. These results suggest that variation in Bd infection dynamics could be a function of differences in exposure of hosts to live Bd. In contrast to the persistence of live zoospores, we found that rates of decomposition of dead zoospores did not vary among water sources. These results may suggest that exposure of hosts to dead Bd or its metabolites, which have been shown to induce acquired resistance, might not commonly vary among nearby sites. Ultimately, a mechanistic understanding of the drivers of variable epizootics of Bd could lead to increases in the effectiveness of surveillance and management strategies.
Fundamentals of Wireless Communication: The wireless channel

A good understanding of the wireless channel, its key physical parameters and the modeling issues, lays the foundation for the rest of the book. This is the goal of this chapter. A defining characteristic of the mobile wireless channel is the variations of the channel strength over time and over frequency. The variations can be roughly divided into two types (Figure 2.1): Large-scale fading , due to path loss of signal as a function of distance and shadowing by large objects such as buildings and hills. This occurs as the mobile moves through a distance of the order of the cell size, and is typically frequency independent. Small-scale fading , due to the constructive and destructive interference of the multiple signal paths between the transmitter and receiver. This occurs at the spatial scale of the order of the carrier wavelength, and is frequency dependent. We will talk about both types of fading in this chapter, but with more emphasis on the latter. Large-scale fading is more relevant to issues such as cell-site planning. Small-scale multipath fading is more relevant to the design of reliable and efficient communication systems – the focus of this book. We start with the physical modeling of the wireless channel in terms of electromagnetic waves. We then derive an input/output linear time-varying model for the channel, and define some important physical parameters. Finally, we introduce a few statistical models of the channel variation over time and over frequency.
Method For Studying the Migration of Aging Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Epidemiological and experimental observations demonstrate a strong correlation between the structural and functional modifications of the vessel wall occurring with age and an increase in susceptibility and responsiveness to vascular injury (Bilato and Crow 1996). Understanding age alterations in isolated vascular cells is one approach to identifying relevant pathways affected by the aging process.
Three-Dimensional Simulation

This chapter talks about three-dimensional FDTD simulation. In actuality, three-dimensional FDTD simulation is very much like two-dimensional simulation - only harder. It is harder because of logistical problems: we use all vector fields and each one is in three dimensions. The chapter first discusses free space simulation, and then explains the perfectly matched layer (PML) for three dimensions and total/scattered field formulation in three dimensions. It presents a program that generates a plane wave in three dimensions. Specifying a sphere in three dimensions is similar to specifying a cylinder in two dimensions. The major difference is that it must be done for all three electric fields.
Performing Arts and Community Exchange (PACE) and the Fulfillment of the Ignatian Educational Promise

This article describes the development and evolution of a 2009 University of San Francisco (USF) course, Performing Arts and Community Exchange (PACE), and its most visible development: a devised, collaborative, dance theatre performance, Man.Alive. Stories from the edge of incarceration to the flight of imagination. PACE, which reflects and richly embodies Ignatian standards, can be used as a touchstone for appreciating and evaluating similar or resonant work across disciplines and at other institutions. Furthermore, contemplation of its pedagogy, methods, and outcomes may lead to a productive reconsideration of the kind of performing arts curriculum Jesuit universities should embrace.
Overall and central adiposity and breast cancer risk in the sister study

BACKGROUND Greater body mass index (BMI), a measure of overall adiposity, is associated with a higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. The role of central adiposity, often measured by waist circumference, is less well understood, especially among premenopausal women. The objective of the current study was to examine multiple measures of adiposity in relation to breast cancer in a prospective cohort study. METHODS A total of 50,884 Sister Study cohort participants aged 35 to 74 years were enrolled from 2003 through 2009. Inclusion criteria for the cohort included having a sister previously diagnosed with breast cancer. Trained study personnel measured height, weight, and waist and hip circumference during a home visit and study participants completed a detailed questionnaire. Using Cox regression analysis, we estimated multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for breast cancer risk associated with adiposity measurements, considering tumor subtype and menopausal status. RESULTS In total, 2009 breast cancers were diagnosed during follow-up (mean = 5.4 years). Weight, BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were found to be positively associated with overall breast cancer risk and HRs were greater among postmenopausal women, those with hormonally responsive tumors, and women who were not currently using postmenopausal hormones. In models that adjusted for BMI, waist circumference associations persisted among both postmenopausal women (81-88 cm vs ≤80 cm: HR = 1.16 [95% CI 1.01-1.35] and >88 cm vs ≤80 cm: HR = 1.30 [95% CI 1.10-1.54]) and premenopausal women (81-88 cm vs ≤80 cm: HR = 1.56 [95% CI 1.19-2.04] and >88 cm vs ≤80 cm: HR = 1.30 [95% CI 0.91-1.87]). CONCLUSIONS Findings from this large, prospective study with examiner-measured body size indicate that waist circumference is independently and positively associated with both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Cancer 2015;121:3700–3708. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
A site-specific DNA inversion in Bacteroides plasmid pBF4 is influenced by the presence of the conjugal tetracycline resistance element.

pBF4 is a 42-kb R plasmid from Bacteroides fragilis which transfers clindamycin resistance (Clr) independently of the chromosomal tetracycline resistance (Tcr) transfer element. We have found that this plasmid exists in two nonequimolar conformations, A and B. These forms differ by an inversion of approximately 11.5 kb which does not involve the repeated DNA sequences previously mapped on the plasmid. The presence of chromosomal tetracycline resistance conjugal elements influences the relative amounts of the two conformations: induction with tetracycline shifts the dominant form from B to A. Images
The electronically-controlled axis-traction handle: Preliminary report

Aim: The scope of this preliminary report is to illustrate the performance characteristics of an electronically-controlled axis-traction handle. Material & Method: Preclinical testing was conducted with a prototype of the innovative device, using a childbirth simulator. Results: The simulated forceps deliveries demonstrated that the innovative device allows the obstetrician to measure (unencumbered by dials, scales and cable connections) the traction applied, to be alerted when the preset 50 lbs (22.68 kg) safety limit is approached, and to generate a hard copy print-out of the traction data. Conclusion: The electronically-controlled axis-traction handle represents a major technologic advance, that could help improve the training and safe practice of forceps deliveries.
Multivariate Error Function Based Neural Network Operators Approximation

Here we present multivariate quantitative approximations of real and complex valued continuous multivariate functions on a box or \(\mathbb {R}^{N},\) \(N\in \mathbb {N}\), by the multivariate quasi-interpolation, Baskakov type and quadrature type neural network operators.
The Red Cell Volume of the Maternal and Foetad Vessels of the Guinea Pig Placenta.

Summary. Circulating red cell and blood volume determinations with red blood corpuscles labelled with 32P were carried out on nine guinea pigs in the second half of pregnancy. The variations n-ere less pronounced when the volumes were correlated to maternal weight, i. e. total body weight minus the weight of the products of conception, but the series is too small to allow an analysis of the blood volume variations during pregnancy. In the same experiments the erythrocyte content of the maternal vessels of the placenta was determined on a total of 25 placentae. A steady increase of the blood cell content per unit weight during pregnancy was found, which is in agreement with morphological findings. The blood volumes, calculated from the cell volumes with the use of the arterial hematocrit, ranged from 9 to 30 % of the wet weight of the placenta. In a 57 days pregnant animal the four placentae contained 10.8 % of the total blood volume and in another close to term the three placentae held 10.7 % of the body blood volume. The content of blood in the foetal vessels of the guinea pig placenta was determined on another series, comprising 12 placentae in four animals in the last week of pregnancy; it was found to be equal to the amount of blood on the maternal side. The red cell volume was higher on the foetal side owing to the higher foetal hematocrit. The placentae contained 11–18 % of the total foetal blood, and 55–69 % of the foetal blood was passing through the placenta per minute. Present address: Harsdorffsvej 6 A, Copenhagen V, Denmark.
Approximating latin square extensions

In this paper we investigate the problem of computing the maximum number of entries which can be added to a partially filled latin square. The decision version of this question is known to be NP-complete. We present two approximation algorithms for the optimization version of this question. We first prove that the greedy algorithm achieves a factor of 1/3. We then use insights derived from the linear relaxation of an integer program to obtain an algorithm based on matchings that achieves a better performance guarantee of 1/2. These are the first known polynomial-time approximation algorithms for the latin square completion problem that achieve nontrivial worst-case performance guarantees. Our study is motivated by applications to lightpath assignment and switch configuration in wavelength routed multihop optical networks.
Cracks and screw dislocation arrays in anisotropie bimaterial plates

This article examines the equilibrium configuration of dislocation arrays in anisotropic bimaterial plates. Both components in the plate are assumed to be orthotropic with respect to plate axes. Forces on dislocations due to external loadings are found in closed form.Image forces due to phase boundary and free surfaces are also taken into consideration.Discussions on the behavior of screw dislocation arrays can be easily extended to the behavior of antiplane shear cracks. The crack opening displacements for several biomaterial systems have been calculated. In these systems, the crack opening displacements are found to be insensitive to the variation of plate thickness. However, they are strongly affected by the relative magnitude of elastic constants of the component phases. This is demonstrated in several diagrams.
Pattern recognition in the prediction of protein structure. I. Tripeptide conformational probabilities calculated from the amino acid sequence

A procedure that uses pattern recognition techniques to compute tripeptide conformational probabilities is described. The procedure differs in several respects from the many “secondary structure” prediction algorithms that have been published over the last 20 years. First, the procedure classifies tripeptides into 64 different conformational types, rather than just α, β and coil, as is commonly done. Thus, the procedure can attempt to predict regions of irregular structure. Second, the procedure uses the methods of pattern recognition, which are powerful but conceptually simple. In this approach, amino acid properties are used to map peptide sequences into a multivariate property space. Particular tripeptide conformations tend to map to particular regions of the property space. These regions are represented by multivariate gaussian distributions, where the parameters of the distributions are determined from tripeptides in the protein X-ray data bank. Finally, rather than making simple predictions, the procedure computes probabilities. Tripeptide conformational probabilities are calculated in the multivariate property space using the gaussian distributions. In a prediction, the procedure might find that a particular tripeptide in a protein has a 36% chance of being in the ααα conformation, a 17% chance of being ααϵ, a 14% chance of being ααα*, etc. The α-helical conformation is thus the most probable, but, in predicting the structure of the protein, a search algorithm should also consider some of the other possibilities. The values of the probability provide a rational basis for selecting from among the possible conformations. The second article of this series describes a procedure that uses the probabilities to direct a search through the conformational space of a protein. The third article of the series describes a procedure that generates actual three-dimensional structures, and minimizes their energies. The three articles together describe a complete procedure, termed “pattern recognition-based importance-sampling minimization” (PRISM), for predicting protein structure from amino acid sequence.
The proteins of Potato yellow dwarf virus.

Abstract SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of potato yellow dwarf virus (PYDV) indicated the presence of four major proteins, present in the relative ratio of 1:4:8:6. Their molecular weights were estimated to be 22,000, 33,000, 56,000, and 78,000, respectively. At least four additional minor components were detected when the gels were overloaded, one of these was less than 56,000 while the others were greater than 78,000. Amino acid analysis was recorded for both serotypes of PYDV and for the three larger structural components of one of these serotypes. Carbohydrate was detected in the 78,000 component and in one of the high molecular weight, minor components. Immunodiffusion analyses indicated that the 22,000 and 56,000 components conferred, in part, serotype specificity, while the 33,000 and 78,000 components were responsible for the antigenic similarity between the serotypes. The 56,000 structural protein was implicated as the monomer of the soluble antigen, and its amino acid content strongly suggested an association with the viral nucleic acid. The inclusion of PYDV in the rhabdovirus group, hitherto based solely on particle morphology, is now supported by several additional properties.
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF SUPERCONDUCTING Mo--Re ALLOYS.

This paper gives details of research carried out on the low-temperature properties of Mo-Re alloys in the superconducting state. Measurements were made on a 52-48% alloy of Mo-Re both unannealed and annealed, the alloy being in the form of fine wires. Micrograph studies were made to determine the percentage of the various phases present in each specimen. The low-temperature measurements covered observations of the magnetization as a function of applied magnetic field at various temperatures using two different techniques. The measurements yielded the critical magnetic fields ${H}_{c1}$ and ${H}_{c2}$ as a function of temperature and of the state of anneal, as well as of the transition temperature ${T}_{c}$. Estimates were made of ${H}_{c}(T)$ and the Ginzburg-Landau-Abrikosov-Gor'kov and Maki parameters $\ensuremath{\kappa}$, ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{1}(T)$, and ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{3}(T)$. Comparisons of the results are made with results obtained previously by us from resistivity measurements on the same alloy and by other authors on similar superconducting alloys; the comparisons show consistency in the data. Our evaluations of $\frac{{\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{1}(T)}{{\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{1}({T}_{c})}$ and of $\frac{{\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{3}(T)}{{\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{3}({T}_{c})}$ are consistent with the theory of Maki.
Cooling Penetration Surrounding an Intra-Parenchymal Cooling Probe in Hypothermia Treatment for Ischemia or Head Injury Patients: Theoretical Analyses

Inducing hypothermia to brain tissue after brain ischemia or head injury has been demonstrated beneficial to the patients. Clinical studies have shown that even 1 or 2°C temperature reduction in brain tissue can be protective [Dietrich 1992]. On the contrary, fever-induced hyperthermia can worsen the neurological outcome in an animal model after cerebral ischemia. It is of clinical importance to understand the temperature distribution in brain during brain hypothermia.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A Primer for Doing Talk-in-interaction Research in Augmentative and Alternative Communication

The study of talk-in-interaction is focused on how people conduct social interactions in real world situations, in real-time. The purpose of this article is to provide a primer for understanding talk-in-interaction research, conversation analysis and microanalysis in the AAC field. An overview of talk-in-interaction research and a discussion of important issues in the field will be presented, followed by a tutorial on conducting microanalytic investigations in AAC.
Additional motional-magnetic-field considerations for electric-dipole-moment experiments.

Electric-dipole-moment experiments based on spin-precession measurements of stored atoms or neutrons are generally considered to be immune from the effects of v\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}E or motional magnetic fields. This is because the average velocity for such systems is zero. We show here that the fluctuating field associated with the random velocity, heretofore not considered, can in fact lead to sizable systematic effects.
Dynamic fatigue of indented, soda-lime glass as a function of temperature

Dynamic fatigue data as a function of temperature for indented-annealed and indented-aged soda-lime glass was analysed using an exponential crack velocity equation based on stress corrosion theory. Agreement in the crack velocity parameters as derived from the two sets of data indicates that the residual contact stress of the indented-aged samples was properly accounted for. However, the predicted macroscopic crack velocity curves based on the indentation fatigue data did not agree with those based on double cantilever beam measurements and possible reasons are discussed.
The Effect of Ultraviolet Radiation on Sulfhydryl and Disulfide Containing Amino Acids

Abstract : According to Rothman and his associates pigmentogenic stimuli, such as ultraviolet radiation, cause pigmentation by oxidizing or destroying inhibitory sulfhydryl compounds, thus enabling an enzyme to act on the pigment precursor. It was therefore of interest to study the effect of ultraviolet irradiation on the possible reduction of the -S-S- (disulfide) linkage of cystine and homocystine to -SH and possible oxidation of the -SH (sulfhydryl) group of cysteine to -S-S-. Methionine was also studied.
Space-Time scales of internal waves

Abstract We have contrived a model E(αω) α μ−1ω−p+1(ω 2−ω i 2)−+ for the distribution of internal wave energy in horizontal wavenumber, frequency-space, with wavenumber α extending to some upper limit μ(ω) α ω r-1 (ω 2−ω i 2)½, and frequency ω extending from the inertial frequency ω i to the local Vaisala frequency n(y). The spectrum is portrayed as an equivalent continuum to which the modal structure (if it exists) is not vital. We assume horizontal isotropy, E(α, ω) = 2παE(α1, α2, ω), with α1, α2 designating components of α. Certain moments of E(α1, α2, ω) can be derived from observations. (i) Moored (or freely floating) devices measuring horizontal current u(t), vertical displacement η(t),…, yield the frequency spectra F (u,η,…)(ω) = ∫∫ (U 2, Z 2,…)E(α1, ∞2, ω) dα1 dα2, where U, Z,… are the appropriate wave functions. (ii) Similarly towed measurements give the wavenumber spectrum F (…)(α1) = ∫∫… dα2 dω. (iii) Moored measurements horizontally separated by X yield the coherence spectrum R(X, ω) which is ...
The vascular prepattern enhancer trap marks early vascular development in arabidopsis.

Summary: Vascular development is a fundamental component of leaf morphogenesis, and the mechanisms that control vascular patterning are poorly understood. We report here the identification of an enhancer trap line, Vascular Prepattern (VPP), that acts as a marker for early vascular development. GUS reporter gene expression in VPP was detected in provascular cells from the earliest stages of primary midvein formation in leaf primordia and subsequently coincided with the early specification of higher order veins. GUS expression in VPP also marks the quiescent center cells of the root apical meristem at all stages of root development. VPP provides a marker for early vascular development and will be a useful tool for studying vascular patterning. genesis 33:155–159, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A photoaffinity inhibitor of aromatase.

Several 7α-substituted 4-androstene-3, 17-diones are potent inhibitors of the biosynthesis of estrogens, with the most effective being 7α-(4'-amino)phenylthio-4-androstene-3, 17-dione. An azide derivative of this 7α-thioether compound has been prepared as a potential photoaffinity inhibitor. The enzyme kinetics of the azide analog were examined under both dark conditions and UV irradiation. In the dark, the azide was a very potent competitive inhibitor, with an apparent Ki of 1.3 nM. Under UV-irradiation, a time-dependent loss of aromatase activity was also observed. These studies indicate that the 7α-substituent enhances the affinity of the steroidal analogs for the enzyme site.
HICO On-Orbit Performance and Future Directions

The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) is flying on the International Space Station. Here we give a brief overview of HICO on-orbit performance and suggest future directions for imaging the coastal ocean.
THE COLLAPSE OF FRONTIER FARMING IN ALASKA

ABSTRACT Literature of the 1898–1950 period predicted that Alaska would be occupied by pioneer farmers, in a manner similar to the rest of the United States. Physical conditions allow subsistence farming in large areas of Alaska, and many governemnt inducement were offered to pioneers. These included liberal land laws, a subsidized government railroad, and a demonstration group settlement scheme. The almost complete failure to attract settlers seems attributable mainly to a decline in the traditional advantages of frontier agriculture in the twentieth century and a simultaneous rise in the opportunities and amenities of urban life. These trends were generally not acknowledged by government planners until about 1950, and their increasingly elaborate plans to force the recalcitrant yeoman farmer onto the “last frontier'’were thus exercises in frustration.
Influence of Water Hardness and Salts on Survival and Physiological Characteristics of Striped Bass during and after Transport

Abstract Physiological characteristics and survival of striped bass Morone saxatilis were evaluated during, and for 1 month after, transportation from a soft-water hatchery (hardness, 28 mg/ L) to a hard-water hatchery (hardness, 110 mg/L). Fish were transported and allowed to recover in either 1.0% sodium chloride, 0.1 % calcium chloride, or fresh water. The addition of 1.0% sodium chloride to the transportation and recovery waters increased survival, decreased the rise in plasma cortisol and plasma glucose concentrations, and reduced osmoregulatory dysfunction. The addition of 0.1% calcium chloride to the transport and recovery media or the use of fresh water did not significantly reduce the stress response of striped bass during and after transport. Striped bass had significantly better survival and lower stress response when transported and allowed to recover in 1.0% sodium chloride than when treated in fresh water or 0.1 % calcium chloride, which is generally used in soft-water hatcheries to increase...
High-density apolipoprotein A-I and A-II kinetics in relation to regional adiposity

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I concentrations decrease with increasing central adiposity. The present study investigated possible mechanisms for these effects by examining the relationship between body mass index, regional adiposity, and HDL apo A-I and A-II metabolism. Fifteen sedentary men and 10 male endurance athletes aged 22 to 44 served as subjects. HDL apo A-I and A-II metabolism was examined using 125I-labeled autologous HDL. Chest and thigh skinfold thickness and the ratio of chest to thigh skinfold thickness were used as indices of regional adiposity. The relationship of adiposity to HDL metabolism was examined using correlational and multiple regression analysis. In both subject groups, the fractional catabolic rate of apo A-I and A-II increased with increasing chest skinfold thickness and chest to thigh skinfold ratio (.43 < r2 < .66). This effect was partially independent of triglyceride or HDL cholesterol concentrations. Apo A-I and A-II fractional catabolic rates increased with increasing body mass index only in the sedentary men. Concentrations and synthetic rates (mg · d−1 · kg−1) of apo A-I and A-II were not consistently related to body mass index or regional adiposity. Peripheral adiposity assessed by thigh skinfold thickness was not correlated with any parameter of apo metabolism. We conclude that HDL apo A-I and A-II catabolism increases with increasing central adiposity.
Sequence feature-based prediction of protein stability changes upon amino acid substitutions

Background Protein destabilization is a common mechanism by which amino acid substitutions cause human diseases. Although several machine learning methods have been reported for predicting protein stability changes upon amino acid substitutions, the previous studies did not utilize relevant sequence features representing biological knowledge for classifier construction.
Resection and Reconstruction of an Osteochondroma of the Hallux: A Review of Benign Bone Tumors and a Description of an Unusual Case

Osteochondroma, which is also known as exostosis, is the most common benign bone tumor. Although foot and hand surgeons frequently encounter the subungual exostosis, exostoses commonly localize to other areas of the skeleton as well. In this review, we describe the clinical and diagnostic imaging characteristics of benign bone tumors and, in particular, the osteochondroma and its surgical management. We also report the case of a patient who experienced an unusual pedal digital osteochondroma-like lesion. Level of Clinical Evidence: 4
Widespread Reductions of Cortical Thickness in Schizophrenia and Spectrum Disorders and Evidence of Heritability

Context Schizophrenia is a brain disorder with predominantly genetic risk factors, and previous research has identified heritable cortical and subcortical reductions in local brain volume. To our knowledge, cortical thickness, a measure of particular interest in schizophrenia, has not previously been evaluated in terms of its heritability in relationship to risk for schizophrenia. Objective To quantify the distribution and heritability of cortical thickness changes in schizophrenia. Design We analyzed a large sample of normal controls, affected patients, and unaffected siblings using a surface-based approach. Cortical thickness was compared between diagnosis groups on a surfacewide node-by-node basis. Heritability related to disease risk was assessed in regions derived from an automated cortical parcellation algorithm by calculating the Risch λ. Setting Research hospital. Participants One hundred ninety-six normal controls, 115 affected patients with schizophrenia, and 192 unaffected siblings. Main Outcome Measure Regional cortical thickness. Results Node-by-node mapping statistics revealed widespread thickness reductions in the patient group, most pronouncedly in the frontal lobe and temporal cortex. Unaffected siblings did not significantly differ from normal controls at the chosen conservative threshold. Risch λ analysis revealed widespread evidence for heritability for cortical thickness reductions throughout the brain. Conclusions To our knowledge, the present study provides the first evidence of broadly distributed and heritable reductions of cortical thickness alterations in schizophrenia. However, since only trend-level reductions of thickness were observed in siblings, cortical thickness per se (at least as measured by this approach) is not a strong intermediate phenotype for schizophrenia.
Recent Undergraduate Power Engineering Projects at Western Kentucky University

The electric power courses at Western Kentucky University are part of a project-based engineering curriculum, in which classroom instruction is heavily augmented by real-world projects. This paper discusses three recent projects assigned as part of junior and senior design. Two of the three were senior projects that began in the junior year, and involved external support from industry and government partners. Integration of large-scale, multidisciplinary, multi-year projects into an undergraduate project-based curriculum will also be presented.
Transesophageal echocardiographic features of normal and dysfunctioning bioprosthetic valves

Transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography and color flow Doppler were performed in patients with 42 normal and 20 dysfunctioning bioprosthetic mitral and aortic valves. Transesophageal echocardiography was superior to the transthoracic approach in delineating bioprosthetic valve cusps and the presence of valve thickening due to valve degeneration. In 27 clinically normal bioprosthetic mitral valves, regurgitation was demonstrated in three patients by the transthoracic approach and in seven by transesophageal study. Both transesophageal and transthoracic color flow Doppler demonstrated mitral regurgitation in 17 clinically regurgitant valves. The severity of mitral regurgitation was accurately assessed by the transesophageal study in all 13 patients who underwent angiography, whereas the transthoracic imaging underestimated valvular regurgitation in 7 of the 13 cases (54%). Bioprosthetic aortic valves were normal on clinical examination in 15 patients and were regurgitant in three others. Both transthoracic and transesophageal color flow Doppler were of equal value in observing and quantifying aortic regurgitation. In five clinically normal and regurgitant mitral and aortic valves, transesophageal color flow Doppler revealed eccentric regurgitant jets suggestive of paravalvular leak. This feature was not evident by the transthoracic approach. In conclusion, transesophageal echocardiography and color flow Doppler are superior to transthoracic imaging in estimating bioprosthetic mitral, but not aortic regurgitation, in differentiating valvular from paravalvular regurgitation, and in demonstrating thickened valves due to cusp degeneration.
Statistical models for studying DNA sequence evolution

Abstract Statistical models for DNA sequence evolution and several methods for estimating the number of substitutions per site between two sequences are discussed. These methods are modified to include the effect of rate variation among sites.
Restricted product multinomial and product Poisson maximum likelihood estimation based upon Fenchel duality

Abstract The iterative algorithm developed in El Barmi and Dykstra (1994) to maximize the multinomial likelihood function over an intersection of convex regions is extended to the product multinomial and product Poisson situations. This algorithm typically uses solutions to simple maximum likelihood problems to solve difficult problems and is guaranteed to converge to the true solution.
Nostalgia | Utopia | Spaghetti: utopian and anti-nostalgic time in the Italian Western

The conventional Hollywood Western is founded on a nostalgic break with the past; it contemplates the end of the Old West and its chivalric codes with a bittersweet regret, even while acknowledging it was necessary for the world of law and order that came after. This radical break with the past was, of course, essential for the creation of the viewer’s nostalgia. The Italian Western undid this nostalgia on two levels, however: first, at the level of the image, the Italian Western eradicated the white-hatted knight in favor of con-men and mercenaries whose trademark was dirt, sweat, facial hair, bloodstains, and execrable table manners. What was the viewer to be nostalgic about? More radically, the Italian Western undid the essential structure of nostalgia. The spaghetti Western repeatedly suggested a radical continuity with the past: the present is a continuation of the nineteenth-century robber-baron capitalism and state exploitation of the disenfranchised. While most Italian Westerns are ‘simply’ cynica...
EFFECTS OF PRE-RIGOR TENSION ON TENDERNESS OF INTACT BOVINE AND OVINE MUSCLE

Mechanical and weighted methods of applying pre-rigor tension to longissimus muscle of ovine and bovine carcasses conventionally hung by a hind shank were studied. The effect of tensioning of carcasses by adding 4.5 kg weights or mechanically stretching the back 5% in length was significant (P < 0.01) and as effective as greater forces in decreasing shear force values, decreasing fiber diameters and increasing sarcomere lengths. Chops and steaks from tensioned carcasses at 48 hr postmortem were as tender as those from non-tensioned carcasses which had been aged 168–240 hr. Further aging of longissimus muscle of tensioned carcasses continued to decrease shear force values at approximately the same rate at which shear force was decreasing in nontensioned carcasses. The pre-rigor tension was also effective in reducing animal-to-animal tenderness variability.
Bistable Compliant Extension Aid for a Polycentric Prosthetic Knee

A compliant add-on mechanism for polycentric prosthetic knees was designed to provide two additional features beyond those already provided by the knee, the additional features being a stable equilibrium position when the knee is bent for the sitting posture and a moment-rotation profile that helps prevent excessive heel rise. The mechanism, dubbed the Bistable Compliant Extension Aid (BCEA), was developed and analyzed using finite-element-analysis (FEA) software. The BCEA was shown to satisfy the design requirements, prevention of excessive heel rise and providing a stable sitting position, based on its reaction moments for knee flexions ranging between 0 and 90 degrees.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Acute exposure to environmental tobacco smoke reduces HDL-C and HDL2-C.

Background. Chronic environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure increases individuals risk of coronary artery disease by reducing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Currently, there is limited research on the acute effects of ETS on HDL-C. This study examined the acute influence of ETS on HDL-C and its subfractions. Methods. Twelve male subjects (25.7 ± 3.0 years) were examined to determine the influence of an acute 6-h exposure to ETS on lipid and lipoprotein levels. Baseline blood samples were drawn before ETS exposure from an antecubital vein at 6 am, 2 pm, and 10 pm. The following day, subjects were exposed to 6 h of ETS, approximately 4–10 pm. Blood was again collected at 8, 16 and 24 h following ETS exposure. Blood was assayed for total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C and its subfractions HDL2-C and HDL3-C. Results. As a result of ETS exposure, HDL-C and HDL2-C levels were significantly reduced by 18% and 37%, respectively. This effect was sustained, with a decrease in HDL-C of 13% and HDL2-C of 28% still evident at 24-h post-exposure. TC was unchanged (pre- 187.3 ± 41.6 and post- 187.0 ± 46.3); however, there were significant decreases in the TC/HDL-C and HDL2-C/HDL3-C ratios by 16% and 29%, respectively, which were sustained for 24 h. Conclusions. The findings of this study demonstrate that a 6-h exposure has a negative impact on lipid and lipoprotein profiles and that these levels remained depressed for at least 24 h.
Asymmetry requirement for Ca2+ induced fusion of phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidic acid vesicles.

Summary Changes in vesicle sizes resulting from Ca 2+ induced fusion of phosphatidic acid-phosphatidylcholine vesicles have been examined in the presence and absence of Ca 2+ ionophores or internalized Ca 2+ . Observed reductions in the extent of fusion have been interpreted in terms of Ca 2+ asymmetry playing a role in the fusion initiation step.
The analytical impact of power control in a radio frequency glow discharge optical emission plasma

Direct current (dc) and radio frequency (rf) glow discharge power control requirements, and limitations are described. The differences between dc and rf power control are explored. The various difficulties faced with rf power regulation are listed and explained. In light of these challenges, the appropriate design goals for an rf glow discharge power supply and control system are outlined. The design and implementation of such a new rf design is then detailed. The ability of this new design to deal with the various rf difficulties is discussed. This design is evaluated and experimental evidence that it functions as anticipated is collected, presented, and discussed. This new rf power supply design is shown to have significant new capabilities.