cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Full-length viral RNA synthesized in vitro by vesicular stomatitis virus-infected HeLa cell extracts.

Abstract Total cell extracts from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-infected HeLa cells and purified vesicular stomatitis virions were assayed for their abilities to synthesize RNA in vitro. Analysis of the products of these reactions by methylmercury-agarose gel electrophoresis showed that the infected cell extracts directed the synthesis of 42 S RNA as well as of intact VSV-specific messenger RNAs. The majority of the 42 S RNA synthesized by the infected cell extract bound to an oligo(dT)-cellulose column. Extracts prepared from infected cells treated with cycloheximide produced no detectable 42 S RNA, suggesting that this product results from viral RNA replication rather than transcription. When viral ribonucleoprotein cores were purified from the infected cell extract and assayed in vitro, synthesis of 42 S RNA was markedly decreased. As previously reported, purified virions produced no 42 S RNA but directed the synthesis only of intact messenger RNAs and a small RNA which resembles the previously described “leader” RNA. Additional species of RNA were synthesized in the in vitro systems containing virions or cell extracts; these VSV-specific RNAs have not been observed in previous studies and their function and composition is unknown.
Diversity and coverage of structural sublibraries selected using the SAGE and SCA algorithms.

It is often impractical to synthesize and test all compounds in a large exhaustive chemical library. Herein, we discuss rational approaches to selecting representative subsets of virtual libraries that help direct experimental synthetic efforts for diverse library design. We compare the performance of two stochastic sampling algorithms, Simulating Annealing Guided Evaluation (SAGE; Zheng, W.; Cho, S. J.; Waller, C. L.; Tropsha, A. J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 1999, 39, 738−746.) and Stochastic Cluster Analysis (SCA; Reynolds, C. H.; Druker, R.; Pfahler, L. B. Lead Discovery Using Stochastic Cluster Analysis (SCA): A New Method for Clustering Structurally Similar Compounds J. Chem. Inf. Comput. Sci. 1998, 38, 305−312.) for their ability to select both diverse and representative subsets of the entire chemical library space. The SAGE and SCA algorithms were compared using u- and s-optimal metrics as an independent assessment of diversity and coverage. This comparison showed that both algorithms were capable o...
Comments on "Engineering education, design, and senior projects

The commenter suggests that S.R. Hoole, in the above-named work (ibid., vol.34, no.2, pp.193-198, 1991), understated the importance of design and of senior projects. >
IFN-γ is essential for the inhibition of B16BL6 melanoma lung metastasis in chronic alcohol drinking mice.

We previously found that chronic alcohol consumption (20% w/v in drinking water) that models the level consumed by human alcoholics, when administered to female C57BL/6 mice inhibits B16BL6 melanoma metastasis to the lung; however, the mechanism is not known. Chronic alcohol consumption increases IFN-γ producing NK, NKT, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells. To examine the impact of IFN-γ on metastasis, we inoculated B16BL6 melanoma cells i.v. into control and chronic alcohol drinking IFN-γ knockout (KO) mice. Knockout of the ifn-γ gene abrogated the anti-metastatic effects associated with alcohol consumption. We examined metastasis in common gamma-chain (γC) KO mice, which are deficient in NK, NKT and CD8+ T cells, and in Vα14Jα281−/− KO mice, which are deficient in invariant NKT (iNKT) cells, in order to assess the importance of specific IFN-γ producing cell types to this effect. We found that the antimetastatic effect of alcohol was still present in γC KO mice and also in γC KO mice depleted of Gr-1+ cells. Knockout of iNKT cells reduced the degree but not the antimetastatic effect associated with alcohol. These results indicate that the antimetastatic effect induced by chronic alcohol consumption is IFN-γ dependent and that multiple IFN-γ producing cell types contribute to this effect.
The CDK5 activator, p39, binds specifically to myosin essential light chain.

Abstract Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) has been shown to regulate adhesion and migration of lens and corneal epithelial cells. To explore protein–protein interactions that may mediate these functions, we performed yeast two-hybrid screening on an embryonic rat lens library using Cdk5 and its regulators, p35 and p39 as baits. This screen identified an interaction between p39 and non-muscle myosin essential light chain (MLC17). GST pull-down experiments demonstrated that p39 binds directly to MLC17 through a strong binding site in the N-terminal 109 amino acids of p39. Immunoprecipitation of proteins from Cos1 cells co-transfected with GFP–MLC17 and HA-p39 confirmed that these proteins interact intracellularly. Immunofluorescence microscopy of co-transfected lens epithelial cells showed that GFP–MLC17 and HA-p39 co-localize along cytoskeletal fibrils. Moreover, endogenous rat lens p39 co-immunoprecipitated with MLC17 and myosin heavy chain II (MHC II), demonstrating that the interaction is physiological and serves to link p39 to the cytoskeleton.
Nerve injury and recovery after lateral lumbar interbody fusion with and without bone morphogenetic protein-2 augmentation: a cohort-controlled study

Abstract Background context Despite common use of intraoperative electrophysiologic neuromonitoring, injuries to the lumbar plexus during lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) have been reported. Emerging data suggest that recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) use during an anterior or transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion may be associated with an increased risk of neurological deficit. Clinical data on the sequelae of rhBMP-2 implantation in close proximity to the lumbosacral plexus during LLIF remains to be understood. Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of neurologic deficits and pain in patients undergoing LLIF with and without rhBMP-2. Study design/setting Retrospective outcome analysis in controlled cohorts undergoing the lateral exposure technique for LLIF with and without rhBMP-2. Methods The electronic medical records of patients undergoing LLIF with and without supplemental posterior fusion for degenerative spinal conditions were retrospectively reviewed over a 6-year period. Patients with previous lumbar spine surgery or follow-up of less than 6 months were excluded. Patients were divided into 2 groups, Group 1 (rhBMP-2 use; n=72) and Group 2 (autograft/allograft use; n=72), and were matched according to the age at the time of surgery, gender, weight, body mass index, side of approach, total number of treated spinal segments, use of supplemental posterior fusion, and length of follow-up. Results Immediately after surgery, a sensory deficit was recorded in 33 patients in Group 1 and 35 patients in Group 2 (odds ratio [OR] 0.895; 90% confidence interval [CI] 0.516–1.550; p=.739). At last follow-up, a persistent sensory deficit was identified in 29 patients whose LLIF procedure was supplemented by rhBMP-2 and 20 patients in whom autograft/allograft was used (OR 1.754; 90% CI 0.976–3.151; p=.115). A motor deficit was recorded in 37 patients immediately after the rhBMP-2 procedure and 28 patients treated with autograft/allograft (OR 1.661; 90% CI 0.953–2.895; p=.133). A persistent motor deficit was recorded in 35 and 17 patients in Groups 1 and 2, respectively, at last follow-up (OR 3.060; 90% CI 1.681–5.571; p=.002). During the first postoperative examination, 37 patients in Group 1 and 25 patients in Group 2 complained of anterior thigh or groin pain (OR 1.987; 90% CI 1.133–3.488; p=.045). At last follow-up, there was a significantly higher number of patients in Group 1 who complained of persistent anterior thigh or groin pain than Group 2 (8 vs. 0 patients) (OR 16.470; 90% CI 1.477–183.700; p=.006). Conclusions Our results provide evidence of an increased rate of postoperative neurologic deficit and anterior thigh/groin pain after LLIF using rhBMP-2, when compared with matched controls without rhBMP-2 exposure. This study suggests a potential direct deleterious effect of rhBMP-2 on the lumbosacral plexus.
Src phosphorylates Tyr284 in tgf-β type II receptor and regulates TGF-β stimulation of p38 MAPK during breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion

Genetic and epigenetic events often negate the cytostatic function of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in mammary epithelial cells (MEC), which ultimately enables malignant MECs to proliferate, invade, and metastasize when stimulated by TGF-beta. The molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotypic conversion of TGF-beta function during mammary tumorigenesis remain poorly defined. We previously established alpha(v)beta(3) integrin and Src as essential mediators of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, invasion, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition stimulated by TGF-beta in normal and malignant MECs. Mechanistically, beta(3) integrin interacted physically with the TGF-beta type II receptor (TbetaR-II), leading to its tyrosine phosphorylation by Src and the initiation of oncogenic signaling by TGF-beta. We now show herein that Src phosphorylated TbetaR-II on Y284 both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, although the expression of Y284F-TbetaR-II mutants in breast cancer cells had no effect on TGF-beta stimulation of Smad2/3, this TbetaR-II mutant completely abrogated p38 MAPK activation by TGF-beta. Accordingly, Src-mediated phosphorylation of Y284 coordinated the docking of the SH2 domains of growth factor receptor binding protein 2 (Grb2) and Src homology domain 2 containing (Shc) TbetaR-II, thereby associating these adapter proteins to MAPK activation by TGF-beta. Importantly, Y284F-TbetaR-II mutants also abrogated breast cancer cell invasion induced by alpha(v)beta(3) integrin and TGF-beta as well as partially restored their cytostatic response to TGF-beta. Our findings have identified a novel alpha(v)beta(3) integrin/Src/Y284/TbetaR-II signaling axis that promotes oncogenic signaling by TGF-beta in malignant MECs and suggest that antagonizing this signaling axis may one day prove beneficial in treating patients with metastatic breast cancers.
Radionuclide angiography for risk stratification of patients with coronary artery disease

Radionuclide angiography has become an accepted diagnostic method that is relied upon for its rapid, accurate and quantitative capabilities to characterize LV function. This method will continue to be used extensively in the future for the evaluation of patients with CAD. In addition to its common use to measure LV function at rest, the application of radionuclide angiography to assess LV function during exercise has proven prognostic potential that can be used in the clinical decision-making process in patients with known or suspected CAD.
Sexual activity and risk taking in young heterosexual men: The relevance of sexual arousability, mood, and sensation seeking

In this research we explored three aspects of personality relevant to sexual activity and sexual risk taking in heterosexual men. Men with low inhibition of sexual arousal in the face of risk (low SIS2) reported more partners with whom they use no condoms and more lifetime “one night stands.” Men who experience increased sexual interest in states of depression (MSQ) reported more partners in the past year and more one night stands. The disinhibition subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale was predictive of whether sexual intercourse had occurred in the past 6 months, and also of the number of sexual partners in the past year. A measure of an intention to practice safer sex was strongly related to measures of sexual arousability and inhibition (SIS/SES). We discuss some clear similarities and also some interesting differences with a parallel study of gay men. Individual differences in sexual excitation and inhibition proneness and the relation between mood and sexuality are clearly relevant to high‐risk se...
Linear and nonlinear conductivity of a superconductor near T c

We consider the scaling properties of the linear ac and nonlinear dc conductivities of a superconductor near the transition temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. We first review a scaling theory of the conductivity near a critical point recently proposed by Fisher, Fisher, and Huse. By combining these scaling assumptions with causality arguments, we show that the phase ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}$ of the linear ac conductivity takes on a universal value near the critical point, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}$=\ensuremath{\pi}(2-d+z)/2z, where d is the spatial dimension and z is the dynamic critical exponent. Hence, a measurement of the phase lag between the current and the voltage near the critical point provides a measurement of the exponent z. Then, using relaxational dynamics, we calculate these conductivities for 2d4, using (a) a Gaussian approximation, in which the quartic term in the Ginzburg-Landau Hamiltonian is neglected, and (b) an O(2n) generalization of the Ginzburg-Landau Hamiltonian, which for n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty} produces a Hartree approximation for the quartic term. These results agree with the scaling theory, and provide explicit expressions for the universal scaling functions. In addition, it is possible to study the crossover behavior from Gaussian to critical fluctuations as the critical temperature is approached. The prospects for going beyond the mean-field level by using renormalization-group methods are discussed, along with possible applications to the high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ superconductors.
Fat cells: Model system to investigate molecular mechanism(s) of sulfonylurea-potentiated glucose transport

The cellular mechanism of action of sulfonylureas may vary depending upon the exact nature of the drug, the tissue or cell type in question, and the status of the subject from which it was obtained. In adipocytes from patients with type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes, there is increasing evidence indicating that sulfonylureas ameliorate a post-receptor defect in insulin action by potentiating the insulin-stimulated glucose transport normally seen in these cells. Studies undertaken to elucidate the molecular mechanism of this potentiation investigated the effects of a 48-hour incubation with glyburide (2 μg/ml) on the recruitment of glucose carriers from microsomal storage pools to the plasma membrane. With the use of cytochalasin B, a potent competitive inhibitor of glucose transport, glucose-sensitive cytochalasin B binding was studied in basal and insulin-stimulated adipocytes from control and sulfonylurea-treated tissue. The data indicated that sulfonylurea treatment did not affect the total glucose-sensitive cytochalasin B binding capacity of adipocyte membranes. It did, however, increase the insulin-induced recruitment of the glucose carrier from the microsome to the plasma membrane by 27 to 31 percent. This suggests that the molecular mechanism of sulfonylurea-enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose transport is the recruitment of glucose transporters from an intracellular microsomal storage pool to the plasma membrane.
Photoactive Chromium(III)–Cyclam Complexes with Axially Bound geminal‐Diethynylethenes

Reported herein are the preparation and characterization of trans-[Cr(cyclam)(X-gem-DEE)2]OTf compounds (gem-DEE = σ-geminal-diethynylethene, OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) 1 and 2, which are the first examples of 3d metal complexes containing gem-DEE ligands. All compounds reported herein were characterized by visible, emission, and infrared spectroscopy, electrochemistry (CV and DPV), and high-resolution mass spectrometry, and compound 2 was further studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Both the photophyiscal data and the structural data indicate that the gem-DEE ligands are similar to simple linear alkynyls in their coordination to the CrIII core. DFT calculations revealed that π delocalization is the most extensive within the SOMO and SOMO–1, in which both the vinyl and free ethynyl groups of the gem-DEE ligand contribute significantly to the π⟂ orbital that mixes intimately with both the dyz and dxz orbitals of the Cr core.
G-Quadruplex DNA as a target for drug design.

G-rich DNA sequences can adopt unusual four-stranded DNA structures, called G-quadruplex DNA. Variations in the molecularity, topology, strand orientation, and glycosidic conformation of the G-quadruplex DNA provide a diverse array of structures. Although G-quadruplex structures have only been observed in vitro, strong indirect evidence for their existence in vivo comes from the characterization of G-quadruplex DNA binding proteins, helicases, and nucleases characterization of G-quadruplex DNA binding proteins, belicases, and n Telomeres are structures on the ends of chromosomes that are required for chromosomal stability. Telomeric DNA contains a single-stranded G-rich DNA overhang, which may adopt a G-quadruplex structure. Telomere shortening has been implicated in cellular senescence. Telomerase is an enzyme which synthesizes the G-rich strand of telomere DNA. Telomerase activity is highly correlated with cancer and may allow cancer cells to escape senescence. Based on these observations, telomerase has been proposed as a potential target for anticancer drug design, The targeting of telomerase is associated with potential problems, including the existence in some cancer cells of telomerase-independent mechanisms for telomere maintenance, and the long delay time between telomerase inhibition and effects on proliferation. One promising approach for inhibiting telomerase involves targeting the G-quadruplex DNA structures thought to be involved in telomere and telomerase function. Compounds that specifically bind G-quadruplex DNA may interact directly with telomeres, in addition to inhibiting telomerase, and produce more immediate antiproliferative effects. The diamidoanthraquinones, porphyrins, and perylene diimides have all been shown to bind G-quadruplex DNA and inhibit telomerase. Most of these compounds also bind double-stranded DNA and are cytotoxic at the concentrations required to inhibit telomerase; however, certain perylene diimides appear to be non-cytotoxic, G-quadruplex selective telomerase inhibitors. Biological characterization of such compounds may provide validation for the concept of the G-quadruplex as a target in drug design.
The recycle of sulfuric acid and xylose in the prehydrolysis of corn stover

Abstract Ethanol may be produced from agricultural residues by using a two-stage acid hydrolysis followed by acid recovery, fermentation, and distillation. With sulfuric acid as a catalyst, xylose-rich and glucose-rich streams can be obtained from corn stover in the prehydrolysis and hydrolysis steps, respectively. After acid separation, the sugar solutions are fermented to ethanol and concentrated by distillation. The acid recovery and distillation steps are the most expensive portions of the process; therefore, any reduction in the requirements for these steps will significantly improve the economics of the overall process. One means by which this may be accomplished is the addition of a recycle stream in the prehydrolysis step. The result will be an increased xylose concentration in the the prehydrolyzate fluid, which will reduce the acid recovery and distillation costs for each unit of ethanol produced. Thus, both capital and operating costs can be lowered while the net energy production is increased. In this investigation, the prehydrolysis step was carried out in a batch reactor at a temperature of 100 °C and a reaction time of 80 min. A 2-1. reaction vessel was used for the first two batches, each of which resulted in approx. 600 milliliters (ml) of prehydrolyzate fluid. This fluid, consisting primarily of xylose dissolved in the dilute sulfuric acid solution, was then mixed in varying ratios with fresh acid and used as the acid catalyst in later experiments to determine the effects of recycle on sulfuric acid activity and xylose concentration. In one set of recycle experiments, the activity of the recycled acid was as much as 90% of the activity of fresh acid on a volume per volume basis. Because the recycled fluid contained approx. 3% xylose, the xylose concentrations obtained in these experiments depended on the ratio of recycled acid to fresh acid. Concentrations averaged 27.5 grams per liter (g/l) for an acid residence time of 80min and 51.4 g/l for an acid residence time of 160 min. The effect of the increased concentration of xylose on the economics of a 4.5 × 10 6 gallon per year ethanol plant were estimated to be a 16% reduction in capital costs and a 17% reduction in operating costs. For corn stalks at $25 per ton and ethanol at $1.185 per gallon (ga), the estimated rate of return on investment would increase from 3.4% without recycle to 18.0% with recycle.
Autonomous subpixel satellite track end point determination for space-based images

An algorithm for determining satellite track end points with subpixel resolution in spaced-based images is presented. The algorithm allows for significant curvature in the imaged track due to rotation of the spacecraft capturing the image. The motivation behind the subpixel end point determination is first presented, followed by a description of the methodology used. Results from running the algorithm on real ground-based and simulated spaced-based images are shown to highlight its effectiveness.
Stresses in cylindrically symmetric membranes reinforced with extensible cords

Abstract The theories of Rivlin and Hofferberth on the equilibrium shape and stresses in deformed membranes reinforced by cords are limited to inextensible cords and to an average cord-extension ratio, respectively. The results of this paper remove these limitations for the case of cylindrically symmetrical deformation. The equilibrium shape and the stress problems are solved for the deformed membrane.
Alteichin: an unusual phytotoxin from Alternaria eichorniae, a fungal pathogen of water hyacinth.

The phytopathogenic fungusAlternaria eichorniae attacks water hyacinth, an economically significant aquatic weed. The novel phytotoxin alteichin was isolated from liquid cultures of this fungus and its structure was deduced by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Altheichin is a doubly hydrated form of 4,9-dihydroxy perylene-3,10-quinone. A single step dehydration of alteichin to anhydroalteichin is catalyzed both by acid and by a crude enzyme preparation from water hyacinth.
A spatial data structure for fast Poisson-disk sample generation

Sampling distributions with blue noise characteristics are widely used in computer graphics. Although Poisson-disk distributions are known to have excellent blue noise characteristics, they are generally regarded as too computationally expensive to generate in real time. We present a new method for sampling by dart-throwing in O(N log N) time and introduce a novel and efficient variation for generating Poisson-disk distributions in O(N) time and space.
The melding of morphology and molecular phylogeny: Insight into ancestral prokaryotic phenotypes

Phylogenetic trees constructed from small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences of the Bacteria were examined from the perspective of morphological characters. Several patterns emerge. Spirochaetal morphology is not exhibited in the gram positive lineage and may be indicative of the inability of these bacteria to assume this shape due to the thicker murein layer. Phylogenetic subgroupings which are heterogenous with respect to cell shape typically exhibit a gradation of shapes including rods with the end result frequently being coccal symmetry. Groupings containing the coccal phenotype are in contrast invariably morphologically homogenous. Thus once a bacterial lineage reaches the coccal phenotype it seems to lose it ability for further morphological evolution. Filamentous forms are found throughout the Bacteria but are also morphologically homogenous. Thus filaments appear to represent "end-state" morphology as well and may be an intermediate step to a very primitive multi-cell morphology. An examination of the best established microfossils to date show coccoid and filamentous forms akin to those seen in extant cyanobacteria with essentially no morphological change over approximately 3 billion years. The hypobradytely exhibited by the cyanobacteria lineage may in part be explained due to the evolutionary end-states as demonstrated in this study. There is an overwhelming preponderance of rod shaped bacteria in the deepest branches of the Bacteria such that one concludes that the most likely phenotype of the early ancestor was a rod. While scant, one of the oldest microfossil records revealThe Melding of Morphology arts evidence of ancient bacteria exhibiting a typical rod morphology. Cell morphology likely was of considerable significance in the earliest stages of evolution. The likely inefficient metabolism of the earliest prokaryotes and possibly incomplete pathways for cell wall synthesis may have necessitated larger cell size. Maximal near surface contact with the outside environment would be a special advantage offered by the rod-shaped morphology. On one hand the rod shape may simply be the easiest solution to problems in cell division. The necessity of renewing the cell wall may be simplified by taking advantage of the bilateral symmetry obtained with rod shaped cells. Melding morphology with 16S rRNA molecular phylogeny allows for examination of the contribution of classical morphological characters with respect to bacterial evolution. It is clear from this work that while we can not strictly classify bacteria based on cell shape, their morphology does indeed offer some insight. The extension of this study to include the Archaea may offer evidence of what the last common ancestor must have "looked like", a necessity to understanding the simplest life form.
Werdnig-Hoffmann disease: myosin isoform expression not arrested at prenatal stage of development.

Abstract It has been suggested, on the basis of mostly morphological and some biochemical evidence, that defective innervation of muscle of patients with Werdnig-Hoffmann (WH) disease results in maturational arrest of the fibers at a stage comparable to 20-week gestational muscle. Therefore, with the use of recently developed and characterized, myosin-isoform-specific monoclonal antibodies (McAbs), an immunocytochemical study of muscle of 6 children with Werdnig-Hoffmann disease was done to determine if the pattern of expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms (MHC) in these fibers was similar to that of 20-week gestation muscle. This work showed that the MHC isoform expression in the muscle of the children with WH did not mimic that seen in 20-week gestation muscle since only a few fibers (
Was blind, but now I see

Previous inattentional blindness research suggests that unexpected events may be cognitively processed at some level, but typically have difficulty reaching consciousness. The present study aims to investigate if and how primary-task relevance of an unexpected event contributes to individuals’ ability to thoroughly process and subsequently identify the event. Participants performed a dynamic, computer-based targetmonitoring task, in which unexpected events occasionally occurred. Primary task performance and the ability to correctly identify unexpected changes were recorded. Results indicate that when unexpected events contained information that was relevant to the primary target-monitoring task, they were more frequently identified. Additionally, in conditions of task relevance, participants were more confident in their ability to recognize unexpected events accurately. Applications of these data include interface design, improved safety in highway design, and enhanced training programs for dynamic visual monitoring tasks such as air traffic control.
Current Issues in the Identification, Assessment, and Management of Concussions in Sports-Related Injuries

The recent literature has focused on the need for appropriate identification, assessment, and management of sports-related concussion. This article addresses current issues in the prevalence and assessment of sports-related concussion. Despite a paucity of research on female athletes and youth athletes, there is evidence that female athletes are at higher risk for injury than males and that concussions may affect children and young adolescents differently than older adolescents and adults. Sideline, baseline, and postconcussion assessments have become prevalent in documenting preinjury and postinjury performance, tracking recovery rates, and assisting return-to-play decisions. New computerized assessment procedures are growing in popularity and use. Future directions in the assessment and management of sports-related concussion include increased research on prevalence rates and effects of concussions for females and youth athletes, educating parents of youth athletes as well as family physicians on the importance of baseline and postconcussion cognitive assessments, and further validation of computerized assessment measures.
Aortic augmentation index is associated with the ankle-brachial index: a community-based study.

Abstract Background Increased arterial stiffness has been associated with greater risk of cardiovascular events. We investigated whether aortic augmentation index (AIx), a measure of arterial stiffness and wave reflection, was associated with the ankle-brachial index (ABI), a measure of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Method AIx and ABI were measured in a community-based sample of 475 adults without prior history of heart attack or stroke (mean age 59.3 years, 46.5% men). Radial artery pulse waveforms were obtained by applanation tonometry and an ascending aortic pressure waveform derived by a transfer function. AIx is the difference between the first and second systolic peak of the ascending aortic pressure waveform indexed to the central pulse pressure. ABI was measured using a standard protocol, and subjects with non-compressible vessels (ABI >1.5) were excluded from the analyses. Multivariable linear and logistic generalized estimating equations (GEE) analyses were used to assess whether AIx was associated with ABI and ABI Results Mean (±S.D.) values were: AIx, 29.3±11.6%; ABI, 1.12±0.13; 59 (12.4%) participants had an ABI P =0.015) and ABI P =0.002). A significant interaction ( P =0.007) was present between AIx and age in the prediction of ABI; the (inverse) association of AIx with ABI was stronger in older subjects (>65 years). Conclusion AIx, a measure of arterial stiffness and wave reflection, was independently associated with a lower ABI in asymptomatic subjects from the community, and this association was modified by age.
PROSODY AND ADULTS' LEARNING OF SYNTACTIC STRUCTURE

The role of prosody in adults’ acquisition of a miniature artificial language was examined in three experiments. In Experiment 1, learners heard and repeated prerecorded sentences of the language, and simultaneously saw corresponding referents, but did not see any printed words. Learners received four study-test trials. Half the learners heard a ‘‘single word’’ presentation, in which each of the four words of each sentence was recorded with the falling contour associated with list-final position. Half heard a ‘‘phrase prosody’’ presentation — expected to aid learning — in which each two-word phrase was recorded as a phrasal unit, with the first two-word phrase of each sentence having a rising contour and the second two-word phrase having a falling contour. Half the participants were given a dialect with high-frequency markers expected to aid learning, and the other half a dialect with low-frequency markers. The phrase prosody presentation did not facilitate learning. Experiment 2 removed the reference field and provided six study-test trials. Phrase prosody here facilitated performance, primarily by increasing learners’ acceptance of correct sequences. Experiment 3 removed participants’ repetition as well as the reference field and found a strong effect of phrase prosody. We propose that prosody helps recognition of correct word pairs and may be especially useful when other cues to syntactic structure are either unavailable or cannot be exploited by the learner. q 1996 Academic Press, Inc.
Advances in the development of the GaSb-based laser diodes operating within spectral range of 2 – 3.5 μm

This work discusses the latest achievements in design and performance of type I GaSb based lasers. It focuses on the performance of the room temperature operated lasers based on InGaAsSb/AlGaAsSb/GaSb and InGaAsSb/InAlGaAsSb/GaSb compressively strained heterostructures. The characteristics of the double-quantum-well GaSb-based diode lasers operating in 2.3-2.4 mum region with a room-temperature CW output power in excess of 1 W and a maximum power-conversion efficiency of 20 % are also presented and discussed.
Loss of H2 and CO from protonated aldehydes in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

RATIONALE Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) of many protonated aldehydes shows loss of CO as a major fragmentation pathway. However, we find that certain aldehydes undergo loss of H2 followed by reaction with water in the collision cell. This complicates interpretation of tandem mass (MS/MS) spectra and affects multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) results. METHODS 3-Formylchromone and other aldehydes were dissolved in acetonitrile/water/formic acid and studied by ESI-MS to record their MS2 and MSn spectra in several mass spectrometers (QqQ, QTOF, ion trap (IT), and Orbitrap HCD). Certain product ions were found to react with water and the rate of reaction was determined in the IT instrument using zero collision energy and variable activation times. Theoretical calculations were performed to help with the interpretation of the fragmentation mechanism. RESULTS Protonated 3-formylchromones and 3-formylcoumarins undergo loss of H2 as a major fragmentation route to yield a ketene cation, which reacts with water to form a protonated carboxylic acid. In general, protonated aldehydes which contain a vicinal group that forms a hydrogen bridge with the formyl group undergo significant loss of H2. Subsequent losses of CO and C3O are also observed. Theoretical calculations suggest mechanistic details for these losses. CONCLUSIONS Loss of H2 is a major fragmentation channel for protonated 3-formychromones and certain other aldehydes and it is followed by reaction with water to produce a protonated carboxylic acid, which undergoes subsequent fragmentation. This presents a problem for reference libraries and raises concerns about MRM results. Published in 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Local-scale fluxes of carbon dioxide in urban environments: methodological challenges and results from Chicago.

Much attention is being directed to the measurement and modeling of surface–atmosphere exchanges of CO2 for different surface types. However, as yet, few measurements have been conducted in cities, even though these environments are widely acknowledged to be major sources of anthropogenic CO2. This paper highlights some of the challenges facing micrometeorologists attempting to use eddy covariance techniques to directly monitor CO2 fluxes in urban environments, focusing on the inherent variability within and between urban areas, and the importance of scale and the appropriate height of measurements. Results from a very short-term study of CO2 fluxes, undertaken in Chicago, Illinois in the summer of 1995, are presented. Mid-afternoon minimum CO2 concentrations and negative fluxes are attributed to the strength of biospheric photosynthesis and strong mixing of local anthropogenic sources in a deep mixed layer. Poor night-time atmospheric mixing, lower mixed layer depths, biospheric respiration, and continued emissions from mobile and fixed anthropogenic sources, account for the night-time maxima in CO2 concentrations. The need for more, longer-term, continuous eddy covariance measurements is stressed. # 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Toward More Effective Genetic Algorithms for the Optimization of Piezoelectric Actuator Locations

condensation.7 That is because Guyan’s static condensation does not contain the effects of mass from added members in the modi ed structure, whereas these effects are considered in the proposed method.FromEqs. (10) and (16–18), it canbe seen that littlecomputational effort is added in the proposedmethod. From the results, it can be also seen that the proposedmethod can also give high-quality accuracy for the large topologicalmodi cations.
Median Effective Doses (ED50) of Halothane in Adults and Children

Median effective doses of halothane (ED50), determined in 73 pediatric subjects and 31 adults grouped according to age, were: 1.20 per cent at 0 to 6 months; 1.16 per cent at 6 to 24 months; 1.07 per cent at 24 to 48 months; and 0.9 per cent in adults. The dose-response curves for all groups did not deviate significantly from parallelism. Halothane was 1.28 and 1.12 times more potent in producing anesthesia in adults than in the 0-to-6-months and 6-to-24-months group. Potency in the 24-to-48-months group did not differ significantly from potency in adults or in younger children. In contrast, taking hypotension as a measure of circulatory effect, halothane is a less potent cardiovascular depressant in adults than in young children.
Erratum to: Social Ontology and the Emergent Moment: A Theoretical and Action Research Inquiry into Rural Microenterprise Development

Internal beliefs about the nature of social reality have been less examined in relation to new business development through microentrepreneurship than have tangible factors such as access to capital, business training, and social support. In this paper we present a view based in social ontology and suggest that regimes of internally consistent assumptions about the nature of the world are actualized through the entrepreneur’s approach to his/her emerging business. Though social ontology is often addressed at the macro, philosophical level, we define it in micro, phenomenological terms as the actor’s sense of being-in-the-world, which in turn conditions his/her perceived resources, strategic options, and approach to stakeholders. Theoretically we develop three social ontologies—dualist, interpretive, and complex systems—and we then examine empirical evidence from an action research study as expressive of these ontologies in practice. Action research is an ideal methodology for our study because it permits a tight focus on the actor’s point of view in relation to his/her visible practice. Our results suggest that social ontology may indeed play a part in microentrepreneurial development, adding to but not replacing traditional resources for business success. In our concluding discussion of implications for practice and further research, we suggest that social ontologies are learned and habitual, and therefore that they may be recognized and potentially transcended when other ontologies offer new inroads that may not have been visible in a previous regime.
Searching for evidence.

Purpose:There is a clear call for a single-source knowledge base linking literature on architecture and human outcomes. However, this seemingly simple need relies upon a vast source of information from multiple disciplines, each with their own vocabulary, structures, and modes of disciplinary thought.Background:The “Information Age” provides an abundance of research from the sciences as well as the humanities. Despite unprecedented access via public and licensed databases, searching across knowledge repositories remains a labor-intensive and skilled task. It therefore behooves the design profession to collaborate with experts in research, and to seek new skills for searching, interpreting, and applying evidence to design.Methods:The pattern of database usage by 71 professionals involved with evidence-based design in healthcare facilities was studied. Respondents represented a range of interests including healthcare practitioners and executives, researchers, and design professionals.Findings:Survey analysi...
Discerning Culture in E-Learning and in the Global Workplaces

This paper explores issues relating to e-learning in the global workplaces and educational contexts. The literature on e-learning often touts the benefits of e-learning as an equalizing or democratizing force in learning and education at the detriment of significant challenges facing its implementation and eventual outcomes for users. Central to the challenges facing e-learning systems is cultural challenges. Therefore the author argues the need to attend to cultural issues in e-learning if e-learning is to be successful. First, the paper addresses the different dimensions of education as described by the learning societies. Second, the paper incorporates the role of culture in e-learning, and finally, implications of culture in e-learning in the global workplaces are addressed. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2009.01.013
Survival rates for breast cancers detected in a community service screening mammogram program.

Background: This single-institution long-term prospective study was performed in the setting of community service screening mammography to evaluate the association between the methods of breast cancer detection and survival rates. Methods: From 1994 through 2001, data on 1237 patients with breast cancer were collected concurrent with definitive surgical treatment and entered into a comprehensive database. Results: Mammography was the sole method of detection for 517 (44%) of 1179 Tis-T2 breast cancers. Fifty-seven percent of invasive cancers detectable by mammography alone were less than 1 cm in diameter. For 1049 patients with invasive cancers, the 5-year overall observed survival rates were 94% for 372 whose cancers were detectable by mammogram alone and 87% for 677 whose cancers were detectable by palpation (alone or in combination with mammography) (P .0002). Conclusions: Most of the contribution to breast cancer mortality reduction is from the detection of small nonpalpable cancers, not from adjuvant therapy. © 2006 Excerpta Medica Inc. All rights reserved.
Overexpression of MMP-9 contributes to invasiveness of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP.

Matrix metallaprotinase-9 (MMP-9) is zinc-containing proteinase whose expression and trafficking are frequently altered in cancer. MMP-9 in the plasma membrane and the secreted forms are thought to contribute to the invasive and metastatic properties of malignant tumors. We have manipulated the expression of MMP-9 in prostate tumor cell line LNCaP and measured their capacity to invade through a basement membrane matrix. Stable expression of human MMP-9 in a poorly metastatic LNCaP prostate cancer cell line produced a 2-3-fold increase in MMP-9 activity and a comparable increase in invasiveness. Transient transfection of LNCaP stable clone expressing MMP-9 with MMP-9 antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) produced 55–90% less MMP-9 than control cells and were proportionately less invasive. In contrast, manipulating MMP-9 levels had no effect on cell migration across an uncoated membrane. A standard MMP-9 inhibitor at a concentration ranging from 1–10 nM, caused a nearly quantitative inhibition of extracellular ...
USE OF NONVERBAL MEASURES OF INTELLIGENCE IN IDENTIFICATION OF CULTURALLY DIVERSE GIFTED STUDENTS IN RURAL AREAS

To identify culturally diverse, potentially gifted students in rural areas the Culture-Fair Intelligence Test, the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices, and the Naglieri Nonverb Abilities Test were ...
Hydrodynamic analysis of porous spheres with infiltrated peripheral shells in linear flow fields

Abstract The velocity fields inside and around porous spheres with infiltrated peripheral shells were solved for three different far-field flows: simple shear, planar elongation and uniaxial extension. The flow was considered to obey Stokes’ law around the porous sphere and Brinkman's extension of Darcy's law within an infiltrated spherical shell beneath the sphere surface. The infiltrated layer, resulting from capillary action, was assumed to have a thickness that remained unaffected when the porous sphere was subjected to external flow fields. The cumulative hydrodynamic force exerted by the fluid upon the solid portion of the porous sphere was calculated for spherical caps with planar fracture surfaces. The magnitude of the tensile component of the hydrodynamic force per unit area of the base of the cap was shown to increase with the size of the cap and with the thickness of the infiltrated layer. On the other hand, the magnitude of the shear component of the hydrodynamic force per unit area of the base of the cap exhibited a maximum for a given cap size. The cap size that maximized the shear force increased with the thickness of the infiltrated layer. However, in contrast to the tensile force, for a constant cap size, the shear force did not necessarily increase with the thickness of the infiltrated layer. The hydrodynamic force exerted by the fluid upon the solid was found to increase with the inverse of the permeability of the porous sphere. The limit for very low permeability was compared to the case of an impermeable sphere. In the case of the tensile force, there was a difference between the low permeability limit for a permeable sphere and the value corresponding to an impermeable sphere. This difference could be attributed to the presence of fluid within the permeable sphere. The fluid contained in the permeable sphere could transmit pressure to the solid, a contribution absent in the case of an impermeable sphere.
Sense-Linking in a Machine Readable Dictionary

Dictionaries contain a rich set of relationships between their senses, but often these relationships are only implicit. We report on our experiments to automatically identify links between the senses in a machine-readable dictionary. In particular, we automatically identify instances of zero-affix morphology, and use that information to find specific linkages between senses. This work has provided insight into the performance of a stochastic tagger.
The design of financial systems: An overview

Abstract I examine the multifaceted aspects of financial system design, focusing on the real effects of this design. My exploration of the key issues and my review of the related literature pertain to three dimensions of financial system design: (i) the permissible scope of activities for banks and other depository financial intermediaries, (ii) the regulations dictating the structure of the banking industry, and (iii) information disclosure requirements in the financial market. I address a diverse set of issues such as borrowers' choices of financing source and how these are affected by financial system design, the impact of financial system design on the capital structure and corporate control decisions of nonfinancial firms, the relationship between financial system architecture and the liability claims of banks, the issues surrounding the desired permissible scope of banking and bank industry structure, and the overall design of a financial system.
Stripper configurations for CO2 capture by aqueous monoethanolamine

Abstract Absorption/stripping with amine solvents is a practical tail end technology for CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. One of the inhibiting costs of this technology is the energy requirement for solvent regeneration in the stripper, but novel configurations can help reduce this requirement by making the process more reversible. This work looked at several configurations with varying levels of complexity to determine the most useful method for arranging process units. Evaluated configurations included multi-stage flash, multi-pressure columns, and advanced stripping columns. Using a higher number of pressure stages, packing in place of equilibrium flashes, and vapor recompression were all reasonable methods to reduce the overall equivalent work requirement, but the most significant improvement was seen with an interheated column. The interheated column and simple stripper required 33.4 kJ/mol CO 2 and 35.0 kJ/mol CO 2 of work, respectively, at their optimum lean loadings.