cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adoption of Computers and Consultant Services by New York Dairy Farmers

Abstract Objectives were to show the rate of adoption of computers and consultant services by New York dairy farmers, characterize users and nonusers, and evaluate the impact of selected business characteristics on adoption. Data were from a farm business summary program and an environmental survey of 335 dairy farms. Use of on-farm computers for accounting had been approximately doubling each year, from 1.4% of the farms in 1983 to 8.7% in 1986. Fifteen percent of the farm managers owned computers in 1986. Sixty-two percent of the farms received monthly or biweekly veterinarian visits. A variety of consultant services were also used. Computer owners and users of biweekly veterinarian visits were younger and better educated with larger and higher producing herds and primarily freestall housing systems. Logistic regression showed that operator education influenced computer ownership and use for accounting purposes. Operator age was more important in predicting veterinarian use. Herd size explained veterinarian use and computer use for accounting but not computer ownership. Production, debt per cow, housing type, and business organization were other independent variables included in the analysis. Consultant use could not be explained by the business characteristics considered.
BUS MAINTENANCE PLANNING WITH COMPUTER SIMULATION

Recently, a great deal of importance has been placed on improving the efficiency of bus transit systems. This is motivated by a recent shift in objectives from those emphasizing expansion of transit systems to those emphasizing the conservation of transit resources. Such a reformation of objectives has focused management's attention on the bus maintenance function. In order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the maintenance function, managers will require accurate information systems capable of forecasting equipment failures, parts, needs, and manpower requirements. This paper describes the development of a maintenance simulation model and presents an example to demonstrate the feasibility of bus maintenance simulation modeling. The use of a bus maintenance simulation model for maintenance system planning and policy analysis is described.
Quantitative microinjection of trehalose into mouse oocytes and zygotes, and its effect on development.

Sugars such as trehalose are effectively used by various organisms as protective agents to undergo anhydrobiosis and cryobiosis. The objective of this study was first to establish a method for quantitative delivery of trehalose as a model sugar into oocytes, and then to evaluate its effect on development of mouse zygotes. To this end, a quantitative microinjection technique was developed using volumetric response of microdroplets suspended in dimethylpolysilaxene. To verify accuracy of this technique, both microdroplets and oocytes were microinjected with fluorophore-labeled dextran. Thereafter, injection volumes were calculated from fluorescence intensity, and volumetric responses of both microdroplets and oocytes. Comparison of calculated injection volumes revealed that this technique reflects microinjection into oocytes with pL-accuracy. The next series of experiments focused on toxicity of injection buffers (i.e., 10mM Tris and 15mM Hepes) and trehalose. Microinjection of Hepes and Tris buffer in the presence of 0.1M trehalose resulted in blastocyst rates of 86 and 72%, respectively, without a significant difference when compared to controls (86%). In subsequent experiments, Hepes was used as the injection buffer, and embryonic development of zygotes was studied as a function of intracellular trehalose concentrations. Microinjection of trehalose up to 0.15M resulted in development to blastocyst stage similar to controls (85 and 87%, respectively) while the blastocyst rate was significantly decreased (43%) in the presence of 0.20M intracellular trehalose. When transferred to foster mothers, trehalose-injected zygotes (0.1M) implanted and developed to day 16 fetuses similar to controls, healthy pups were born. The findings of this study suggest that trehalose at effective intracellular concentrations does not impair development of mouse zygotes.
Soil development in till of various ages in northeastern Pennsylvania

Abstract Eleven well-drained soils formed in till parent materials of varying ages in northeastern Pennsylvania were studied to determine changes in the soils with time. Four profiles (three Lackawanna and one Bath) were formed in Woodfordian till (15,000 yr B.P.), and two (Leck Kill) were formed in Altonian till (>28,000, 75,000 yr B.P.). In these soils, the extractable iron oxide, extractable aluminum oxide, and kaolinite contents increase with age, as do the total clay and fine/total clay ratio. With increasing age, the maximum accumulation of these constituents is found deeper in the profile. The extractable silicon oxide distribution is constant with depth, but it decreases in overall amount with time. Gibbsite is found only in small amounts in the A horizon of Altonian soils, but occurs throughout the profile of pre-Wisconsinan soils, although only in small amounts. In general, differences were found in these soils which separated them into three groups representing varying degrees of soil development. A regression equation was derived to predict the age of soils formed from the Altonian till based on a “clay accumulation index” value for soils of known Woodfordian and Holocene ages. The equation log Y = 1.80 + 0.992(log X ) best fit the data, with an r 2 value of 0.913. Using this equation, a mean age of 41,000 yr was calculated for the Altonian soils. This date was used to derive a second equation to predict ages for pre-Wisconsinan soils. The equation with the highest r 2 value (0.934) was log Y = 1.81 + 0.998(log X ). Dates for soils developed in the White Deer till and the Laurelton till of the pre-Wisconsinan stage were calculated to be 86,000 and 91,000 yr B.P., respectively. These dates fall within ages estimated for the Sangamon Interglaciation and thus would appear to be too young for pre-Sangamonian materials. The probable reason for the “too-young age” is that the C-horizon material of the pre-Wisconsinan soils was weathered and did not provide an accurate estimate of clay accumulation for the prediction equation.
Novel semisynthetic method for generating full length β‐amyloid peptides

Bacterial expression of full length β-amyloid (Aβ) is problematic because of toxicity and poor solubility of the expressed protein, and a strong tendency of Met35 to become oxidized in inclusion bodies. We have developed a semisynthetic method in which Aβ1-29 is expressed in bacteria as part of a fusion protein with a C-terminal intein and Chitin-Binding Domain (CBD). There is also a single residue, N-terminal Met extension. The protein, Met-Aβ1-29-Intein-CBD, is well expressed and highly water-soluble. After binding of the expressed protein to Chitin beads, treatment with sodium 2-mercapto-ethane sulfonate (MESNA) yields Met-Aβ1-29-MESNA, with a C-terminal thioester suitable for native chemical ligation. Met-Aβ1-29-MESNA is first subjected to CNBr cleavage, which removes the N-terminal Met residue, but leaves the thioester intact. We synthesized NH2-A30C-Aβ30-40, which has an N-terminal Cys residue and is the partner for native chemical ligation with Met-Aβ1-29-MESNA. Native chemical ligation proceeds rapidly and efficiently (>90% yield) to give A30C-Aβ1-40. The final step is selective desulfurization using Raney-Ni, which also proceeds rapidly and efficiently (>90% yield) to give native sequence Aβ1-40. Overall, this system is highly efficient, and can yield ≈8–10 mg of pure Aβ1-40 from one liter of bacterial culture medium. This procedure is adaptable for producing other Aβ peptides. We have also expressed an Aβ construct bearing a point mutation associated with one type of familial Alzheimer's Disease, the Iowa mutation, i.e., Met-D23N-Aβ1-29-Intein-CBD. Since expression of the intein-containing fusion protein is robust in minimal media as well as standard enriched media, this procedure also can be readily modified for incorporating 15N or 13C labels for NMR. Future work will also include extending this system to longer Aβ peptides, such as Aβ1-42. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 94: 511–520, 2010.
THE ACTION SPECTRUM, ABSORPTANCE AND QUANTUM YIELD OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN CROP PLANTS

Abstract The measurements were made to provide a basis for discussion of the definition of “photosynthetically active radiation”. The action spectrum, absorptance and spectral quantum yield of CO 2 uptake were measured, for leaves of 22 species of crop plant, over the wavelength range 350 to 750 nm. The following factors were varied: species, variety, age of leaf, growth conditions (field or growth chamber), test conditions such as temperature, CO 2 concentration, flux of monochromatic radiation, flux of supplementary white radiation, orientation of leaf (adaxial or abaxial surface exposed). For all species and conditions the quantum yield curve had 2 broad maxima, centered at 620 and 440 nm, with a shoulder at 670 nm. The average height of the blue peak was 70% of that of the red peak. The shortwave cutoff wavelength and the height of the blue peak varied slightly with the growth conditions and with the direction of illumination, but for the practical purpose of defining “photosynthetically active radiation” the differences are probably insignificant. The action spectrum for photosynthesis in wheat, obtained by Hoover in 1937, could be duplicated only with abnormally pale leaves.
The Role of Sedation in Contemporary Pediatric Dentistry

Procedural sedation offers an effective and humane way to deliver dental care to the young, anxious child and to those with extensive treatment needs. Delivery of sedation requires thorough understanding of its indications and contraindications, patient assessment, pharmacology, monitoring, and office protocol. Safe and successful outcomes depend on a systematic approach to care, and the ability to manage unintended cardiopulmonary events.
Design metrics for gate oxide leakage characterisation in nano-CMOS transistors

In this paper, we propose a set of novel metrics, of primary interest to modelling and design engineers, for characterising the impact of gate oxide tunnelling current in nanoscale CMOS (nano-CMOS) devices. We concentrate on three distinct quantities: (i) steady-state on current (ION ); (ii) steady-state off current (IOFF ); and (iii) effective tunnelling capacitance during transitions (C t eff ). We define C t eff as the change in tunnelling current with respect to the rate of change of input voltage, which represents the capacitive load of the transistor due to tunnelling. This concisely encapsulates both qualitative as well as quantitative information about the swing in tunnelling current during state transitions, while simultaneously accounting for the transition rate. We also investigate, via Monte Carlo simulations, the effect of process and design variations on the metrics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ever work that quantifies gate leakage during state transitions through the us...
Interpretation of the Apollo 14 Thermal Degradation Sample experiment

Abstract The Thermal Degradation Sample (TDS) experiment was one of the many investigations performed on the lunar surface during Apollo 14. Remarkably, the results of this 40 year old experiment were never fully interpreted, perhaps in part because the hardware vanished after its return. Mission records, high resolution photographs returned from the mission, and recent laboratory investigations have been used to glean important results from this experiment. It is most likely that the dust adhesion to the TDS was less than anticipated because of atomic-level contamination of its surfaces. These contaminants were probably removed from most equipment surfaces on the Moon by sputter cleaning by the solar wind, but the TDS experiments were not exposed to the solar wind long enough to affect the cleaning.
The discrimination of mirror-image forms by pigeons.

Four experiments investigated the discriminability of mirror-image forms with pigeons. Experiments 1–3 used U-shaped forms, oriented up, down, right, and left. The first experiment found non-mirror images better discriminated than mirror images on a matching-to-sample task. Experiment 2 found up-down reversals better discriminated than left-right mirror images on a three-key simultaneous discrimination task. Experiment 3 replicated this result with a single stimulus presentation method on a go/no-go discrimination. The final experiment repeated Experiment 2 with F-shaped forms whose mirror images could not be produced by a 180-deg rotation, but only by a reflection about the horizontal or vertical axis. These results are consistent with most findings for human and nonhuman subjects, but contrary to a recent suggestion by Hollard and Delius (1982) that mirror-image forms are distinct for pigeons.
Helium production in HFIR-irradiated pure elements

Abstract Helium measurements have been made for Ni, Fe, Ti, Nb, Cr, and Cu samples from several different fusion materials irradiations in the mixed-spectrum High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). The results are compared with helium predictions based on neutron energy spectrum measurements and the ENDF/B-V Gas Production File. The comparisons indicate good agreement for Ni, Fe, and Cr, but cross-section discrepancies were observed for helium production by fast neutrons in Ti, Nb, and Cu. Nickel and copper exhibit enhanced helium production at high neutron fluences, and there may also be a small enhancement for iron. This work demonstrates the importance of measuring helium production in materials of interest over the full range of neutron fluences used in fusion materials tests. The combination of measurements and predictions from well-characterized neutron fields can then be used to provide accurate helium estimates for materials irradiations.
Flickr and public image-sharing: distant closeness and photo exhibition

This paper presents an empirical study in progress of the use of Flickr.com, part of an on-going research program on personal digital media, including images. Two new kinds of image-sharing with Flickr are.distant closeness. and.photo exhibition.. We are seeing changing uses of images in social interaction and increased multi-modal communication.
Marrying out: A boundary approach to understanding the marital integration of Asian Americans

For decades, studies of intermarriage have provided insights regarding the integration and assimilation of ethnic groups in the US. In this paper, marriage outcomes are analyzed to gain a better understanding of the integration of Asian Americans into American society. Instead of utilizing assimilation theories that focus on individual-level variables such as education and nativity, I extend two theoretical perspectives to develop a boundary approach which emphasizes the how structured contexts at ethnic and racial boundary levels influence intermarriage outcomes. This approach recognizes the layered character of ethnic boundaries and the salience of ethnic and racial boundaries for new immigrant groups. Multinomial logistic regression models are used to analyze 2000 US Census data. The results generally support the theoretical predictions, suggesting that demographic distributions and the ways in which groups are structured in relation to one another along racial and ethnic boundaries are important predictors of intermarriage.
Chains in the lattice of noncrossing partitions

Abstract The lattice of noncrossing set partitions is known to admit an R -labeling. Under this labeling, maximal chains give rise to permutations. We discuss structural and enumerative properties of the lattice of noncrossing partitions, which pertain to a new permutation statistic, m (σ), defined as the number of maximal chains labeled by σ. Mobius inversion results and related facts about the lattice of unrestricted set partitions are also presented.
Adults' Perceptions of Children's Behavioral Disorders: Do Attributions of Locus of Problems Predict Recommendations for Treatment?

Sttmmary.-A central assumption of research on locus of problem is that attributions are significant determinants of recommendations for treatment. This assumption was tested using both structured and unstructured measures of recommendations. Adults made attributions for locus of problems for children with behavior problems and then recommended personal or situational treatment on rating scales and in open-ended paragraphs. The amount of variance in recommendations for treatment accounted for by the attributions was significant only when recommendations were measured in the structured format. Results are discussed in terms of the ecological validity of research on clinical anti butions. A growing body of research has examined factors influencing attributions of locus of problems made in simulated clinical settings. Whether a client's presenting problem is attributed to the client's personality or to situational factors is in part determined by clinicians' theoretical perspective (Snyder, 1977) and role perspective (Snyder, Shenkel, & Schmidt, 1976) and by the client's previous diagnostic history (Batson, 1975; Shenkel, Snyder, Batson, & Clark, 1979). A frequently repeated assumption of research on locus of problems is that clinicians' attributions are significant determinants of treatment recommendations, such that personal attributions lead to recommendations oriented toward personal change and situational atuibutions lead to recommendations oriented toward situational change. The ecological validity (Gibbs, 1979) of this research depends on the generality of the assumed influence of attributions on decisions about intervention. Despite the importance of this assumption, it has been formulated and tested as a hypothesis only once. Batson (1975) found a correlation of .59 between attributions of problems and recommendations for treatment. However, his finding may be limited to a sample (seminarians and undergraduates) who do not typically make attributions of "clinical" problems and decisions about treatment, to a format for assessment
Normal human osteoblast‐like cells consistently express genes for insulin‐like growth factors I and II but transformed human osteoblast cell lines do not

Insulin-like growth factors I (IGF-I) and II (IGF-II) are anabolic for osteoblastic cells. Although expression of IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA has been demonstrated in rodent osteoblastic cells, little is known about IGF gene expression in human osteoblastic cell models. In this study we characterized IGF-I and -II mRNA expression in (1) normal human osteoblast-like (hOB) cells, (2) a simian virus 40 immortalized hOB (HOBIT) cell line, and (3) human osteosarcoma cell lines SaOS-2, TE-85, MG-63, and U-2. Since cross-hybridization of IGF cDNA probes with ribosomal RNA obscures detection of some of the multiple IGF transcripts in human cells, we replaced Northern analysis with the more specific ribonuclease protection assay (RPA). We also used the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assess whether mRNAs were present at trace levels. IGF-I mRNA expression was consistently observed in normal hOB cells only and by both RT-PCR and RPA. Among IGF-I transcript variants, Ea IGF-I mRNA was more abundant than the Eb mRNA in normal hOB cells. Trace levels of IGF-I mRNA were variably detected in SaOS-2 and U-2 osteosarcoma cells when RT-PCR was performed, but we found no IGF-I mRNA in HOBIT, TE-85, or MG-63 cells. IGF-II mRNA was expressed in normal hOB, HOBIT, TE-85, and U-2 cells as assessed by either method. Trace levels of IGF-II mRNA were observed only in one of three SaOS-2 cell preparations and only by RT-PCR. IGF-II mRNA was absent in MG-63 cells. Thus, our data indicate that (1) normal hOB cells express both IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA and (2) transformation of human osteoblastic cells may alter IGF gene expression. These results provide a basis for selecting appropriate cell models for the study of IGFs in human bone.
Crisis Mapping: The Construction of a New Interdisciplinary Field?

This paper summarizes recent developments in crisis mapping and offers a meta-analysis of nascent, community-led conversations about this evolving area of concern. Such discussions occur in diverse fora: from meetings and conference calls with large government agencies to asynchronous email threads, to sessions with nongovernmental agencies, large and small, simulated exercises, and between and among scholars, crowds, practitioners, affiliated networks and individuals all around the world. I've had the opportunity to be involved in many of these debates as co-founder of the International Network of Crisis Mappers.
Constraints on present-day plate motions south of 30°S from satellite altimetry

Abstract Gridded free-air gravity anomalies derived from Geosat and Seasat altimetric observations are used to locate all mid-ocean ridge transform faults south of 30°S, and wherever possible, assign azimuths and uncertainties useful for plate kinematic analysis. A total of 131 ridge offsets longer than 30 km were located, of which 114 are clearly transform faults with well-defined valleys. Azimuthal uncertainties range from 0.6° for the longest transform faults to nearly 10° for the transform faults with lengths close to 30 km. To assess whether the altimetrically-derived azimuths are representative of present-day plate slip directions, azimuths of transform faults mapped with side-scan sonar and side-looking or conventional bathymetric systems were compared to their altimetrically-derived counterparts. Comparison of these two independently-estimated sets of azimuths using the x2 test shows no significant difference, indicating that the altimetrically-derived azimuths can be used where bathymetrically-derived azimuths are not available. We also find no evidence that large age-offset transform faults are less representative of present-day slip directions than short age-offset transforms. Models constructed using the altimetrically-derived azimuths fit the NUVEL-1 spreading rates, transform azimuths, and earthquake slip vectors nearly as well as NUVEL-1, as well as decreasing the model uncertainties. Thus, the altimetrically-derived azimuths offer improved accuracy and decreased uncertainties in estimates of global plate velocities without increasing non-closures of plate circuits beyond the level already present in NUVEL-1. In practical terms, plate velocities predicted by models that substitute the altimetrically-derived azimuths for all NUVEL-1 transform azimuths from below 30°S never differ from velocities predicted by NUVEL-1 by more than 0.3 mm yr−1 and 4°; however, the several-degree azimuthal misfits to altimetrically-derived azimuths from the Africa-Antarctic and Pacific-Antarctic plate boundaries are statistically significant and suggest there are several-degree inaccuracies in the predictions of the NUVEL-1 angular velocities. The new catalog of southern hemisphere transform fault azimuths should prove useful for at least the following: (1) improvement of models of deformation of the Australian plate west of the Macquarie Ridge Complex; (2) improvement of estimates of motion between the Australian and Pacific plates; (3) revision of upward bounds on the amount of seafloor deformation south of Africa related to rifting of the African plate; and (4) studies of a possible deforming zone within the South American plate east of the South Sandwich trench.
Investment Economics of Industrial Gas Turbines

The application of industrial gas turbines generally requires more than a detailed energy system analysis. Usually the engineer must “prove-in” his project design to assure that it meets management’s criteria for profitability Several different economic evaluation methods have evolved and there is no one universally accepted practice. This paper illustrates a method of reducing a detailed engineering system design, such as an industrial energy system, to an economic evaluation. This includes developing the minimum investment base case and one or more alternatives which trade off higher first costs for lower operating costs, and then reducing all cases to cold cash — investment and operating costs. Next, three economic evaluation yardsticks are discussed: payout, discounted cash flow, and total owning and operating costs using fixed charges on investment. Advantages and disadvantages of each are pointed out. This includes a discussion of taxes, depreciation, investment tax credit, cash flow, and the time value of money. Finally, computer methods of discounted cash flow are illustrated including a problem with variable annual operating costs. This sets the stage for a “hands on” workshop session using a computer terminal following the presentation.Copyright © 1977 by ASME
Suprachiasmatic pacemaker organization analyzed by viral transynaptic transport.

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, the principal circadian pacemaker, is a paired structure with two subdivisions, a ventral core receiving photic input and a dorsal shell receiving non-photic input. Rhythmicity is thought to be generated by individual SCN neurons which are coupled to achieve synchrony [D.K. Welsh, D.E. Logothetis, M. Meister, S.M. Reppert, Individual neurons dissociated from rat suprachiasmatic nucleus express independently phased circadian firing patterns, Neuron, 14 (1995) 697-706]. Normally, the core and shell, and the nuclei on each side, act in unison to transmit rhythmicity to effector systems. It is not known how coupling between neurons in the two subdivisions, and between the two SCNs, takes place. In the present study, we analyze the intrinsic, commissural, and efferent projections of the SCN using the swine herpesvirus (pseudorabies virus, PRV) as a tool for transynaptic analysis of circuits and small iontophoretic injections of the conventional tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated to fluorescein. We find that the core and shell each project through commissural efferents to homologous contralateral areas. The core projects densely to shell but we find little reciprocal innervation. The two subdivisions project to different hypothalamic areas, with the core projecting to the lateral subparaventricular zone and shell to the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and medial subparaventricular zone. These data are the first demonstration that connections within the SCN, and from the SCN to effector regions, are topographically organized and lend insight into the flow of information through and out of the pacemaker.
A comparison of Ro 16-6028 with benzodiazepine receptor ‘full agonists’ on GABAA receptor function

Ro 16-6028 (bretazenil) has a pharmacological profile characteristic of a partial agonist at the gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor-linked benzodiazepine site. The present study utilized modulation of [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS) binding and enhancement of GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake to further assess Ro 16-6028's partial agonist profile in vitro. Ro 16-6028 was the most potent benzodiazepine examined, exhibiting an IC50 (concentration at which half-maximal inhibition of specific [35S]TBPS binding occurs) of 6.1 nM, compared to clonazepam (7.9 nM), flunitrazepam (13.6 nM) and diazepam (91.1 nM). The rank order of potency for inhibition of [35S]TBPS binding was identical to that for inhibition of [3H]flunitrazepam binding. However, Ro 16-6028 was less efficacious in that it produced 27% inhibition of specific [35S]TBPS binding, compared to clonazepam (34%), flunitrazepam (41%) or diazepam (49%). Ro 16-6028 antagonized the inhibition of [35S]TBPS binding produced by 10 microM diazepam. Ro 16-6028 was also more potent and less efficacious than diazepam in potentiating GABA-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. These results provide further evidence that Ro 16-6028 is acting as a partial agonist at the benzodiazepine receptor in modulating function of the GABAA receptor complex.
Lymphocyte subpopulations in normal and preeclampsia pregnancies.

: We have made an effort to determine whether or not there is any change in subpopulations of lymphocytes in normally pregnant and preeclamptic pregnancies using monoclonal antibody markers. Eleven normally pregnant and ten women with preeclampsia were studied, both during the third trimester and again two months postpartum, and compared to eleven age-matched nonpregnant women. Mononuclear cells were isolated from heparinized venous blood. One million cells were treated with each appropriate antibody (Ortho-mune OKM1, OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, OKT11, OKIa), and then reacted with FITC-antimouse IgG and examined by flow cytometry and/or fluorescence microscopy. No significant differences between these three groups were noted in the OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, OKT11, or OKIa cellular populations. The OKM1 population was significantly decreased in the third trimester of normal pregnancies but not in the preeclamptic pregnancies. No significant differences were found 2 months postpartum.
An Electron Microscope Study of Graphite Oxidation

A study was made of the behavior of lattice or surface imperfections in the oxidation of graphite. Electron microscope observations of thin films heated in air at 600 deg C showed that attack occurred preferentially at crystal edges and cleavage steps. Further attack occurred inward from the initial points. (M.C. G.)
Statistical measures of bacterial motility and chemotaxis

Abstract This paper presents a model for the three-dimensional microscopic behavior of motile bacteria, and relates its parameters to five practical measures of bacterial motility and chemotaxis (direction correlation function, diffusion constant, persistence time, average velocity, and up/down ratio). The attractant gradient dependences of persistence time, average velocity, and up/down ratio are related to a single function describing the gradient sensing mechanism.
Assessment of infarct size and myocardial function in mice using transesophageal echocardiography.

Abstract Background Because transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) has significant limitations in assessing changes consequent to myocardial infarction (MI) in mice, we studied two novel methods to characterize such infarcts. Methods Large MIs were produced by proximal left coronary artery ligation, and small MIs by distal left coronary artery ligation. Serum cardiac troponin I levels were measured 24 hours postoperatively. At 2 weeks, mice underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and TTE. Infarct sizes were determined histologically. Results Surviving mice were classified according to infarct size. TEE identified all histologically proven large infarcts, and 4 of 5 small infarcts. TTE identified 4 of 5 large infarcts, but only 1 of 5 small infarcts. TEE-derived fractional area change, but not TTE-estimated left ventricular fractional shortening, was significantly different among large, small, and sham infarcts. Cardiac troponin I showed excellent correlation with infarct size and mortality. Conclusions Cardiac troponin I was found to predict infarct size and mortality, whereas TEE proved superior to TTE in determining infarct size and/or myocardial function in a murine MI model. These tools should provide more accurate assessments in preclinical studies of ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Src Kinase Mediates the Regulation of Phospholipase C-γ Activity by Glycosphingolipids

Glucosylceramide-based glycosphingolipids have been previously demonstrated to regulate negatively the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate by phospholipase C-gamma1. In the present study, the depletion of endogenous glucosylceramide by D-t-EtDO-P4 in cultured ECV304 cells induced autophosphorylation of Src kinase at tyrosine residue 418 within the catalytic loop and dephosphorylation of Src kinase at tyrosine residues 529 within the carboxyl-terminal regulatory region. Phosphotransferase activities of Src kinase were also induced in the glucosylceramide-depleted cells. c-Src kinase activity and phosphorylations at Src Tyr-418 and epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor Tyr-1068 were significantly enhanced by bradykinin in response to 100 nm D-t-EtDO-P4 compared with control cells. The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation on Tyr-418 and Tyr-529 residues of c-Src were reversed by treatment of 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-t-butyl(pyrazolo)[3,4-d]pyrimidine (PP2), an inhibitor of Src kinase, in control cells. Glucosylceramide-depleted cells resisted treatment with PP2, and both phosphorylation of Tyr-418 and dephosphorylation of Tyr-529 induced by depletion of glucosylceramide were maintained. Compared with untreated cells, tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1 was enhanced by EGF stimulation in glucosylceramide-depleted cells, associated with enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at Tyr-1068 and Tyr-1086 stimulated by EGF. The Src inhibitor, PP2, significantly blocked EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1 in control cells, whereas in glucosylceramide-depleted cells, suppression of Src kinase activity by PP2 toward EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1 was less significant. Thus the activation of Src kinase by depletion of glucosylceramide-based glycosphingolipids in cultured ECV304 cells is a critical up-stream event in the activation of phospholipase C-gamma1.
Rash associated with dabigatran etexilate.

Patients experiencing atrial fibrillation are at an increased risk for thromboembolic events. Therefore, anticoagulation therapy is imperative to prevent thrombus formation and stroke. Dabigatran etexilate was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2010 as anticoagulant prophylaxis for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The frequency of dermatologic reactions to dabigatran etexilate is estimated in the product labeling to be less than 0.1%. To date, five cases of dabigatran etexilate-associated rash have reported, including three published cases. We describe the sixth reported case of dabigatran etexilate-associated rash, in a 59-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation who received dabigatran etexilate 150 mg twice/day for atrial flutter before cardioversion. The patient had taken dabigatran etexilate for 5 days before the rash was noted on hospital admission. He had no known previous drug allergies, and his platelet count, serum creatinine concentration, and hepatic function were normal. The rash resolved 7 days after the discontinuation of dabigatran etexilate, and the patient was stabilized on warfarin therapy. Use of the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale indicated a probable relationship (score of 5) between the patient's development of the rash and dabigatran etexilate therapy. Clinicians should be aware of this adverse effect of dabigatran etexilate and monitor for dermatologic reactions during follow-up visits.
Cloning and analysis of mold-specific genes in the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum

A critical feature in the pathogenesis of the respiratory pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum is the conversion from the mold form (found in soil) to the yeast form in the lungs of the host. Little is known about the molecular biology of Histoplasma dimorphism. In particular, the possible roles of genes which are transcriptionally silent in yeast (i.e. mold-specific) have not been studied. We have produced a cDNA library highly enriched for mold-upregulated clones by fragmenting cDNA and removing yeast-specific and common sequences with a highly efficient enzyme degrading subtraction method. Screening of randomly selected clones identified cDNA fragments representing 16 different mold-upregulated genes. Because multiple cDNA fragments can be treated as alleles in a genetic screen, we were able to apply probability analysis to estimate the total number of mold-upregulated genes. We estimate that there are 27 upregulated genes; cDNA fragments of 16 have been isolated. Here we report the first isolation and analysis of cDNA from two mold-specific genes, MS8 (GenBank AF292398) and MS88 (GenBank AF357882). The MS8 transcript was very strongly expressed in mold but not detected on Northern blots with yeast RNA. The putative MS8 protein was predicted to be 21.3 kDa (203 aa), very rich in glutamine and glycine and had a calculated pI of 6.76. The MS88 transcript was weakly expressed in mold and not detected in yeast. The putative MS88 protein was predicted to be 22.5 kDa (219 aa) with a pI of 4.46. GenBank similarity searches revealed that the putative MS8 protein was similar to a glutamine-rich protein, of unknown function, from the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (GenBank U94186). No significant matches were found for the putative MS88 protein.
A Clinical Model To Estimate the Pretest Probability of Lung Cancer in Patients With Solitary Pulmonary Nodules

Abstract Background: Estimating the clinical probability of malignancy in patients with a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) can facilitate the selection and interpretation of subsequent diagnostic tests. Methods: We used multiple logistic regression analysis to identify independent clinical predictors of malignancy and to develop a parsimonious clinical prediction model to estimate the pretest probability of malignancy in a geographically diverse sample of 375 veterans with SPNs. We used data from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative databases and a recently completed VA Cooperative Study that evaluated the accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) scans for the diagnosis of SPNs. Results: The mean (± SD) age of subjects in the sample was 65.9 ± 10.7 years. The prevalence of malignant SPNs was 54%. Most participants were either current smokers (n = 177) or former smokers (n = 177). Independent predictors of malignant SPNs included a positive smoking history (odds ratio [OR], 7.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6 to 23.6), older age (OR, 2.2 per 10-year increment; 95% CI, 1.7 to 2.8), larger nodule diameter (OR, 1.1 per 1-mm increment; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.2), and time since quitting smoking (OR, 0.6 per 10-year increment; 95% CI, 0.5 to 0.7). Model accuracy was very good (area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.84), and there was excellent agreement between the predicted probability and the observed frequency of malignant SPNs. Conclusions: Our prediction rule can be used to estimate the pretest probability of malignancy in patients with SPNs, and thereby facilitate clinical decision making when selecting and interpreting the results of diagnostic tests such as PET imaging.
Evaluation of the AdvanDx VRE EVIGENE Assay for Detection of vanA in Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

AdvanDx VRE EVIGENE, a commercial vanA/vanB DNA hybridization assay to identify vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), was evaluated for the detection of vanA in Staphylococcus aureus. Performance was assessed using S. aureus, VRE, and vancomycin-intermediate and -susceptible isolates. The assay demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity when analyzed visually and by optical density.
Larval rearing environment affects several post- copulatory traits in Drosophila melanogaster

In Drosophila melanogaster , accessory gland proteins (Acps) that a male transfers during mating affect his reproductive success by altering the female9s behaviour and physiology. To test the role of male condition in the expression of Acps, we manipulated the pre-adult environment and examined adult males for relative transcript abundance of nine Acps, and for post-copulatory traits that Acps influence. Larval culture density had no effect on any measured trait. Larval nutrient availability impacted the number of sperm transferred and stored, the male9s ability to induce refractoriness in his mate, but relative transcript abundance of only a single Acp ( Acp36DE ). Reduced male body size due to low yeast levels affected sperm competition. Our data indicate that some female-mediated post-copulatory traits (induced refractoriness and sperm transfer and storage) might be influenced by the male9s developmental environment, but relative expression of most Acps and some traits they influence ( P1 ′) are not.
Runaway State Building: How Political Parties Shape States in Postcommunist Eastern Europe

Why has the rate of expansion of postcommunist state administrations varied so widely among countries that are at comparable stages of economic transition, have similar formal institutions, and have been equally exposed to the dynamics of EU integration? Based on a close comparison of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, the author argues that the critical factor in postcommunist state building is the robustness of party competition. The legacy of communism creates strong pressures for patronage politics, which swells the administration, but it is party competition that determines whether the predisposition to patronage politics in fact becomes the practice of patronage politics. The number of state administrative personnel has expanded significantly more in countries where party system development has stalled, and party competition has failed to constrain the party(ies) of government.
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Regulate Cytokine Gene Expression in Human Airway Myocytes

The signal transduction pathways regulating smooth-muscle gene expression and production of cytokines in response to proinflammatory mediators are undefined. Cultured human bronchial smooth-muscle cells were treated for 20 h with a cytokine cocktail containing interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma. A complementary DNA expression array containing 588 genes was used to follow cytokine-stimulated gene expression. The expression and secretion of the cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 significantly increased after 20 h of stimulation as measured by relative reverse transcriptase/ polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blotting techniques. Expression of IL-6 and IL-8 was sensitive to SB203580, the specific inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and PD98059, an inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase. Expression of IL-1beta was sensitive only to PD98059. Together, these results demonstrate that the p38 and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase MAP kinase pathways are required for proinflammatory mediator- induced cytokine expression in airway myocytes. The generation of chemokines and cytokines in airway smooth muscle also provides evidence that smooth-muscle cells have the ability to contribute to the inflammatory response.
Improving Web application speed

The paper begins by discussing bottlenecks to users accessing Web sites. It goes on to consider database structure, tables and indexes. Also considered are query syntax, the role of application servers and their numbers. The paper concludes with a discussion of network architecture and content quantity.
Epistemological modesty: Critical reflections on public relations thought

This article is a critical thinking inquiry into a number of epistemologically related problems with the scholarly conceptions and real-world practices of public relations. Resonating with the epistemological modesty of the Scottish Enlightenment, and approaching public relations from the perspectives of such marginal directions as phenomenology, microsociology and literary theory, the article examines 10 problems with modern public relations thought as it has been articulated from the early public relations ‘pioneers’ to its popular conceptualization, in recent decades, as systems-based symmetry-excellence.
Software engineering and the Internet

To successfully compete in the drive towards e-business, businesses are faced with challenges that strain their resources across all fronts. In their bid to win new market share, businesses must balance the necessity of new innovative products, released on ever shortening cycles, with the maintenance of their core business" a core that provides the capital leverage needed to fuel this new growth. Businesses must succeed in these changes with a skills base that is, relative to the market requirements, diminishing. Achieving equilibrium between demands that historically have been treated as dichotomous will require nothing less than a change in the very culture of the software engineering community.This change is evident, but how will we, as a the software community, be successful in effecting this change? Successful modification of this culture begins with an understanding, at all levels, of the change in the skills pool and the exponential rise in the need for reliable, scalable systems that can accommodate millions of customers on ever more complex internet based e-business applications. While an increasing number of businesses deploy mission critical applications and begin to build e-market places on the internet, we need to be able to adapt our software engineering philosophy to create software in a more flexible enviromnent that focuses on delivering capability in a more time-critical fashion than we have been challenged to do in the past. The paradigm of designing to perfection must be scaled back to a model that facilitates progressive discovery for the growing population of programmers who are relatively new to the business. Only when we can deliver flexible software to support the deployment of these new e-business applications will we succeed in supporting the drive to e-business.
Protein incorporation by isolated amphibian oocytes. I. Preliminary studies.

Developing Xenopus oocytes removed from the ovary and divested of their outermost cellular layers (theca and surface epithelium) will incorporate protein continuously over a period of at least two to six days when cultured in vitro. The rate of protein incorporation depends upon:(a) the extent to which the donor has been stimulated by gonadotropin; (b) the size of the oocyte; and (c) the protein composition of the medium, since a mechanism exists to sequester selected protein. Protein uptake is negligible when oocytes are cultured either with all their cellular layers intact or with all their cellular layers removed. These results imply that the outer surface epithelium is relatively impermeable to protein and that the integrity of the investing follicular epithelium is essential for vigorous protein incorporation by the oocyte.
Efficient algorithm for the reconstruction of a protein backbone from the a-carbon coordinates

We present an analytical method for generating a whole protein backbone structure from the coordinates of the α-carbons. The procedure begins by automatically positioning the β-carbons for every residue, and then the positions of the carbonyl groups and the amide nitrogens are also computed. The method is based upon the simultaneous minimization of a number of geometrical constraints that appear in real proteins and that can be very easily formulated as a set of trigonometric relations between the coordinates of the atoms involved in the backbone reconstruction. The resulting algorithm has been tested for proteins of very different sizes and topologies, and can advantageously compete with other methods proposed for this goal both in accuracy and in computational requirements. Possible ways of further refinement of the resulting structures are discussed.
High-performance negative electron affinity photocathodes for high resolution electron beam lithography and metrology

Factors affecting the brightness of negative electron affinity photocathodes have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The results of a two-dimensional model of electron dynamics in the cathode, including the effects of surface-trapped electrons, are presented. Emission is seen to be cut off in the central emission area at high current levels. The angular distribution is compared to a cosine distribution based on an energy spectrum obtained from the same cathode. While superior to the cosine distribution with respect to its forward focusing properties, it is far wider than previous theory has suggested.