cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Osmotic properties of frog nerve.

Abstract 1. 1. Sciatic nerves of Rana pipiens were immersed in anisotonic Ringer solutions, 1 1 2 %–400% , and weight changes followed with a torsion balance. After attainment of equilibrium, reversibility in normal Ringer was determined. In 30% Ringer at 24°C, swelling equilibrium was attained in about 18 min. In very dilute solutions, equilibrium was reached at much longer times. 2. 2. The equilibrium volume appeared to follow Boyle's law, P(V − b) = k, up to dilutions as high as 15% Ringer; beyond that significant deviation was observed. 3. 3. The osmotically inactive fraction b = 86 per cent, in Ringer 50% and above; in more dilute solutions b increased progressively with the degree of hypotonicity. It is of greater magnitude in frog nerve than in other cells, such as marine eggs. 4. 4. Participation of the axones in the swelling was observed by microscopic measurement. In dilute solutions, changes in myelin sheath configuration were observed microscopically during swelling. 5. 5. Slowing of conduction velocity and lenghtening of absolute refractoriness were observed in both hyper- and hypotonic Ringer solutions, and, within limits, good reversal of electrical and weight changes were obtained in normal Ringer. 6. 6. The interpretation is advances that the observed electrophysiological changes in anisotonic solutions are attributable to altered axonal membrane ion permeability.
Renal cell carcinoma and idiopathicthrombocytopenic purpura

Abstract A syndrome resembling idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura has been describedpreviously to occur in association with diverse forms of cancer. Herein we present the first reported case of renal cell carcinoma associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a review of the literature, and the pathophysiology of platelet destruction.
Movement patterns and habitat use of three declining littoral fish species in a north-temperate mesotrophic lake

We explored patterns of habitat use and movement of three declining fish species intolerant to eutrophication in a north-temperate (Minnesota, USA) glacial lake: the blackchin shiner Notropis heterodon, blacknose shiner Notropis heterolepis, and banded killifish Fundulus diaphanus. We marked individuals with elastomer tags and estimated movement distances of recaptured individuals. Estimated home ranges for all species ranged from 3,264 to 19,525 m2, which covered 0.8 and 5.0% of our study lake’s total littoral area. Individuals of all species traveled to opposite ends of the lake over periods of time as short as 24 h. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) overlays and generalized additive models, we found fish species occurrences to be positively associated with macrophyte biovolume greater than 20% and with a high probability of occurrence of Chara. The magnitude of main and interaction effects varied among years and species. Overall, blackchin shiner occurrence was most strongly associated with biovolume. In other species by year combinations, biovolume and Chara explained varying degrees of variance in fish probability of occurrence. Our results suggest that controlling lake eutrophication and protecting of refuge areas of dense macrophytes and Chara may be needed to conserve these species.
trans-Platinum Reporting for Duty

HIV infects millions of people worldwide; however, no cures for this AIDS-causing retrovirus exist. A new approach using trans-platinum-nucleobase complexes to inhibit viral replication by disrupting the nucleocapsid protein-RNA interaction is presented in this issue of Chemistry & Biology [1].
A model for conditioning and the effect of spaced trials in learning

A mechanism is suggested in which a postulated substance can enter a synaptic region only during the simultaneous action of a conditioned and an unconditioned stimulus. If this substance remains and produces a physico-chemical change, then a consequence is that the degree of learning will depend on the spacing of conditioning trials and the time constant of the process will be related to the rate of diffusion or transport of the substance along the axon.
Trend situations in manic-depressive psychoses and their interpretation

1) Prolonged renunciation or frustration of Eros may in some individuals lead to attacks of depression, mania or mixed manicdepressive reactions. 2) Strangulation of Eros automatically releases death or destruction impulses. 3) Depression represents a tendency to negate life; it is a “living-death” or may actually lead to death itself. 4) The manic reaction in the manic-depressive psychosis represents an “as if”, forced, artificial affirmation of life behind which lurks a strong death or destruction impulse. 5) In depression the death or destruction impulse is usually inhibited in its satisfaction upon an external object and becomes transformed into an impulse toward self-destruction.
Mode of high temperature injury to wheat. II. Comparisons of wheat and rice with and without inflorescences

High temperature injury to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during grain development is manifested as acceleration of senescence. Experiments were conducted to elucidate the mode of senescence and site of high temperature responses. Wheat (cv. Chris) and rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Newbonnet), which have C3 photosynthesis but different temperature responses, were grown with and without inflorescences under three temperature regimes after anthesis. Plant growth and constituents associated with senescence were measured weekly until physiological maturity. Increasing temperatures from 25°C/15°C to 35°C/25°C day/night after anthesis decreased growth, leaf viability, chlorophyll and protein concentrations, and RuBP carboxylase activity and increased protease and RNase activities in wheat. Inflorescence removal increased vegetative weights and slowed most senescence processes more in wheat than in rice, but did not alter the course of high temperature responses. Results are interpreted as indicating that diversion of nutrients from roots by inflorescence sinks at normal temperatures and by increased respiration at high temperatures caused similar responses. Source and sink activities appeared to be regulated jointly, probably by cytokinins from roots, during senescence at normal and elevated temperatures.
Structural studies of Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers by means of soft X-ray diffraction

Abstract The specularly reflected intensity from cadmium arachidate multilayers has been measured as a function of incidence angle. The films were prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and ranged from three to 21 layers in thickness. Monochromatic synchrotron radiation of 1560 eV photon energy (wavelength 7.95 A) was used in combination with a high vacuum compatible triple-axis diffractometer. The measured diffraction profiles were fitted with a theory based on the exact solution of the Fresnel-Bragg equations for multiple reflections including absorption. The optical parameters for the layers were taken from tabulated values, and the layers were constructed using a formulation similar to that employed previously by Pomerantz and Segmuller. The individual layer spacing as well as the total thickness of the film could be derived to within an accuracy of 1% or 1 A (whichever is larger).
Engineering the End: DNA Processing at Human Telomeres

A series of new techniques developed by Sfeir et al. (2005) have made it possible to analyze the sequence at the terminus of mammalian telomeres and have shown that the C strand is subject to a highly specific DNA processing step.
Characterization of the Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP) Binding Pocket: NMR-Based Screening Identifies Small-Molecule Ligands

Background Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP), also known as phoshaptidylethanolamine binding protein (PEBP), has been shown to inhibit Raf and thereby negatively regulate growth factor signaling by the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. RKIP has also been shown to suppress metastasis. We have previously demonstrated that RKIP/Raf interaction is regulated by two mechanisms: phosphorylation of RKIP at Ser-153, and occupation of RKIP's conserved ligand binding domain with a phospholipid (2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine; DHPE). In addition to phospholipids, other ligands have been reported to bind this domain; however their binding properties remain uncharacterized. Methods/Findings In this study, we used high-resolution heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy to screen a chemical library and assay a number of potential RKIP ligands for binding to the protein. Surprisingly, many compounds previously postulated as RKIP ligands showed no detectable binding in near-physiological solution conditions even at millimolar concentrations. In contrast, we found three novel ligands for RKIP that specifically bind to the RKIP pocket. Interestingly, unlike the phospholipid, DHPE, these newly identified ligands did not affect RKIP binding to Raf-1 or RKIP phosphorylation. One out of the three ligands displayed off target biological effects, impairing EGF-induced MAPK and metabolic activity. Conclusions/Significance This work defines the binding properties of RKIP ligands under near physiological conditions, establishing RKIP's affinity for hydrophobic ligands and the importance of bulky aliphatic chains for inhibiting its function. The common structural elements of these compounds defines a minimal requirement for RKIP binding and thus they can be used as lead compounds for future design of RKIP ligands with therapeutic potential.
Some unusual crystallization phenomena in frozen aqueous solutions

Abstract When a 30 weight percent ferrous chloride solution is quick cooled to 78°K, it forms a transparent glass. When this is slowly warmed, both differential thermal analysis and Mossbauer measurements distinguish four temperatures, which correspond to (1) melting from glass to undercooled liquid, (2) crystallization of salt-free ice, (3) crystallization of FeCl 2 ·9H 2 O, and (4) melting of both crystals. Our recent differential-thermal-analysis measurements show that the third temperature increases by 22°K as the fraction of D 2 O in the water increases from zero to 100 percent, while the other three remain nearly constant. The cause of the large isotope effect is not known.
Bicultural identity among economical migrants from three south European countries living in Switzerland. Adaptation and validation of a new psychometric instrument

Acculturation is one of the determinants of mental health among immigrants. Evaluating adaptation to the host culture is insufficient, since immigrants will develop various degrees of bi- or multicultural identity. However, mental health professionals lack simple and easy to use instruments to guide them with bicultural identity evaluation in their practice. Our aim was to develop such an instrument to be used for clinical purposes among economical migrants from three South European countries living in Geneva, Switzerland. We adapted from existing instruments a 24 item bi-dimensional scale to assess involvement in both culture of origin and host culture. The study included 93 immigrant adults from three south European countries (Italy, Portugal and Spain). Thirty-eight patients were recruited in an outpatient treatment program for alcohol-related problems and 55 participants were hospital employees. The questionnaire was rated as easy or rather easy by 97.8% of participants. Median time to complete it was 5 minutes. The instrument allowed discriminating between patients and healthy subjects, with scores for Swiss culture significantly higher among hospital workers. The subscales related to culture of origin and host culture displayed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.77 and 0.73 respectively). It is possible to assist clinicians' assessment of cultural identity of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish economical immigrants in Switzerland with a single and easy to use instrument.
Suppression of Type-I ELMs Using a Single Toroidal Row of Magnetic Field Perturbation Coils in DIII-D

In recent DIII-D (J.L. Luxon et al 2003 Nucl. Fusion 43 1813) experiments, suppression of type-I edge localized modes (ELMs) was obtained by applying n = 3 resonant magnetic perturbations using a single toroidal row of internal, small aperture coils located either above or below the equatorial plane in plasmas with ITER-like electron pedestal collisionality , flux surface shape and low edge safety factor (q95 ≈ 3.6). ELM suppression with a single row of coils was achieved at approximately the same q95 surface-averaged perturbation field as with two rows of coils, but required higher current per coil. Suppression of type-I ELMs was not obtained with similar n = 3 perturbation strength at the q95 surface from a single-row of external, large aperture coils on the outer equatorial midplane.
Biomarkers of pesticide exposure evaluated in a case-control study of prostate cancer

ENVIRONMENTAL/OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSE: Determine occupational exposures associated with salivary gland cancer mortality. METHODS: We conducted a death certificate-based case-control study, including African American (168 cases, 672 controls) and white (2237 cases, 8748 controls) men and women in 24 states during 1984-89. Controls were frequency matched by 5-year age group, sex, race, and geographic region, excluding infectious causes of death. A job exposure matrix based on occupation/industry code (1980 US Census) at time of death was used to estimate exposure probability and intensity. Race and sex-stratified multiple logistic regression models estimated adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR: age, socio-economic (SES) and marital status adjustment). RESULTS: A higher proportion of African American cases were under age 50, compared with white cases (20.8% versus 8.8%, respectively; p 0.001). Among white men, higher SES was associated with higher mortality risk in a dose-dependent fashion (p trend 0.05). Ionizing radiation exposure was associated with increased mortality (aOR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.05-2.80), but only among white men. Occupations with moderate physical activity were associated with a 20% reduced mortality risk among men in both groups, compared with sedentary occupations (aOR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.61-0.99, white; aOR 0.8; 95% CI; 0.19-3.69, African American). Formaldehyde, solvents, ultraviolet radiation, and animal contact were associated with elevated risk among white men (p 0.05). Among African American women, formaldehyde, solvents, benzene, and animal contact exposures were suggestive, but not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: These findings provide supporting evidence for an association with occupational radiation exposure and suggest new avenues for investigation including SES and racial/ethnic differences.
Shuckin' and Jivin': Folklore from Contemporary Black Americans

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. In the Beginning: Etiological Tales 2. I Raised Hell While I Was There: Tales of Heaven and Hell 3. Dese Bones Gon' Rise Again: Ghost Tales 4. Somebody Clapped for Edith Las' Night: Conjure Tales 5. I Hears de Call: Tales about Religion 6. A Nigger Ain't Shit: Self-Degrading Tales 7. Oh, Lord, Will I Ever? The White Woman and the Black Man 8. I Could Eat Her Up: Tales about Women 9. Be True to Me: Tales about Marital Infidelity 10. Goldstein, Pat, Mike, and the Like: Ethnic Jokes 11. The White Man Is the Devil: Tales about the Cruelty of Whites 12. The Bottom Rail Comes to Be the Top Riser: Outsmarting Whitey 13. I'm A Bad Motherfucker: Tales of the Bad Nigger 14. Down in the Jungle, Out on the Farm: Miscellaneous Animal Tales 15. Are You Ready for This? Miscellaneous Risque Tales 16. A Potpourri: Miscellaneous Black Folklore Biographies of Major Contributors Annotations
Photoacoustic spectroscopy of β-hematin

Malaria affects over 200 million individuals annually, resulting in 800,000 fatalities. Current tests use blood smears and can only detect the disease when 0.1–1% of blood cells are infected. We are investigating the use of photoacoustic flowmetry to sense as few as one infected cell among 10 million or more normal blood cells, thus diagnosing infection before patients become symptomatic. Photoacoustic flowmetry is similar to conventional flow cytometry, except that rare cells are targeted by nanosecond laser pulses to induce ultrasonic responses. This system has been used to detect single melanoma cells in 10 ml of blood. Our objective is to apply photoacoustic flowmetry to detection of the malaria pigment hemozoin, which is a byproduct of parasitedigested hemoglobin in the blood. However, hemozoin is difficult to purify in quantities greater than a milligram, so a synthetic analog, known as β-hematin was derived from porcine haemin. The specific purpose of this study is to establish the efficacy of using β-hematin, rather than hemozoin, for photoacoustic measurements. We characterized β-hematin using UV-vis spectroscopy, TEM, and FTIR, then tested the effects of laser irradiation on the synthetic product. We finally determined its absorption spectrum using photoacoustic excitation. UV-vis spectroscopy verified that β-hematin was distinctly different from its precursor. TEM analysis confirmed its previously established nanorod shape, and comparison of the FTIR results with published spectroscopy data showed that our product had the distinctive absorbance peaks at 1661 and 1206 cm −1 . Also, our research indicated that prolonged irradiation dramatically alters the physical and optical properties of the β-hematin, resulting in increased absorption at shorter wavelengths. Nevertheless, the photoacoustic absorption spectrum mimicked that generated by UV-vis spectroscopy, which confirms the accuracy of the photoacoustic method and strongly suggests that photoacoustic flowmetry may be used as a tool for diagnosis of malaria infection.
A systematic examination of universal design resources: part 1, heuristic evaluation

This paper presents the evaluation of eight published Universal Design Resources (UDRs) to measure how effectively they support typical design processes and design psychology. New heuristics and principles to evaluate the UDRs from the point of view of designers who were universal design novices were created. Established methodologies for heuristic evaluation were used with the new heuristics. The evaluators found numerous problems in seven of the eight UDRs, providing evidence in support of the hypothesis that the content UDRs does not facilitate the design process and is not commensurate with what is known about typical design psychology.
Thiol redox requirements and substrate specificities of recombinant cytochrome c assembly systems II and III

The reconstitution of biosynthetic pathways from heterologous hosts can help define the minimal genetic requirements for pathway function and facilitate detailed mechanistic studies. Each of the three pathways for the assembly of cytochrome c in nature (called systems I, II, and III) has been shown to function recombinantly in Escherichia coli, covalently attaching heme to the cysteine residues of a CXXCH motif of a c-type cytochrome. However, recombinant systems I (CcmABCDEFGH) and II (CcsBA) function in the E. coli periplasm, while recombinant system III (CCHL) attaches heme to its cognate receptor in the cytoplasm of E. coli, which makes direct comparisons between the three systems difficult. Here we show that the human CCHL (with a secretion signal) attaches heme to the human cytochrome c (with a signal sequence) in the E. coli periplasm, which is bioenergetically (p-side) analogous to the mitochondrial intermembrane space. The human CCHL is specific for the human cytochrome c, whereas recombinant system II can attach heme to multiple non-cognate c-type cytochromes (possessing the CXXCH motif.) We also show that the recombinant periplasmic systems II and III use components of the natural E. coli periplasmic DsbC/DsbD thiol-reduction pathway. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biogenesis/Assembly of Respiratory Enzyme Complexes.
Virtual service, real data: results of a pilot study

Real‐time online reference holds enormous potential for revolutionizing the way users find and use reference services. By adding interactive help to their online information services, libraries can reach users who may never have sought out the traditional reference desk. Moving from the desk to the desktop, however, can be a daunting prospect. Anxious to try this innovative service, but concerned about a long‐term commitment to expensive software and possible staff reorganization without a clear mandate, the Reference and Undergraduate Libraries at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign launched a pilot project in the spring of 2001. In addition to testing the feasibility of real‐time online service, we attempted to gather as much data as possible to guide in future planning. The results were gratifying: patrons responded enthusiastically, and the data collected provided valuable insights into the use and users of this service.
Preoperative differentiation of malignant from benign ovarian tumors: the efficacy of morphology indexing and Doppler flow sonography.

Abstract Objective The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of morphology indexing and Doppler flow sonography as methods to predict risk of malignancy in sonographically confirmed ovarian tumors. Methods Risk of malignancy was assessed preoperatively in 442 ovarian tumors using a new morphology index (MI) based on tumor volume and wall structure. Each tumor was assigned a score of 0 to 10 based on increasing volume and morphologic complexity. Doppler flow studies were performed on 371 of these tumors. Following morphologic evaluation, all ovarian tumors were removed surgically. Results Of 315 tumors with a MI Conclusions Morphology indexing is an accurate and inexpensive method of differentiating benign from malignant ovarian tumors, and can be a valuable adjunct in treatment planning. The addition of Doppler flow studies did not improve diagnostic accuracy of MI.
Analysis of the potency of extracts of June grass pollen by their inhibitory capacities in the radioallergosorbent test

The potencies of 11 commercial extracts of June grass pollen were analyzed by skin test end point titrations and compared to potencies as determined in vitro (1) by the radioallergosorbent test (RAST), (2) by Group I antigen content, and (3) by protein nitrogen units (PNU). RAST potencies were determined by the capacity of the extract to inhibit the binding of IgE antibody to solid-phase allergen, and they were expressed as the quantity of extract required for 50% inhibition of binding. Potencies determined by skin testing in 8 patients were significantly related among the various patients in 19 of 27 comparisons and showed differences of up to 95,000-fold in the strengths of the extracts. Estimation of potencies by RAST inhibition showed approximately a 100-fold difference among the extracts and in 5 of 8 cases these were significantly related to potencies measured by skin tests. Similarly, PNU determinations and Group I determinations were also significantly related to potencies by skin test titration in 5 of 8 and in 4 of 8 comparisons, respectively. Comparison of the geometric mean skin test potencies with RAST, PNU, and Group I potencies revealed that all were significantly related to skin test potencies although the correlation of RAST and skin potency was the highest. The results indicate that measurement of potency by RAST inhibition compares favorably with other in vitro measurements of potency. These results are compared with those of a prior study with extracts of short ragweed, and the reasons for the differences between the results in the two studies are discussed.
Acyclic stereoselection. 28. Use of stereoselective aldol methodology in the total synthesis of cladinose.

Abstract Reactions of ( S )-2-benzyloxypropanal ( 4 ) with the lithium, magnesium, and zirconium enolates of methyl 2-methoxypropanoate ( 1 ) and with ketene acetals 2 and 3 have been studied and the stereostructures of the resulting products elucidated. The major stereoisomer resulting from the metal enolate additions has been converted into the branched sugar cladinose (5).
Performance of Micro/Meso-Scale Thermal Transpiration Pumps at Low Pressures

The Knudsen Compressor is a solid-state micro/meso-scale gas roughing pump based on the rarefied gas phenomena of thermal transpiration. Knudsen Compressors operate by imposing a temperature gradient across a high porosity, low thermal conductivity transpiration membrane, typically a silicon aerogel membrane. Previous optimization studies have concluded that significant reductions of both energy consumption and device volume per unit throughput and pressure difference for a given pressure ratio can be achieved when each stage of the cascade operates with a Knudsen number based on the mean pore radius of approximately one. Perforated aerogels (using the same bulk aerogel material, but with machined arrays of properly sized parallel capillaries) are appealing candidate low-pressure transpiration membranes and are the focus of this investigation. Conventional drilling techniques using micro drills have successfully demonstrated perforated aerogel with pore diameters ranging from 200µm to 500µm. This range of pore sizes corresponds to efficient Knudsen Compressor operation between roughly 500mTorr and 200 mTorr. The performance of a low pressure Knudsen Compressor is clearly affected by rarefaction phenomena including “reverse” thermal transpiration and possible thermally induced internal flow circulation at low pressures due to the relatively large Knudsen number in the connector section.
Long-term double integration of acceleration for position sensing and frequency domain system identification

We present results from successful implementation of long-term (>10 seconds) real-time integration of acceleration to measure position. We evaluated two analog circuit designs for double integration of an acceleration signal. Our circuit design features three high-pass filters and two first order integrators, leading to a critically damped double integrator. The second design we have implemented is a second order underdamped integrator reported in the literature. Accuracy of both circuits in sensing position based on only accelerometer readings was experimentally evaluated by comparison with encoder readings. We conclude that a critically damped double integrator coupled with an accelerometer is well-suited for frequency domain system identification, thanks to reliable position measurement capability with minimal interference to system dynamics.
SPARTA+: a modest improvement in empirical NMR chemical shift prediction by means of an artificial neural network

NMR chemical shifts provide important local structural information for proteins and are key in recently described protein structure generation protocols. We describe a new chemical shift prediction program, SPARTA+, which is based on artificial neural networking. The neural network is trained on a large carefully pruned database, containing 580 proteins for which high-resolution X-ray structures and nearly complete backbone and 13Cβ chemical shifts are available. The neural network is trained to establish quantitative relations between chemical shifts and protein structures, including backbone and side-chain conformation, H-bonding, electric fields and ring-current effects. The trained neural network yields rapid chemical shift prediction for backbone and 13Cβ atoms, with standard deviations of 2.45, 1.09, 0.94, 1.14, 0.25 and 0.49 ppm for δ15N, δ13C’, δ13Cα, δ13Cβ, δ1Hα and δ1HN, respectively, between the SPARTA+ predicted and experimental shifts for a set of eleven validation proteins. These results represent a modest but consistent improvement (2–10%) over the best programs available to date, and appear to be approaching the limit at which empirical approaches can predict chemical shifts.
Psychosocial Problems of the Adolescent Patient with Epilepsy The Epileptic's Need for Comprehensive Care

To evaluate the psychosocial problems in adolescent patients with epilepsy, 17 teen-agers and their parents were studied using interviews, a questionnaire, and group interviews. The main findings were: the existence of important psycho social problems in 13 of the 17 teen-agers and their families, the parents' recognition of be havior problems in the young person as their most frequent difficulty, and the teenagers report ing of problems with peers as their biggest psychosocial concern. This study has highlighted the areas of help parents need with the young person's behavior problems, and the help the teen-ager needs with peer relationships.
Apparent exophthalmos in the rat following cortisone treatment or thyroidectomy.

CLINICAL exophthalmos in man is associated with an increase in the mass of retrobulbar tissues (Dobyns, 1950). Although the etiology of the changes in these tissues is not well understood, it appears that most of the alterations are in the connective tissue, fat, and muscular components. Experimental exophthalmos produced by treatment with pituitary preparations in adult guinea pigs is also associated with an increase in the mass of retrobulbar tissues and with histological changes similar to those seen in human exophthalmos (Smelser, 1937). Recently exophthalmos has been reported to occur in rats receiving cortisone (Aterman and Greenberg, 1953). Others have reported exophthalmos in rats which had been thyroidectomized (Leblond and Eartley, 1952) or had been fed either iodine deficient (Thompson, 1933) or low salt diets (Yudkin, Farquhar and Wakerman, 1933). Apparently these observations were based only on visual examination of living animals. In all of these studies young animals were used.
The debate about prostate cancer screening: What nurses meed to know

Objectives: Special challenges and unique opportunities for nurses in the 21st century related to prostate cancer screening are reviewed. Data Sources: Current health care literature pertaining to prostate cancer screening issues. Conclusions: Decisions that weigh the immediate risks of incontinence and erectile dysfunction against the long-term potential risk of death from advanced cancer must be made with conflicting values and incomplete data. Implications for Nursing Practice: With their expertise in patient education nurses are in a unique position to communicate the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening in a manner in which patients can understand. A sample nursing care plan is presented for shared decision making.
Electric conversion vehicle air-conditioning project

This paper examines an air conditioning system for an electric vehicle. A 1985 Ford Lynx is the subject car. The design conditions are Orlando's 1% mean dry and wet bulb temperatures. The cooling load temperature difference method is used to calculate the heat gain using August data at 28/spl deg/ north latitude. To reduce the required power for the compressor, the thermal resistance of the vehicle walls, floor, roof and windows is increased to reduce the car heat gain. The design condition set points in the car are 78/spl deg/F and 40% relative humidity. A heat pipe is installed around the cooling coil to increase the latent heat capacity of the system. Additionally, a heat pipe between the exhaust and ventilation air streams pre-cools the make-up-air. The peak internal car temperature, while parked in direct sunlight, is limited to 110/spl deg/F by a ventilation system forcing outside air through the car.
Achieving the Optimal Peri-implant Soft Tissue Profile by the Selective Pressure Method via Provisional Restorations in the Esthetic Zone.

UNLABELLED For the successful single-tooth implant therapy in the esthetics zone, achieving an ideal peri-implant soft tissue profile is paramount. It can achieve by the manipulation of the provisional restorations. This clinical report demonstrate the selective pressure method and concave transmucosal profile of the provisional restorations to achieve the ideal and stable gingival profile in esthetic single tooth implant restorations. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The selective pressure method and the concave transmucosal profile in implant provisional restorations facilitate stable and harmonized peri-implant gingival tissue in the esthetic zone.
Jitter compensation in sampling via polynomial least squares estimation

Sampling error due to jitter, or noise in the sample times, affects the precision of analog-to-digital converters in a significant, nonlinear fashion. In this paper, a polynomial least squares (PLS) estimator is derived for an observation model incorporating both independent jitter and additive noise, as an alternative to the linear least squares (LLS) estimator. After deriving this estimator, its implementation is discussed, and it is simulated using Matlab. In simulations, the PLS estimator is shown to improve the mean squared error performance by up to 30 percent versus the optimal linear estimator.
Conformational heterogeneity of the protein-free human spliceosomal U2-U6 snRNA complex

The complex formed between the U2 and U6 small nuclear (sn)RNA molecules of the eukaryotic spliceosome plays a critical role in the catalysis of precursor mRNA splicing. Here, we have used enzymatic structure probing, (19)F NMR, and analytical ultracentrifugation techniques to characterize the fold of a protein-free biophysically tractable paired construct representing the human U2-U6 snRNA complex. Results from enzymatic probing and (19)F NMR for the complex in the absence of Mg(2+) are consistent with formation of a four-helix junction structure as a predominant conformation. However, (19)F NMR data also identify a lesser fraction (up to 14% at 25°C) of a three-helix conformation. Based upon this distribution, the calculated ΔG for inter-conversion to the four-helix structure from the three-helix structure is approximately -4.6 kJ/mol. In the presence of 5 mM Mg(2+), the fraction of the three-helix conformation increased to ∼17% and the Stokes radius, measured by analytical ultracentrifugation, decreased by 2%, suggesting a slight shift to an alternative conformation. NMR measurements demonstrated that addition of an intron fragment to the U2-U6 snRNA complex results in displacement of U6 snRNA from the region of Helix III immediately 5' of the ACAGAGA sequence of U6 snRNA, which may facilitate binding of the segment of the intron adjacent to the 5' splice site to the ACAGAGA sequence. Taken together, these observations indicate conformational heterogeneity in the protein-free human U2-U6 snRNA complex consistent with a model in which the RNA has sufficient conformational flexibility to facilitate inter-conversion between steps of splicing in situ.
Analytical Investigation of Potential Seismic Damage to a Skewed Bridge

Investigative reports on the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California indicated significant damage experienced by skewed highway bridges. Specifically, the damage sustained by the Pico-Lyons Bridge near Newhall, California, was noted to have been triggered by the skewed geometry of the bridge. In an effort to portray the behavior of this bridge analytically, a series of simulation studies was conducted using nonlinear finite-element analyses. The objective was to demonstrate that certain damage potentials in skewed bridges during earthquakes can be captured analytically. Dynamic time history and pushover analyses were used to capture the behavior of the superstructure of the skewed bridge using the Northridge ground motion record as the input seismic force. Results from the simulation studies showed that potential damage areas, comparable to those reported in the field investigation of the Pico-Lyons Bridge, can be portrayed through analytical modeling. The study also provided the percentage increase in critical stresses in the superstructure of skewed bridges as the angle of skew increases compared with a comparable nonskewed bridge. The study showed that cases in which the angle of skew is approximately 40°, the percentage increase in stress due to the skewness effect at the end girders can be as high as 50–60%.
A wideband body biased low-noise amplifier

This paper discusses the design of a wideband body biased low- noise amplifier (LNA). Body bias has been used to reduce the supply voltage requirement. Input shunt feedback has been used to implement a wideband method. The LNA achieves 4.36–12.2 GHz bandwidth with a gain of over 10 dB and minimum noise figure of 3 dB over the bandwidth with a supply voltage of 1.5V.
Progress in Fire Detection and Suppression Technology for Future Space Missions

Fire intervention technology (detection and suppression) is a critical part of the strategy of spacecraft fire safety. This paper reviews the status, trends, and issues in fire intervention, particularly the technology applied to the protection of the International Space Station and future missions beyond Earth orbit. An important contribution to improvements in spacecraft fire safety is the understanding of the behavior of fires in the non-convective (microgravity) environment of Earth-orbiting and planetary-transit spacecraft. A key finding is the strong influence of ventilation flow on flame characteristics, flammability limits and flame suppression in microgravity. Knowledge of these flow effects will aid the development of effective processes for fire response and technology for fire suppression.
Presence of a “CAGA box” in the APP gene unique to amyloid plaque-forming species and absent in all APLP-1/2 genes: implications in Alzheimer’s disease

SPECIFIC AIMSThe amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) is the source of toxic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A “CAGA” sequence within the 5′-untranslated reg...
The Mechanics of Mainstreaming Considering the Regular Educators' Perspective

A 25-item questionnaire designed to elicit information regarding the roles and responsibilities of regular educators in the IEP process was completed by 37 elementary and 33 junior/senior high school educators from three New England school districts. Chi-square tests of relationship identified three factors which seemed to influence teacher involvement and attitudes towards special education and mainstreaming: (a) formal coursework in special education, (b) grade level the respondents taught, and (c) communication and sharing of responsibilities. The results suggested that regular educators should be given a more active role in (a) the multidisciplinary team decision-making process and (b) any future inservice courses designed to improve the implementation of mainstreaming.
Polygenic Mutation in Drosophila Melanogaster: Non-Linear Divergence among Unselected Strains

A highly inbred strain of Drosophila melanogaster was subdivided into 20 replicate sublines that were maintained independently with 10 pairs of randomly sampled parents per generation for 180 generations. The variance between lines in abdominal and sternopleural bristle number increased little after 100 generations, in contrast to the neutral expectation of a linear increase; and the covariances of line means between different generations declined with increasing number of generations apart, in contrast to the neutral expectation of constant covariance. Thus, under a neutral model, the estimates of mutational variance were lower than for previous estimates from the first 100 generations of subline divergence. An autoregressive model was fitted to the variance of line means that indicated strong natural selection. There is no single unequivocal explanation for the results. Possible and nonexclusive alternatives include stabilizing selection on bristle number and deleterious effects on fitness of bristle mutations. The inferred strengths of selection on both traits are too high for stabilizing selection alone, and the between-line variance did not continue to increase sufficiently for pleiotropy alone to account for the observations. A third potential explanation that does not invoke selection is duplicate epistasis between mutations affecting bristle number.
Raman spectroscopy of potassium selenate at high pressure

The pressure dependence of the vibrational modes of potassium selenate was measured via Raman spectroscopy up to 7 GPa at room temperature. The force constants internal to SeOI4 −2 free radical were calculated as a function of pressure from these data
Design of operation parameters to resolve two targets using proximity sensors

This work provides a design method to achieve a specified probability of resolution for two target localization via a wireless network of proximity sensors. Proximity sensors simply report a single binary value indicating whether or not a target is near. The design provides the density and threshold settings to achieve the given probability of resolution for targets separated by a specified distance. Simulations are included that demonstrate that at the designed sensor density and threshold values, the actual percentage of targets resolved achieves the desirable level of resolution for moderate to large target separations.
Early Warnings of Regime Shifts: A Whole-Ecosystem Experiment

Catastrophic ecological regime shifts may be announced in advance by statistical early warning signals such as slowing return rates from perturbation and rising variance. The theoretical background for these indicators is rich, but real-world tests are rare, especially for whole ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that these statistics would be early warning signals for an experimentally induced regime shift in an aquatic food web. We gradually added top predators to a lake over 3 years to destabilize its food web. An adjacent lake was monitored simultaneously as a reference ecosystem. Warning signals of a regime shift were evident in the manipulated lake during reorganization of the food web more than a year before the food web transition was complete, corroborating theory for leading indicators of ecological regime shifts.
Effect of Residual Stress on the Luminescence Lifetime of R-Line Emission from Polycrystalline Alumina Formed by Oxidation

In contrast to the simple exponential decay of the luminescence lifetime of the R lines observed from stressed and unstressed single crystals, the luminescence decay from polycrystalline alumina, formed by the oxidation of a ferritic FeCrAlY alloy, is found to fit a stretched exponential. A stretch exponential is found to fit all the luminescence decays in the polycrystalline alumina and the dependence of the stretch parameters under biaxial residual stress and under uniaxial stress is reported. The mean lifetime varies linearly with the residual stress, as monitored by the R2-line shift. Using established piezospectroscopic relations, the stress dependence of the lifetime is found to be one-third of the hydrostatic pressure under uniaxial stress and two thirds under biaxial stresses. In contrast, the stretch exponent doesnt vary with stress.
The Role of Hydrogen Atoms (H Atoms) in Metastable Defect Formation at Si–SiO2 Interfaces and in Hydrogenated Amorphous Si (a‐Si:H)

Mechanisms for defect metastability with H atom participation (i) at Si–SiO2 interfaces in field effect transistors (FETs) and (ii) in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) based solar cells are presented. Intrinsic metastability reaction pathways are shown to be associated with inherent differences in defect bonding properties between charged (i) Si atoms and (ii) H, O and N atoms. Defect reaction equations, supported by quantum chemistry calculations, are presented. Metastable defects emphasized in this paper are created by hole trapping followed by H attachment.
Motor Unit Number Reductions in Paretic Muscles of Stroke Survivors

The objective of this study is to assess whether there is evidence of spinal motoneuron loss in paretic muscles of stroke survivors, using an index measurement called motor unit number index (MUNIX). MUNIX, a recently developed novel neurophysiological technique, provides an index proportional to the number of motor units in a muscle, but not necessarily an accurate absolute count. The MUNIX technique was applied to the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle bilaterally in nine stroke subjects. The area and power of the maximum M-wave and the interference pattern electromyogram (EMG) at different contraction levels were used to calculate the MUNIX. A motor unit size index (MUSizelndex) was also calculated using maximum M-wave recording and the MUNIX values. We observed a significant decrease in both maximum M-wave amplitude and MUNIX values in the paretic FDI muscles, as compared with the contralateral muscles. Across all subjects, the maximum M-wave amplitude was 6.4 ± 2.3 mV for the paretic muscles and 9.7 ± 2.0 mV for the contralateral muscles (p <; 0.001). These measurements, in combination with voluntary EMG recordings, resulted in the MUNIX value of 109 ± 53 for the paretic muscles, much lower than the MUNIX value of 153 ± 38 for the contralateral muscles (p <; 0.01). No significant difference was found in MUSizelndex values between the paretic and contralateral muscles. However, the range of MUSizelndex values was slightly wider for paretic muscles (48.8-93.3 μV) than the contralateral muscles (51.7-84.4 μV). The findings from the index measurements provide further evidence of spinal motoneuron loss after a hemispheric brain lesion.
Do seed predation and dispersal limit downslope movement of a semi‐desert grassland/oak woodland transition?

. Semi-desert grasslands and dryland forests are typically arranged along elevation gradients, with low elevation grasslands and savannas separated from higher-elevation woodlands by a diffuse boundary. Recent (< 200 yr) woody plant encroachment into adjacent semi-desert grasslands appears to be a cosmopolitan phenomenon, and has been attributed to disturbance by humans (e.g., livestock grazing, fire suppression); however, little is known about rates, patterns and mechanisms. Are observations of increased woody plant abundance in semi-arid grasslands indicative of a downslope shift in the boundary zone? Experimental plots were established in adjacent oak woodlands and semi-desert grasslands in southeastern Arizona, to determine if mechanisms of acorn predation and dispersal would facilitate or limit downslope movement of oak woodlands. We recovered acorns that had been dispersed 50 m into adjacent grasslands, which suggests that they were cached by acorn predators. Acorns in grassland plots were more than twice as likely to escape predation than acorns that remained in woodland or cleared woodland plots. Contrary to previously published research, simulated perturbations (gap formation, understory and below-ground vegetation removal) did not affect seed predation, suggesting that generalizations from mesic, deciduous oak forests may not be accurately extrapolated to xeric, evergreen oak forests. Recently published studies indicate that xeric conditions limit survival of oak seedlings across the boundary zone, suggesting that observed patterns of acorn dispersal and predation provide the potential for colonization of adjacent grassland only during infrequent years with cool, moist conditions during late summer months.
Evaluation of Multiple Funnel Traps and Stand Characteristics for Estimating Western Pine Beetle-Caused Tree Mortality

ABSTRACT The western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is a major cause of ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws., mortality in much of western North America. This study was designed to quantify relationships between western pine beetle trap catches [including those of its primary invertebrate predator Temnochila chlorodia (Mannerheim) (Coleoptera: Trogositidae)], and levels of tree mortality attributed to western pine beetle at 44 trapping sites (stands) and within five general locations (forests) in California. Furthermore, we evaluated relationships between forest stand characteristics and levels of western pine beetle-caused tree mortality. Preliminary analyses were conducted by Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) using tree mortality per hectare and percentage of tree mortality and 10 potential predictor variables. All predictor variables that had significant correlations (western pine beetle per day, western pine beetle: T. chlorodia, pe...