cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation of novel herpes simplex virus type 1 derivatives with tandem duplications of DNA sequences encoding immediate-early mRNA-5 and an origin of replication.

Abstract Two naturally occurring variations of herpes simplex virus type 1 (Patton strain) with novel tandem DNA sequence duplications in the S component were isolated, and the DNA was characterized. These variants were identified among a number of plaque isolates by the appearance of new restriction enzyme fragments that hybridized with radiolabeled DNA from the BamHI Z fragment (map coordinates 0.936 to 0.949) located in the unique S region. One isolate, SP26-3, carried a 3.1-kilobase-pair duplication defined by recombination between a site in the BamHI Z fragment and a site near the origin of replication in the inverted repeat sequence of the S component carried by the EcoRI H fragment. The other isolate, SP22-4, carried a 3.5-kilobase-pair duplication defined by a recombination event between a tandem repeat array in the BamHI Z fragment and a site near the amino terminus of the Vmw175 gene in the S-region inverted repeat sequence contained in the EcoRI K fragment. Both duplicated segments contained the entire immediate early mRNA-5 coding region as well as the origin of replication located in the inverted repeat sequence of the S component. The DNA sequence of each duplication joint was determined.
HIV Prevention Revisited: African American Women's Response to Current Community-Based Interventions

To reverse increasing rates of HIV among African American women, intervention strategies need to be informed by their perceptions of HIV and HIV risk, and their recommendations for enhancing current interventions. In this focus group study, a community sample of African American women (n = 26) was asked to speak to these topics. Researchers conducted content analyses of focus group transcripts using Freire's conscientization theory and Rosenstock's Health Belief Model to articulate common themes from participants' responses. Findings indicate that most participants were well-informed about their risk for contracting HIV, but saw more barriers than benefits in engaging in preventive health behaviors, and believed that their health, like the integrity of their environment, was largely beyond their control. Participants also saw an urgent need to step up intervention efforts with younger women, whom they believed were at high risk for contracting HIV. Discussion includes implications for policy and practice.
Presence and level of Campylobacter, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and total aerobic bacteria recovered from broiler parts with and without skin.

This study was undertaken to determine if broiler chicken parts without skin are less contaminated with Campylobacter than those with skin. Samples were taken in a commercial plant from defeathered carcasses before evisceration. Bacterial counts from rinse of aseptically removed meat samples were lower than those from stomached skin samples. No Campylobacter were recovered from meat collected from the breasts or thighs, and only 2 of 10 drumstick meat samples had detectable levels of Campylobacter However, 9 of 10 breast skin, 10 of 10 thigh skin, and 8 of 10 drumstick skin samples were positive for Campylobacter, with between 2 and 3 log 10 CFU/g of Campylobacter. Breasts, thighs, and drumsticks were removed from broiler carcasses following evisceration before entering the chill tank. There was a significant difference (50 to 90%) in the levels of Campylobacter on breasts, thighs, and drumsticks with and without skin. Similar trends were noted for coliform, Escherichia coli, and total aerobic bacterial counts from samples collected in the plant. Broiler part samples were also collected at retail outlets. These samples were either skin on and skinned in the laboratory or skin off at purchase. Aseptic removal of skin from broiler breasts, thighs, and drumsticks did not cause change in Campylobacter, coliform, E. coli, or total aerobic counts recovered from the skinned part. Likewise, parts purchased without skin did not have different bacterial counts than paired parts purchased with the skin on. Consumers should not expect to significantly lower the number of bacteria present on a chicken breast, thigh, or drumstick by removing the skin.
Gondwana and Cathaysian blocks, palaeotethys sutures and cenozoic tectonics in South-east Asia

The Triassic Indosinian Orogeny followed extinction of the Palaeotethys Ocean resulting in suturing of Gondwana affinity and Cathaysian blocks.
Mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae conferring streptomycin and cold sensitivity by affecting ribosome formation and function.

Abstract A cold-sensitive, streptomycin-sensitive mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae accumulates a 28S ribonucleoprotein particle when grown at low temperature. This particle contains 17S ribosomal ribonculeic acid which is degraded when exposed to ribonuclease. The particle does not serve as a precursor to 60 and 40S ribosomal subunits nor is it turned over when growth is allowed to resume at the permissive temperature; rather it is only diluted by growth. That streptomycin sensitivity (allelic with cold sensitivity) is ribosomal is evidenced by the inhibition of protein synthesis in vitro by streptomycin and the binding of labeled streptomycin to the mutant but not the parental 40S ribosomal subunit.
Pilot study of traumatic brain injury and alcohol misuse among service members

AbstractObjective: Explore relationships among traumatic brain injury (TBI), substance misuse and other mental health disorders in US service members and to identify risk factors for substance misuse.Participants: Service members (n = 93 in final sample) injured while deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.Methods and materials: Longitudinal survey at 6 and 12 months post-intake. The following measures were used: problem substance use, Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire-III, MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview Substance Abuse Modules, Ohio State University TBI Identification Method, Neurobehavioural Symptom Inventory, Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire, Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory.Results: More severe TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at 6 months post-enrolment were associated with decreased odds of substance misuse...
Nitro Compounds in the Double Annulation Route to Trans-Fused Bicyclic Compounds

Tethered carbon acids bearing nitro groups undergo a double Michael reaction with 3-butyn-2-one, and the cyclic products thereby obtained can be transformed into trans-fused bicyclic compounds with high levels of substitution and functionality. Three new C−C or C−N bonds, two new rings, two to four new stereocenters, and one or two new quaternary centers are created in this novel double annulation of two acyclic, readily available starting materials. Examples of the synthesis of trans-decalins, trans-hydrindanes, and trans-perhydroindoles are presented. Methods for converting the nitro groups in the double Michael and double annulation products into other groups are also described.
The use and role of open source software applications in public and not-for-profit hospitals in the United States.

Background The potential cost savings and customizability of open source software (OSS) may be particularly attractive for hospitals. However, numerous health-care-specific OSS applications exist, the adoption of OSS health information technology (HIT) applications is not widespread in the United States. Purpose This disconnect between the availability of promising software and low adoption raises the basic question: If OSS HIT is so advantageous, why are more health care organizations not using it? Methodology We interviewed the chief information officer, or equivalent position, at 17 not-for-profit and public hospitals across the United States. Through targeted recruitment, our sample included nine hospitals using OSS HIT and eight hospitals not using OSS HIT. The open-ended interview questions were guided by domains included in the fit-viability theory, an organizational-level innovation adoption framework, and those suggested by a review of the literature. Transcripts were analyzed using an inductive and comparative approach, which involved an open coding for relevant themes. Findings Interviews described the state of OSS use in hospitals. Specifically, general OSS applications were widely used by IT professionals. In addition, hospitals using OSS HIT still relied heavily on vendor support. In terms of why decisions arose to use OSS HIT, several hospitals using OSS HIT noted the cost advantages. In contrast, hospitals avoiding OSS HIT were clear, OSS as a class did not fit with clinical work and posed too much risk. Practice implications Perceptions of OSS HIT ranged from enthusiastic embracement to resigned adoption, to refusal, to abandonment. Some organizations were achieving success with their OSS HIT choices, but they still relied on vendors for significant support. The decision to adopt OSS HIT was not uniform but contingent upon views of the risk posed by the technology, economic factors, and the hospital's existing capabilities.
Protein kinase C association with the retinal cytoskeleton and phosphorylation of vimentin

Abstract Protein kinase C plays an important role in regulation of the cytoskeleton. We found that protein kinase C activity is associated with the retinal cytoskeleton, and that it catalyses the stoichiometric phosphorylation of two cytoskeletal proteins, with apparent molecular masses of 56 kDa and 100 kDa. The 56-kDa substrate was identified as vimentin on the basis of its apparent molecular mass, pI, solubility, immunoreactivity, pattern of proteolysis by Lys-C and a partial amino acid sequence. Immunomicroscopy was consistent with previous reports that in the retina vimentin has the unusual property of being present in neuronal cells—horizontal cells—as well as non-neuronal cells. The characteristics of protein kinase C phosphorylation of vimentin that was enriched in neuronal vimentin were determined. Hyperactivation of protein kinase C by treatment of retinas with phorbol myristate acetate resulted in the phosphorylation of vimentin in situ, indicating that the phosphorylation is physiologically relevant. In vitro, purified retinal protein kinase C catalysed the incorporation of nearly 2 mol phosphate per mole of monomeric vimentin. The phosphorylation was highly dependent on the presence of phosphatidylserine. Thus, protein kinase C functions in the retinal cytoskeleton, where a major role is in the modification of vimentin. The characterization of the phosphorylation of outer retinal vimentin by protein kinase C provides a basis for further studies on the regulation and function of this cytoskeletal element.
Characterization of the human peripheral blood effector cells mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against respiratory syncytial virus

Abstract Peripheral blood lymphocytes were separated into several subpopulations and evaluated for their ability to mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-infected HeLa cells. Using erythrocyte rosetting methods, nylon wool filtration, and cytolysis with OKT-3 monoclonal antibody, two lymphocyte subpopulations were shown to mediate RSV-ADCC; non-T, non-B, and IgG-Fc receptor-bearing lymphocytes and E-rosetting cells with IgGFc receptors (Tγ cells). Removal of phagocytic cells did not alter ADCC activity. Monoclonal antibody to human NK and K cells, HNK-1, recognized these two lymphocyte effector subpopulations.
Regional fragmentation in Tajikistan: The shift of powers between different identity groups

This work tackles the process of regionalism in the present-day Tajikistan. In the wake of the Civil War, the Tajik leadership pledged to unite the nation around common linguistic and historical ties and eliminate the manifestations of regionalism and localism that had thrown the country into an abyss of political chaos and economic collapse, and left thousands of people dead, millions displaced and impoverished. Using the recruitment practices analysis, this paper sets out to identify the state of societal fragmentation in Tajikistan and demonstrate a shift of powers between identity groups in Tajikistan from the Soviet period and after. As in the Soviet period, regional, local, clan, and kin ties remain at the core of recruitment practices and policies in Tajikistan's state institutions. They, in turn, sustain a pattern of regional differentiation, discrimination, special-interest lobbying and policies. Regionalism and localism remain a central part of Tajikistan's political and socio-cultural milieu wh...
Prognostic Factors for Recurrence After Pulmonary Resection of Colorectal Cancer Metastases

Background This study was undertaken to review a large series of resections of colorectal pulmonary metastases in the era of modern chemotherapy. Methods A retrospective chart review of prospectively maintained thoracic surgery databases identified 378 patients who underwent pulmonary resection for colorectal cancer metastases with curative intent from 1998 to 2007. Results The primary site of disease was rectum (52%), left colon (26%), right colon (16%), and unknown (6%). Before thoracic recurrence, 166 patients (44%) had previously undergone resection of extrathoracic metastases. Median disease-free interval (DFI) was 24 months from the time of the primary operation. The number of metastatic deposits resected was one in 60%, two in 20%, three in 10%, and four or more in 10%. Chemotherapy was administered to 87 patients (23%) before resection and to 169 patients (45%) after resection. Three-year recurrence-free survival was 28%, and 3-year overall survival was 78%. Multivariable analysis revealed age younger than 65 years, female sex, DFI less than 1 year, and number of metastases greater than three as independent predictors of recurrence. Of 44 patients with three or more lesions and less than 1 year DFI, none was cured by operation. By contrast, recurrence-free survival was 49% at 3 years for those with one lesion and DFI greater than 1 year. Conclusions Age younger than 65 years, female sex, DFI less than 1 year, and number of metastases greater than three predict recurrence. Medical management alone should be considered standard for patients who have both three or more pulmonary metastases and less than 1 year DFI.
Conditional effects in fine-grained region logic

Specification languages have long featured ways to describe what does not change when an imperative procedure is executed: the so-called frame problem. Solutions to the frame problem are needed for formal verification in imperative programming, as otherwise a verification would not be able to accumulate information from one statement to the next. Region logic is one of the approaches to solving the frame problem. We present a modified version of region logic with fine granularity and introduce conditional effects that allows one to specify more precise frame conditions.
Cloud-Chamber Photographs at 4310 Meters Altitude

Cloud-chamber photographs taken at 4310 meters altitude give evidence for the existence of penetrating particles in air showers. Out of 2983 successful expansions 5.8 percent showed particles classified either as slow mesotrons or slow protons. 1.3 percent of the expansions show particles whose specific ionization increases markedly on passing through a 1.3-cm lead plate in the chamber. Twenty-seven photographs show penetrating pairs and thus indicate the production of penetrating secondaries at this altitude. Some photographs give evidence for nuclear processes associated with showers. Five photographs show electrons which may have come from the disintegration of mesotrons within the chamber.
Microstructures and properties of direct-cooled microalloy forging steels

Abstract In comparison to conventionally processed quenched-and-tempered steels, direct-cooled microalloy steels offer the potential for significant cost savings. However, direct material substitutions have often been limited based on toughness considerations at the required hardness levels. In an effort to improve toughness, direct-cooled microalloyed forging steels have evolved from precipitation strengthened ferrite–pearlite steels to steels with non-traditional bainitic microstructures that may contain a significant amount of retained austenite. As a consequence of recent developments, the use of direct-cooled microalloyed steels has increased and there is current interest in the use of these steels processed to obtain higher hardness levels. In this paper, processing approaches for the production of direct-cooled forging steels are considered with an emphasis on features that control strength and toughness.
Emotional responsibility and teaching ethics: student empowerment

‘This class is so [insert expletive] depressing.’ I overheard a student communicating this to a friend upon exiting one of my ethics courses and I wondered how my classes could generate a sense of empowerment rather than depression, a sense of hope rather than despair. Drawing from David Hume's and Martin Hoffman's work on the psychology of empathy and sympathy, I contend that dominant Western philosophical pedagogy is inadequate for facilitating morally empowered students. Moreover, I stipulate that an adequate analysis of the role emotion should play in pedagogy requires tending to the politics of emotional expression and how oppression functions. I argue that ethical educators have a moral responsibility to facilitate not only critical moral thinking but critical moral agency. Part of ethical education should involve the provision of tools for effective citizen engagement, and reasoning alone is insufficient for this goal. The role of emotion in ethical decision-making and action remains devalued and u...
“It Depends on What You Mean by Starting”: An Exploration of How Women Define Initiation of Aggression and Their Motives for Behaving Aggressively

This study explored women's use of aggression, focusing on how they define initiation of aggression and what motives they have for behaving aggressively. Twenty-five women who had used aggression during conflicts with their romantic partners were interviewed. Results indicated that, while the women reported initiating aggression in the majority of conflicts described (54%), they varied in how they defined initiation, with some believing that initiating aggression meant being angry, bringing up the conflict issue, or persistently asking the partner to engage verbally. Twelve categories of motives for the use of aggression were also identified. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, highlighting the ongoing need for an ecological perspective when studying women's use of aggression.
On community stability

Abstract The existence, uniqueness, and global stability of the stationary-state distribution of species in an ecosystem is examined on the assumption that the mode of interaction between species is nonlinear. These results extend the work of MacArthur [2], where linear interaction between species was treated.
Mitral valve prolapse

Abstract Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is commonly encountered in women and has been estimated to occur in up to 21% of healthy young women. 1 In the Framingham study, it was noted that 7.6% of its female population had MVP confirmed by echocardiography; of those women, 17% were between the ages of 20 and 29, 7.5% between 50 and 59 years, and only 1% were in their 7th decade. 2 This variation in distribution of MVP ensures that a population of women in their childbearing years seen by the general obstetrician–gynecologist will have the highest prevalence of MVP. It is, therefore, important to understand the mechanism, causes, and possible complications of MVP.
Practical method for determination of serum streptomycin level using Donovania granulomatis as test organism.

ConclusionThe least amount of streptomycin that will inhibit the growth of the organism has been found by a similar procedure to be 0.075 γ/cc. Therefore, the serum streptomycin level is equal to 0.075 × Serum Dilution × Total Volume of Medium × 2. For example, if the endpoint of the assay is tube 5, which contains a serum diluted to 1: 16, the serum streptomycin level is 0.075 × 16 × 5 × 2 = 12 γ/cc. With this simple method, a serum level of 0.75 γ/cc to 48 γ/cc can be determined This range embraces the serum levels that are commonly encountered in streptomycin therapy. However, with slight modifications, such as using undiluted serum as the first tube and diluting the serum further, one is able to determine a streptomycin level from 0.375 γ/c to any level higher than 48 γ/cc.
Molecular methods to evaluate effects of feed additives and nutrients in poultry gut microflora

Intestines of each animal are the niche of a complex and dynamic ecosystem with important effects to the host. The members or final products of this ecosystem influence nutrient digestion, absorption, mucosa metabolism, general physiology, and local and systemic immunological responses of avian hosts. Better understanding of the avian gut microbial ecosystem may lead to improvements on poultry productivity, health, welfare, and reduction of food borne pathogens and the environmental impact of poultry production for a more sustainable industry. Molecular methods of microbial ecology are key tools to gain this knowledge. The objective of this presentation is to outline the basic concepts, applications, advantages, limitations, and evolution of these molecular methods used to study intestinal microbial ecology. The final goal is to stimulate their application in poultry applied research and development of new feed additives. Some practical examples in poultry research will be described to illustrate their relevance to advance in control methods for pathogens, avoid or manage disbiosis or subclinical intestinal diseases, reduce environmental impact, elucidate effects of nutrients in gut mucosa, microflora, and in general to improve poultry performance.
Changes in the short-term deflector loft effect are linked to the sun compass of homing pigeons

Abstract Despite being the most studied of all avian orientation systems, important questions still remain about the sun compass of homing pigeons, Columba livia. White it is well-documented that the sun compass is usually learned by young pigeons during the first 10–12 weeks of life, the mechanism by which it is calibrated to adjust for seasonal changes in the sun's azimuth is not known with certainty. Previous experiments using short-term deflector loft pigeons indicated that the sun compass may be calibrated by referencing celestial polarization patterns. The present paper describes important measurable changes in the previously reported orientation behaviour of short-term deflector loft birds, and suggests a correlation between these changes and the presence of a massive upper-atmospheric dust cloud of volcanic origin which significantly altered natural skylight polarization patterns in 1982 and 1983. Moreover, it is shown that when the short-term effect was absent (at times when data from previous years suggested it should be present), the birds were also not using sun compass orientation, as demonstrated by their failure to show the standard ‘clockshift’ response to a 6-h fast shift of their internal clocks. These results support the hypothesis that reflected light cues, rather than odours, are the basis of the deflector loft effect in pigeon homing.
Integrated Water Resources Management and Modeling at Multiple Spatial Scales in Jordan

Water shortages from intermittent public supplies are a major and expanding problem in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Yet individual users, utility managers, and government officials can improve access or cope with shortages in many ways. New supplies, more efficient use of existing resources, long-term investments to expand infrastructure and reduce leakage, and short-term measures to flexibly transfer, ration, or curtail some uses represent several different approaches for management. This paper reviews three separate systems analysis that use stochastic optimization with recourse. Analysis for individual residential users, the water utility serving 2.2 million residents in the capital Amman, and the entire kingdom comprising Amman and 11 other governorates identify complementary actions to be undertaken by individual users, utility managers, and government officials.
Aneurysms associated with non-moyamoya collateral arterial networks: report of three cases and review of literature.

IntroductionMoyamoya disease is characterized by the gradualocclusion of distal internal carotid artery and thedevelopment of a collateral network of arteries torevascularize middle and anterior cerebral artery territo-ries. Similar collateral networks have also been describedin response to other occlusive vasculopathies differentfrom moyamoya disease. Rarely, aneurysms can formwithin these non-moyamoya collateral networks andpresent with hemorrhage. Overall, 12 cases of non-moyamoya occlusions revascularized by collateral arterialnetworks with an associated aneurysm have beenreported [1, 3–6, 9–14]. We report a case of a middlecerebral artery (MCA) occlusion with a collateral networkaneurysm. We also report two cases of aneurysm within acollateral arterial network arising from distal posteriorinferior cerebellar artery (PICA), which have not previ-ously been described. We present our management strategyand results in these three cases.Case reportsCase 1History and examinationA previously healthy 52-year-old man awoke with a severeright-sided headache, left-sided weakness, and difficultyambulating. His past medical history was not relevant. Onneurological exam, he was alert and oriented. He had a leftfacial droop and left hemiparesis with 4/5 strength in hisarm and leg.Diagnostic studiesHead CT scan revealed a right-sided 2.5-cm basal gangliahemorrhage. Cerebral angiography revealed a proximalocclusion of the right M1 MCA segment. A tangle of smallcaliber, tortuous arteries originating from the right A1anterior cerebral artery (ACA) segment reconstituted theM1 segment distally. The distal MCA and its branches hadnormalcaliberandcourse.A2-mmaneurysmwasseenwithinthat collateral network (Fig. 1a). Left internal carotid artery(ICA) angiography demonstrated normal left-sided vascula-ture with filling of the right-sided collateral network via apatent anterior communicating artery. Bilateral P1 segmentswere patent, and no arteriovenous shunting was observed.ManagementThe surgical plan was to perform a superficial temporalartery (STA) to MCA bypass to augment flow to the right
Resource use of rural low-income families caring for children with disabilities

The Personal Responsibility Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, Pub.L. 104-193 (PRWORA) was passed creating the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Since the passage of PRWORA, many families were able to leave the welfare rolls while those remaining on welfare were likely composed of families facing barriers to leaving, such as caring for children with disabilities. This project addresses the gaps in knowledge regarding low-income families caring for children with disabilities by conducting qualitative research investigating the resources used by these families to find and keep employment and child care. The study used a sample from a research project entitled ‘Rural Families Speak’ and examined the data of 26 families caring for children with disabilities. Analysis resulted in policy recommendations for increasing the efficacy of the programs designed to help these families.
Neurotrophins and Their Receptors—Current Concepts and Implications for Neurologic Disease

Nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3, and neurotrophin-4/5 are members of a family of proteins (the neurotrophins) that promote the differentiation, growth, and survival of peripheral and central nervous system neurons. Recently, the trk family of proto-oncogenes has been found to encode signal-transducing receptors for these growth factors. This discovery has important implications for our understanding of the normal function of these factors in the developing and adult nervous system. In this review, we highlight recent advances in neurotrophin research and discuss their relevance to neurologic disease.
“OUTSIDER WITHIN” THE FIREHOUSE Subordination and Difference in the Social Interactions of African American Women Firefighters

From the perspective of African American women firefighters, the authors examine the social interactions that make them excluded “outsiders within” their firehouses and different from not only dominant white men but also other subordinated groups of Black men and white women firefighters. Drawing on extensive survey data from 24 Black women career firefighters nationwide and detailed interviews with 22 of these, the authors found persistent and pervasive patterns of subordination through the exclusion of Black women, reflected in insufficient instruction, coworker hostility, silence, close supervision, lack of support, and stereotyping. Perceived differences of Black women from white and Black men as well as white women created strained relations, especially when Black men and white women gained some acceptance by virtue of their gender and race, respectively, and thus reportedly distanced themselves from Black women. The experiences of African American women firefighters highlight the omnirelevance and i...
Efficacy of pelvic packing in maintaining hemostasis after rectal excision for cancer.

In a retrospective study, the records of 95 patients who underwent rectal resection for carcinoma were reviowed to assess the efficacy and complications of pelvic packing for hemorrhage. Heavier blood loss was noted with fixed tumors, where preoperative radiation had been given, or there had been previous pelvic surgery, compared with situations where these factors were absent. Three patients died from myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolus, and renal failure, respectively. No patients required further hemostatic measures after pack removal. Perineal wound infection or delayed perineal wound healing occurred in 22 percent and abdominal wound infection in 6 percent of the patients. There were no instances of anastomotic leak, abdominal abscess, or pelvic abscess requiring laparotomy for treatment in this series. Pelvic packing is a safe, simple, and effective procedure for patients with problematic pelvic bleeding after rectal resection.
Development of Asian monsoon revealed by marked ecological shift during the latest Miocene in northern Pakistan

CARBON isotopes from soil carbonate1–4 and soil organic matter5,6 yield palaeoecological information because the carbon in the soil carbonate forms in isotopic equilibrium with local soil CO2 (refs 1, 7), the isotopic composition of which is in turn determined by local plant cover. Siwalik Group sediments in northern Pakistan contain a well exposed palaeosol record spanning the past 18 Myr. Here we report on stable-carbon-isotope results from associated pedogenic carbonate which indicate a dramatic ecological shift from to dominated floodplain biomass beginning ∼7.4–7.0 Myr ago. The earlier C3 floodplain biomasses were probably mainly composed of trees and shrubs, whereas C4 grasslands dominated in the Plio-Pleistocene. Oxygen isotopes also exhibit a shift in the latest Miocene, probably corresponding to a major climate change which may have induced the forest-to-grassland transition. This dramatic ecological shift in the latest Miocene may mark the inception or a marked strengthening of the Asian monsoon system.
A Model for the Contact Conditions at the Chip-Tool Interface in Machining

A high-speed photographic study has been made of the chip-tool interface and its evolution when cutting pure metals with optically transparent sapphire tools. The use of a high speed camera in conjunction with an optical microscope has enabled details of the interface, including the velocity field along the interface, to be resolved at high spatial and temporal resolution while cutting at speeds between I mm/sec and 2000 mm/sec. The results show the chip-tool contact along this interface to be composed of four distinct regions: a region of stagnation at the cutting edge, a region of retardation adjoining the stagnation region, a region of sliding beyond the retardation region, followed by a region of metal transfer or sticking that is located furthest away from the cutting edge alongside the boundary of the contact. The chip and tool appear to be in intimate contact over the stagnation, retardation, and sliding regions, with sliding occurring at the interface over much of this zone of intimate contact. These observations have provided direct experimental evidence for a model of the contact conditions proposed by Enahoro and Oxley based on analytical considerations. Cutting experiments with non-oxide tools such as aluminum and high speed steel suggest that this description conditions is equally applicable to tool materials other than sapphire.
Virus adsorption of water-stable quaternized chitosan nanofibers

The burden of unsafe drinking water is responsible for millions of deaths each year. To relieve this burden, we are in search of an inexpensive material that can adsorb pathogens from drinking water. In this pursuit, we have studied the natural carbohydrate, chitosan. To impart virus removal features, chitosan has been functionalized with a quaternary amine to form quaternized chitosan N-[(2-hydroxyl-3-trimethylammonium) propyl] chitosan (HTCC). HTCC can be electrospun into nanofibers with the non-ionogenic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), creating a high surface area mat. High surface area is a major requirement for effective adsorption processes. HTCC is antiviral and antimicrobial, making it a good material for water purification. However, HTCC dissolves in water. We have explored the parameters to crosslink the nanofibers with glutaraldehyde. We have imparted water stability so there is a maximum of 30% swelling of the fibers after 6h in water. The water stable fibers retain their ability to adsorb virus, as shown for an enveloped and nonenveloped virus. HTCC now has the potential to be incorporated into a microfiltration membrane that can remove viruses. This could create an inexpensive, low pressure filtration membrane for drinking water purification.
Experimental maintenance of chaos

We present a method for the anticontrol or maintenance of chaos designed for easy application to physical and biological systems. The method is based on the return map of the experimental data and requires only small, very infrequently applied time-dependent perturbations of a single system parameter and does not require any model equations for or a priori knowledge of the system dynamics. The method is shown to be able to reliably sustain chaos in a magnetomechanical ribbon experiment.
Macro-level gender equality and alcohol consumption: A multi-level analysis across U.S. States

Higher levels of women's alcohol consumption have long been attributed to increases in gender equality. However, only limited research examines the relationship between gender equality and alcohol consumption. This study examined associations between five measures of state-level gender equality and five alcohol consumption measures in the United States. Survey data regarding men's and women's alcohol consumption from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were linked to state-level indicators of gender equality. Gender equality indicators included state-level women's socioeconomic status, gender equality in socioeconomic status, reproductive rights, policies relating to violence against women, and women's political participation. Alcohol consumption measures included past 30-day drinker status, drinking frequency, binge drinking, volume, and risky drinking. Other than drinker status, consumption is measured for drinkers only. Multi-level linear and logistic regression models adjusted for individual demographics as well as state-level income inequality, median income, and % Evangelical Protestant/Mormon. All gender equality indicators were positively associated with both women's and men's drinker status in models adjusting only for individual-level covariates; associations were not significant in models adjusting for other state-level characteristics. All other associations between gender equality and alcohol consumption were either negative or non-significant for both women and men in models adjusting for other state-level factors. Findings do not support the hypothesis that higher levels of gender equality are associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption by women or by men. In fact, most significant findings suggest that higher levels of equality are associated with less alcohol consumption overall.
Effect of weight loss by a low-fat diet and a low-carbohydrate diet on peptide YY levels

To compare the effects of weight loss by an energy-restricted low-fat diet vs low-carbohydrate diet on serum peptide YY (PYY) levels. 8-week prospective study of 30 obese adults (mean age: 42.8±2.0 years, mean body mass index 35.5±0.6 kg m−2). After 8 weeks, subjects on the low-carbohydrate diet lost substantially more weight than those on the low-fat diet (5.8 vs 0.99 kg, P<0.001). Weight loss by either diet resulted in a 9% reduction in both mean fasting serum PYY levels (baseline: 103.5±8.8 pg ml−1, after weight loss: 94.1±6.5 pg ml−1, P<0.01) and postprandial area under the curve (AUC) PYY (baseline: (20.5±1.5) × 103 pg h−1 ml−1, after weight loss: mean AUC PYY (18.8±1.4) × 103 pg h−1 ml−1, P<0.001). There was a trend towards lower levels of PYY with greater degrees of weight loss. Reduced PYY levels after weight loss by an energy-restricted low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet likely represents a compensatory response to maintain energy homeostasis and contributes to difficulty in weight loss during energy-restricted diets.
Illness Uncertainty and Quality of Life of Patients with Small Renal Tumors Undergoing Watchful Waiting: A 2-year Prospective Study

Background Few studies have examined factors associated with the quality of life (QOL) of patients with renal tumors. Illness uncertainty may influence QOL.
Fate of trace organic compounds during vadose zone soil treatment in an onsite wastewater system

During onsite wastewater treatment, trace organic compounds are often present in the effluents applied to subsurface soils for advanced treatment during vadose zone percolation and groundwater recharge. The fate of the endocrine-disrupting surfactant metabolites 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxylate (NP1EO), and 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxycarboxylate (NP1EC), metal-chelating agents ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), antimicrobial agent triclosan, stimulant caffeine, and antibiotic sulfamethoxazole during transport through an unsaturated sandy loam soil was studied at a field-scale test site. To assess the effects of effluent quality and hydraulic loading rate (HLR) on compound fate in the soil profile, two effluents (septic tank or textile biofilter) were applied at two design HLRs (2 or 8 cm/d). Chemical concentrations were determined in the two effluents and soil pore water at 60, 120, and 240 cm below the soil infiltrative surface. Concentrations of trace organic compounds in septic tank effluent were reduced by more than 90% during transport through 240 cm (often within 60 cm) of soil, likely due to sorption and biotransformation. However, the concentration of NP increased with depth in the shallow soil profile. Additional treatment of anaerobic septic tank effluent with an aerobic textile biofilter reduced effluent concentrations of many compounds, but generally did not affect any changes in pore water concentrations. The soil profile receiving septic tank effluent (vs. textile biofilter effluent) generally had greater percent removal efficiencies. EDTA, NP, NP1EC, and sulfamethoxazole were measured in soil pore water, indicating the ability of some trace organic compounds to reach shallow groundwater. Risk is highly dependent on the degree of further treatment in the saturated zone and the types and proximity of uses for the receiving groundwater environment. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:285–293. © 2009 SETAC
Precision Measurement of Rayleigh Wave Velocity Perturbation

We have developed a technique for imaging variation in the surface characteristics of a sample by measuring the local perturbation of the Rayleigh wave velocity. A 50 MHz acoustic microscope operated out-of-focus is excited with a very short tone burst so that the on-axis longitudinal and off-axis Rayleigh reflection pulses are temporally separated. The relative phase between these two signals is measured using a synchronous detection scheme. This technique has a potential sensitivity of 10 ppm. We have demonstrated experimentally that we can detect a 240 A thick film of indium deposited on glass which corresponds to a velocity perturbation of 0.18%.
Eagle's syndrome: A review

Demanchetis described a calcified stylohyoid ligament in 1852. * Weinlecher described symptoms related to an elongated styloid process in 1872. He treated the symptoms by removal of the pr0cess.l In the 193Os, Watt W. Eagle of Duke University began to define a syndrome resulting from an elongation of the styloid process .lm4 This syndrome occurred after tonsillectomy and presented as a dull, long-term pain in the throat; occasional globus; dysphagia and headache; and pain that radiated to the ear. In the ensuing years, the term Eagle’s syndrome has become a diagnosis that encompasses a series of conditions resulting from pathologic conditions related to the styloid process.
Structural investigations of yNa2S + (1 − y)PS5/2 glasses using Raman and infrared spectroscopies

Abstract yNa 2 S + (1 − y)PS 5/2 glasses have been prepared by melt quenching and two transparent glass forming regions exist, at 0.33 ≤ y ≤ 0.55 and at y = 0.65. Further, stoichiometric polycrystalline compounds have been prepared by melting and slow cooling at compositions of y = 0.33, 0.5, and 0.6. The short range order structures of the glasses and the polycrystals have been examined using both Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopies. As expected from the meta-thiophosphate composition, y = 0.33, NaPS 3 consists primarily of chains of corner shared (NaS)PSS 2/2 , P 2 , units, but there is evidence of a small fraction of edge-shared tetrahedra that form dimers of composition Na 2 P 2 S 6 . For the y = 0.5 pyrothiophosphate composition, Na 4 P 2 S 7 , as seen for other pyrophosphate stoichiometries, two P 1 units, (NaS) 2 PSS 1/2 , are corner shared to form the overall Na 4 P 2 S 7 composition. However, the Raman spectroscopy of this phase also shows that a small fraction of the Na 4 P 2 S 7 groups lose the bridging sulfur between the two (NaS) 2 PSS 1/2 units to create a small number of Na 4 P 2 S 6 groups, identified as P 1P groups, thereby creating small numbers of homoatomic P P (in the Na 4 P 2 S 6 units) and S S (presumably in loose S 8 units) bonds. At y = 0.6, the orthothiophosphate structure, Na 3 PS 4 , is formed where all of the sulfurs are non-bridging and are terminated by Na + ions. For all of these compositions, spectral evidence suggests that a limited fraction of the P is involved in P P bonds and that a small amount of P 4 S x molecular cages which may contain P 3 , PSS 3/2 , and P :3 , PS 3/2 , units may exist at all compositions. It is further found that each stoichiometric composition, y = 0.33, 0.5, and 0.6, exhibits structural polymorphs, leading to a broader distribution of phosphorus sites and a tentative description of these polymorphs is presented. From these spectral assignments for the polycrystalline stoichiometric compositions, a simple structural model of the glasses has been developed using normal vibrational mode assignments to interpret the Raman and IR spectra of the glasses. As y increases from 0.33 to 0.65, the progressive formation and substitution of chain forming P 2 groups, P 1 dimers, and depolymerized P 0 s can account for the majority of P structures, where P i denotes a P group with i number of bridging S atoms, across both the low and high Na 2 S glass forming ranges.
Mutagenesis of the Mn2+-binding site of manganese peroxidase affects oxidation of Mn2+ by both compound I and compound II

The present study investigates whether compound I and compound II of manganese peroxidase from the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium utilize the same Mn-binding site for catalysis. Manganese peroxidase was expressed from its cDNA in Escherichia coli and refolded from inclusion bodies to yield fully active enzyme. Three mutants of the enzyme were generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Each of the three amino acid residues proposed to be involved in Mn2+ binding, E35, D179, and E39, was mutated. The acidic side chains of E35 and E39 were shortened by one carbon to the acidic group D, and the acidic side chain of D179 was shortened by one carbon to the alkyl group A. These mutants, E35D, D179A, and E39D, were used to determine whether Mn2+ reacts at the same site with both compound I and compound II of manganese peroxidase and to determine whether phenolic substrates for the enzyme react at this site. Our results conclusively demonstrate that E35 and D179 residues are involved not only in Mn2+ binding but also in electron transfer from Mn2+ to the enzyme for both compound I and compound II. In contrast, E39 is not critically important to either process. None of the three residues is involved in reactions with phenolic substrates or with H2O2.
Page placement policies for NUMA multiprocessors

Abstract In many parallel applications, the size of the program's data exceeds even the very large amount of main memory available on large-scale multiprocessors. Virtual memory, in the sense of a transparent management of the main/secondary memory hierarchy, is a natural solution. The replacement, fetch, and placement policies used in uniprocessor paging systems need to be reexamined in light of the differences in the behavior of parallel computations and in the memory architectures of multiprocessors. In particular, we investigate the impact of page placement in nonuniform memory access time (NUMA) shared memory MIMD machines. We experimentally evaluate several paging algorithms that incorporate different approaches to the placement issue. Under certain workload assumptions, our results show that placement algorithms that are strongly biased toward local frame allocation but are able to borrow remote frames can reduce the number of page faults over strictly local allocation. The increased cost of memory operations due to the extra remote accesses is more than compensated for by the savings resulting from the reduction in demand fetches, effectively reducing the computation completion time for these programs without having adverse effects on the performance of “typical” NUMA programs. We also discuss some early results obtained from an actual kernel implementation of one of our page placement algorithms.
Factors that influence phosphoenolpyruvate-induced calcium efflux from rat liver mitochondria.

Summary Stimulation by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) of Ca 2+ efflux from preloaded rat liver mitochondria is associated with an enhanced respiratory rate and is dependent on the P i concentration of the extramitochondrial medium. PEP-induced Ca 2+ efflux is inhibited by concentrations of NEM, mersalyl, and DTNB that also inhibit the respiration-linked transport of P i as well as by bongkrekic acid at concentrations that also inhibits the adenine nucleotide translocase. Since PEP can gain access to the mitochondrial matrix by means of a carrier mediated exchange with intramitochondrial adenine nucleotides, we conclude that the ability of PEP to induce Ca 2+ efflux could be associated with adenine nucleotide efflux as well as P i influx and that the stability of the accumulated Ca 2+ is likely to be controlled by the intramitochondrial ATP/P i ratio.