cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Evaluation of Patients Admitted to Emergency Department Observation Unit for Suspected TIA (3969)

Objective: To compare the diagnostic workup between patients with final diagnosis of true ischemic event versus nonischemic transient neurological attacks (NI-TNA) in suspected TIA patients admitted to an ED observation unit (ED-OU). Background: ED-OUs allow patients with suspected TIA an expedited workup without a prolonged inpatient admission. Despite risk stratification scores and physician evaluation, the reliability in diagnosis of TIA remains poor, which may lead to unnecessary testing. Design/Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on consecutive patients who were admitted to an ED-OU at a single center for suspected TIA. All diagnostic testing obtained during observation stay was abstracted from chart review. Final discharge diagnosis was dichotomized to either TIA or minor stroke (TIAMS) or NI-TNA. Standard statistical tests were used for comparison testing. Results: Of 186 suspected TIA patients admitted to an ED-OU, median ABCD2 score was 4 [IQR 3–4]. Final diagnosis was TIAMS in 85 (46%) patients and NI-TNA in 101 (54%) patients. A total of 182 (98%) patients had non-contrast head CT (NCHCT); 160 (86%) brain MRI; 117 (63%) extracranial vessel imaging; 116 (62%) transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE); and 108 (58%) intracranial vessel imaging. Assessing diagnostic workup by final diagnosis, TTE (78% vs 40%, p Conclusions: More extensive testing is acquired on patients with true ischemic events as compared to NI-TNA patients admitted to ED-OU for suspected TIA. As the use of ED-OUs increases, refinement of current diagnostic algorithms to reduce workup for cerebrovascular disease among patients with NI-TIA and among different ischemic stroke subtypes is warranted. Disclosure: Dr. Kumar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ishida has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liberman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yaghi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Torres has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rostanski has nothing to disclose.
Freedom Beyond Sovereignty: Reconstructing Liberal Individualism

What does it mean to be free? We invoke the word frequently, yet the freedom of countless Americans is compromised by social inequalities that systematically undercut what they are able to do and to become. If we are to remedy these failures of freedom, we must move beyond the common assumption, prevalent in political theory and American public life, that individual agency is best conceived as a kind of personal sovereignty, or as self-determination or control over one's actions. In Freedom Beyond Sovereignty, Sharon R Krause shows that individual agency is best conceived as a non-sovereign experience because our ability to act and affect the world depends on how other people interpret and respond to what we do. The intersubjective character of agency makes it vulnerable to the effects of social inequality, but it is never in a strict sense socially determined. The agency of the oppressed sometimes surprises us with its vitality. Only by understanding the deep dynamics of agency as simultaneously non-sovereign and robust can we remediate the failed freedom of those on the losing end of persistent inequalities and grasp the scope of our own responsibility for social change. Freedom Beyond Sovereignty brings the experiences of the oppressed to the center of political theory and the study of freedom. It fundamentally reconstructs liberal individualism and enables us to see human action, personal responsibility, and the meaning of liberty in a totally new light.
GUANIDINOSUCCINIC ACID AND THE ALTERNATE UREA CYCLE

Disturbance in nitrogen balance is the hallmark of renal insufficiency. Unlike sodium, phosphate and the myriad other minerals which the kidney regulates and balances, nitrogen cannot be reutilized by animal organisms and is restored to the environment via the urine without mechanisms for reabsorption (except for the small quantity of amino acids which are filtered and can be reutilized). Reduced filtration leads to azotemia and sets in motion a variety of hormonally regulated adaptions.
Content Evaluation of an Environmental Science Field Trip

Two important content areas associated with informal environmental science programs are ecology/natural science topics and awareness of environmental problems/issues. This study attempted to evaluate which of these content areas may provide a more optimum learning experience. A quantitative analysis was conducted on two field trips to a science center that represented an ecological oriented program and an environmental issue presentation. Two variables that were chosen as indicators of program success—knowledge retention and attitude change—are outcomes that have been found prevalent in informal, environmental science education. These programs were administered and evaluated during the 1996/1997 school year at the Paul H. Douglas Environmental Science Center at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The results of this study showed significant gains in science related knowledge following both the ecology and issue oriented treatments. The data indicate that the focus of the program (ecology or issues) did not significantly alter the way students responded to the knowledge section of the evaluation instrument. Results showed little impact on students' affect toward park site or related subject matter following either presentation type. Authors recommend multiple research methods to better evaluate affect changes following an informal environmental science experience.
IMC-PID traction control system for an automobile via engine torque control

Trends in the automotive control systems are toward more comprehensive and electronic control. The objective of this paper is to study the effectiveness of Internal Model Control PID (IMC-PID) method to develop a traction control system based on engine torque control for an automobile. A plant model is developed based on the governing equations and implemented in MATLAB. This is then captured in a Simulink model and simulated to evaluate performance of the open-loop system for both step and ramp inputs. A proportional-integral (PI)-type controller is then developed using IMC-PID tuning method to improve closed-loop system response. Finally, potential future applications and research opportunities are identified.
Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction by Semidefinite Programming and Kernel Matrix Factorization.

We describe an algorithm for nonlinear dimensionality reduction based on semidefinite programming and kernel matrix factorization. The algorithm learns a kernel matrix for high dimensional data that lies on or near a low dimensional manifold. In earlier work, the kernel matrix was learned by maximizing the variance in feature space while preserving the distances and angles between nearest neighbors. In this paper, adapting recent ideas from semi-supervised learning on graphs, we show that the full kernel matrix can be very well approximated by a product of smaller matrices. Representing the kernel matrix in this way, we can reformulate the semidefinite program in terms of a much smaller submatrix of inner products between randomly chosen landmarks. The new framework leads to order-of-magnitude reductions in computation time and makes it possible to study much larger problems in manifold learning.
The effect of explanations and monetary incentives on effort allocation decisions

In this study I examine the joint effect of explanations and monetary incentives on employees' effort allocation decisions in a multi-action setting. A rich literature in economics indicates that monetary incentives substantially influence employees' decisions. This literature demonstrates that the size of the incentive for a given performance measure should consider the measure's sensitivity, congruence and precision. Research in psychology demonstrates the decision influencing effects of explanations (a non-monetary factor) on employees' decisions through perceptions of fairness. I expect that effort allocation decisions are influenced both by explanations and monetary incentives: I hypothesize that providing reasonable and complete explanations substantively alter agents' action choices relative to a setting with monetary incentives alone. Using student subjects in experiments, I find that monetary incentives matter. Moreover, for sizeable monetary incentives, providing a detailed explanation modifies behavior favorably relative to when an unclear explanation is provided. However, for all of the considered monetary incentives, merely requesting a desired course of action is also enough to modify behavior favorably. This study contributes to the accounting literature by providing evidence of a decision influencing benefit associated with the use of explanations such as causal maps employed by firms adopting the balanced scorecard. This study also contributes to the organizational justice literature by (1) providing evidence regarding the interaction effect of multiple antecedents of justice, and (2) by confirming that not providing an explanation for a desired allocation of effort is better than providing a poor explanation. Finally, the results of this study provide empirical support to the analytic literature indicating that monetary incentives used to align goals should consider the precision with which the performance measures capture actual effort allocation.
Insulin Resistance, Compensatory Hyperinsulinemia, and Coronary Heart Disease: Syndrome X Revisited

The sections in this article are: 1 Terminology 2 Insulin Resistance Versus Compensatory Hyperinsulinemia 3 Nature Versus Nurture in The Development of Syndrome X 3.1 Ethnicity 3.2 Obesity: Overall and Regional 3.3 Habitual Physical Activity 3.4 Smoking 3.5 Alcohol 4 Glucose Intolerance 5 Dyslipidemia 5.1 Relationship between Insulin Resistance, Compensatory Hyperinsulinemia, Increased Hepatic VLDL-TG Secretion and Hypertriglyceridemia 5.2 Abnormalities Associated with Hypertriglyceridemia 6 Hemostatic System 7 Syndrome X and High Blood Pressure 8 Uric Acid 9 Microalbuminuria is not The “Cause” of Syndrome X! 10 Conclusion: Syndrome X and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) 10.1 Glucose Intolerance 10.2 Hypertriglyceridemia 10.3 Hypertension
Quaternary faulting near Arco and Howe, Idaho

Abstract Well-defined high-angle faults were exposed in 1969 by trenching across scarps in alluvial fans along mountain ranges north of Arco and Howe, Idaho. Faulting along both the Arco and Howe scarps disrupts well-developed calcic soils that are considered to be about 30,000 yr old. On the other hand, both scarps are interrupted by gaps occupied by unfaulted alluvial fans that probably are younger than 15,000 yr old. The Arco scarp coincides with a zone of closely spaced faults in alluvial fans along the western foot of the Lost River Range. From Arco, the scarp extends northward about 16 km (10 miles), where it merges into an unstudied scarp in bedrock. At a trench across the scarp 10 km (6 miles) north of Arco, multiple movements in the fault zone have resulted in aggregate vertical displacement of at least 12 m (40 ft). Measured offsets of stratigraphic units exposed in the trench indicate at least two episodes of vertical movement on individual faults. One episode of movement caused a minimum offset of 4.6 to 6.1 m (15 to 20 ft), and another offset was more than 3 m (10 ft). The Howe scarp coincides with a zone of closely spaced faults in alluvial fans along the western foot of the Lemhi Range. A southern part of the scarp trends northwest along the southern part of the range a distance of 15 km (9 miles), and a northern part trends north at least another 6 km (4 miles). These parts of the scarp are separated by a bedrock ridge 3 km (2 miles) wide in which the scarp is indistinct. At a trench aross the scarp about 11 km (7 miles) north of Howe, multiple movements in the fault zone have resulted in aggregate vertical displacement of at least 15 m (50 ft). Measured offsets of stratigraphic units exposed in the trench indicate five or more episodes of vertical movement on individual faults, ranging from 0.3 m (1 ft) to more than 3 m (10 ft).
Top 10 Facts You Need to Know About Synthetic Cannabinoids: Not So Nice Spice

In April and May 2015, the state of Mississippi experienced an unprecedented outbreak of severe reactions to the drug commonly referred to as "Spice." After numerous calls to the Poison Control Center, it became clear that health care providers were largely unfamiliar with the category of synthetic cannabinoids. This review article briefly highlights cannabinoid effects, chemical characteristics, and treatment for this often-dangerous category of drugs of abuse.
Control of RNA stability by NrrF, an iron-regulated small RNA in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Regulation of gene expression by small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) plays a critical role in bacterial response to physiological stresses. NrrF, a trans-acting sRNA in Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has been shown in the meningococcus to control indirectly, in response to iron (Fe) availability, the transcription of genes encoding subunits of succinate dehydrogenase, a Fe-requiring enzyme. Given that in other organisms, sRNAs target multiple mRNAs to control gene expression, we used a global approach to examine the role of NrrF in controlling gonococcal transcription. Three strains, including N. gonorrhoeae FA1090, an nrrF deletion mutant, and a complemented derivative, were examined using a custom CombiMatrix microarray to assess the role of this sRNA in controlling gene expression in response to Fe availability. In the absence of NrrF, the mRNA half-lives for 12 genes under Fe-depleted growth conditions were longer than those in FA1090. The 12 genes controlled by NrrF encoded proteins with biological functions including energy metabolism, oxidative stress, antibiotic resistance, and amino acid synthesis, as well as hypothetical proteins and a regulatory protein whose functions are not fully understood.
How Would You Know a Virtuous Citizen If You Saw One

Abstract The debate over the state of civic engagement in the United States is bound up with underlying disagreements over the kind of political character citizens ought to possess. Thus, in order to advance the debate over civic engagement, we must make judgments about which conception of citizenship we wish to embrace.
Hybrid ${\rm As}_{2}{\rm S}_{3}$ Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering and its Photodarkening Effect

Several hybrid integrated As2S3 Mach-Zehnder interferometers with linear tapers and grating couplers have been successfully fabricated using magnetron sputtering on LiNbO3 substrate. It demonstrated how As2S3 waveguide can be integrated with the LiNbO3 waveguide to create a hybrid interferometer for use in chalcogenide photonics. The photo-induced changes in the group and effective index of the As2S3 waveguide were measured and compared to values reported for films prepared by thermal evaporation. These photo-induced phenomena are found to be different from those reported for As2S3 bulk glass and thermally evaporated As2S3 film.
Low-Frequency Dynamics of Caldariomyces fumago Chloroperoxidase Probed by Femtosecond Coherence Spectroscopy†

Ultrafast laser spectroscopy techniques are used to measure the low-frequency vibrational coherence spectra and nitric oxide rebinding kinetics of Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase (CPO). Comparisons of the CPO coherence spectra with those of other heme species are made to gauge the protein-specific nature of the low-frequency spectra. The coherence spectrum of native CPO is dominated by a mode that appears near 32-33 cm(-1) at all excitation wavelengths, with a phase that is consistent with a ground-state Raman-excited vibrational wavepacket. On the basis of a normal coordinate structural decomposition (NSD) analysis, we assign this feature to the thiolate-bound heme doming mode. Spectral resolution of the probe pulse ("detuned" detection) reveals a mode at 349 cm(-1), which has been previously assigned using Raman spectroscopy to the Fe-S stretching mode of native CPO. The ferrous species displays a larger degree of spectral inhomogeneity than the ferric species, as reflected by multiple shoulders in the optical absorption spectra. The inhomogeneities are revealed by changes in the coherence spectra at different excitation wavelengths. The appearance of a mode close to 220 cm(-1) in the coherence spectrum of reduced CPO excited at 440 nm suggests that a subpopulation of five coordinated histidine-ligated hemes is present in the ferrous state at a physiologically relevant pH. A significant increase in the amplitude of the coherence signal is observed for the resonance with the 440 nm subpopulation. Kinetics measurements reveal that nitric oxide binding to ferric and ferrous CPO can be described as a single-exponential process, with rebinding time constants of 29.4 +/- 1 and 9.3 +/- 1 ps, respectively. This is very similar to results previously reported for nitric oxide binding to horseradish peroxidase.
Phonons in semiconductor superlattices

Abstract We present theoretical studies of phonon modes in semiconductor superlattices in a rigid-ion model. We examine the dispersion curves for phonons propagating in any directions, taking into account the long-range Coulomb interaction. We introduce an alternative approach which avoids direct computation of the Coulomb interaction in superlattices. Our calculations indicate that several superlattice optical phonon branches can have different frequencies when → k approaches zero from different directions. Such anisotropic splitting was observed experimentally and was interpreted in a macroscopic model involving layers of different dielectric constants. The predictions of our microscopic model are in qualitative agreement with those of the macroscopic model.
Thermocompression bonding of vertically aligned carbon nanotube turfs to metalized substrates.

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube turfs (VACNTs), consisting of entwined, nominally vertical carbon nanotubes, are being proposed for use as electrical and thermal contact materials. Issues in their implementation include high contact resistance, the van der Waals interactions of carbon nanotubes, and a low temperature limit during processing. One route for circumventing the 750 °C temperatures required for VACNT growth using chemical vapor deposition is for the VACNTs to be grown separately, and then transferred to the device. A method of mechanical transfer, using thermocompression bonding, has been developed, allowing dry mechanical transfer of the VACNTs at 150 °C. This method can be used for the construction of both a thermal switch or a permanent conducting channel. The conductivity of the bonded structure is shown to be independent of the imposed strain, up to strains in excess of 100%.
Assessments of Dangerousness: Legal, Research, and Clinical Developments

This article explores recent groundbreaking court decisions regarding permissible preventive detentions that are based on assessments of dangerousness. It is concluded that courts are increasingly receptive to upholding such preventive actions, and that the research to date has left unresolved important questions regarding the validity of these assessments. Basic principles of risk assessment are also presented and discussed.
Effect of forecast skill on management of the Oregon coast coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) fishery

Better fisheries management is often given as one justification for research on improving forecasts of fish sur- vival. However, the value gained from expected improvements in forecast skill in terms of achieving management goals is rarely quantified as part of research objectives. Using Monte Carlo simulations of population dynamics, we assessed the ef- fect of forecast skill under two strategies for managing Oregon coast natural (OCN) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). The first, or status quo, strategy is currently being used to rebuild threatened OCN coho populations. This strategy deter- mines harvest based on both a forecasted marine survival rate and parental spawner abundance. The second strategy relies on a forecast of preharvest adult abundance to achieve a constant spawner escapement target. Performance of the status quo strategy was largely insensitive to forecast skill, while the second strategy showed sensitivity that varied with escapement target and specific performance metric. The results imply that effort towards improving forecasts is not justifiable solely on the basis of improved management under the status quo strategy, though it may be were the management strategy altered.
Direct observations of low-energy solar electrons associated with a Type III solar radio burst.

A highly anisotropic packet of solar electron intensities was observed on 6 April 1971 with a sensitive electrostatic analyzer array on the Earth-orbiting satellite IMP-6. The anisotropies of intensities at electron energies of several keV were factors ≳ 10 favoring the expected direction of the interplanetary magnetic lines of force from the Sun. The directional, differential intensities of solar electrons were determined over the energy range 1–40 keV and peak intensities were ∼ 102 cm−2 s−1 sr−1 eV−1 at 2–6 keV. This anisotropic packet of solar electrons was detected at the sattelite for a period of 4200 s and was soon followed by isotropic intensities for a relatively prolonged period. This impulsive emission was associated with the onsets of an optical flare, soft X-ray emission and a radio noise storm at centimeter wavelengths on the western limb of the Sun. Simultaneous measurements of a type III radio noise burst at kilometric wavelengths with a plasma wave instrument on the same satellite showed that the onsets for detectable noise levels ranged from 500 s at 178 kHz to 2700 s at 31.1 kHz. The corresponding drift rate requires a speed of ∼ 0.15c for the exciting particles if the emission is at the electron plasma frequency. The corresponding electron energy of ∼ 6 keV is in excellent agreement with the above direct observations of the anisotropic electron packet. Further supporting evidence that several-keV solar electrons in the anisotropic packet are associated with the emission of type III radio noise beyond ∼ 50R⊙ is provided by their time-of-arrival at Earth and the relative durations of the radio noise and the solar electron packet. Electron intensities at E ≳ 45 keV and the isotropic intensities of lower-energy solar electrons are relatively uncorrelated with the measurements of type III radio noise at these low frequencies. The implications of these observations relative to those at higher frequencies, and heliocentric radial distances ≲ 50R⊙, include apparent deceleration of the exciting electron beam with increasing heliocentric radial distance.
Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) for veno-occlusive liver disease in pediatric autologous bone marrow transplant patients.

The pathogenesis of veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver appears to be secondary to endothelial damage of terminal hepatic venules, which leads to activation of the coagulation cascade, fibrin deposition, and eventual fibrous obliteration of the hepatic venules. Patients with VOD usually present with jaundice, hepatomegaly, weight gain, and ascites. This complication is usually associated with a high mortality rate. We report here the frequency and treatment of VOD in our autologous bone marrow transplant (BMT) patient population. Three of 15 (20%) children (median age 9 years) developed VOD and were treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Two of these three patients were prepared for BMT with busulfan (16 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, 200 mg/kg), while the other child received cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C 18 g/m2), Cytoxan (3,600 mg/m2) and total body irradiation (TBI, 1,400 r). VOD developed between days 7–24 posttransplant. Clotting studies obtained pretransplant and during VOD included prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), fibrinogen, fibrin-degradation product (FDP), proteins C and S, and platelet count. There was no correlation between the incidence of VOD and coagulation status. All patients had normal pretransplant clotting studies. However, protein C levels were noted to be consistently low for those patients at the time of VOD. All three patients received rt-PA at a dose of 0.25–0.5 mg/kg for 4 days. This dose produced increased levels of FDP but did not significantly prolong PT nor PTT. Two of the patients had dramatic responses and had complete resolution of VOD within 6–12 days from the start of therapy. The other patient died of fulminant hepatic failure. It seems that rt-PA is effective in VOD of the liver, which may be associated with low protein C level. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
High plasma-flux elevated temperature sputtering of Cu-Li alloys

Copper-lithium alloys ranging in composition from 3–12 at.% Li have been exposed to sputtering by 3 × 1016−6 × 1017 100 eVHe+/cm2 s at temperatures of 300–500°C at the UCLA PISCES plasma service. Weight loss and optical spectroscopy techniques were used to determine the sputtering-induced erosion of the binary alloys relative to pure copper. It was found that the weight loss of the alloy and the amount of copper in the plasma as measured by emission spectroscopy in some cases was reduced by a factor of five or more. Post-irradiation analysis by Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy show a correlation between lithium surface depletion, surface roughening, weight loss and partial erosion yields as measured by plasma emission spectroscopy. The results are explained in terms of formation of a lithium overlayer as a result of the elevated temperature and plasma ion bombardment. The formation of the overlayer is diffusion limited and depends on the sample conditioning, sample temperature, lithium concentration, method of preparation and plasma flux. The degree to which the copper erosion is reduced depends on the Li overlayer thickness, which is expected to depend on the sputtering yield of lithium on a copper substrate, the ion fraction of the sputtered lithium, the extent of subsurface lithium depletion and the duty cycle of the plasma device.
Temporal orchestration of repressive chromatin modifiers by circadian clock Period complexes

The mammalian circadian clock is built on a molecular feedback loop in which the Period (PER) proteins, acting in a large, poorly understood complex, repress Clock-Bmal1, the transcription factor driving their expression. We found that mouse PER complexes include the histone methyltransferase HP1γ-Suv39h. PER proteins recruited HP1γ-Suv39h to the Per1 and Per2 promoters, and HP1γ-Suv39h proved important for circadian di- and trimethylation of histone H3 Lys9 (H3K9) at the Per1 promoter, feedback repression and clock function. HP1γ-Suv39h was recruited to the Per1 and Per2 promoters ~4 h after recruitment of HDAC1, a PER-associated protein previously implicated in clock function and H3K9 deacetylation at the Per1 promoter. PER complexes containing HDAC1 or HP1γ-Suv39h appeared to be physically separable. Circadian clock negative feedback by the PER complex thus involves dynamic, ordered recruitment of repressive chromatin modifiers to DNA-bound Clock-Bmal1.
Differential Genetic Etiology of Reading Difficulties as a Function of IQ: An Update

In order to test the hypothesis that the genetic etiology of reading disability differs as a function of IQ, composite reading performance data from 308 pairs of identical (monozygotic, MZ) twins and 440 pairs of fraternal (dizygotic, DZ) twins (254 same-sex and 186 opposite-sex) in which at least one member of each pair was classified as reading-disabled were subjected to multiple regression analysis (DeFries and Fulker, Behav Genet 15:467–473, 1985; Acta Genet Med Gemellol 37:205–216, 1988). In the total sample, heritability of the group deficit in reading performance (hg2) was .61 (±.06). However, results of fitting an extended regression model to reading performance and IQ data suggested that the genetic etiology of reading disability differs as a linear function of IQ (p ≤ .04). When the basic regression model was fitted separately to data from twin pairs with Wechsler (Examiner's manual: Wechsler intelligence scale for children—revised, 1974; Examiner's manual: Wechsler adult intelligence scale—revised, 1981) Full Scale IQ scores in the upper and lower 25% of the sample, resulting estimates of hg2 were .75 (±.12) and .50 (±.10), respectively (p ≤ .045). These results suggest that reading difficulties in children with a higher IQ are due substantially to genetic influences and may require intensive remediation efforts.
Activation of Human CYP2C9 Promoter and Regulation by CAR and PXR in Mouse Liver

The activity of various genomic segments at the 5'-flanking region of the human CYP2C9 gene in driving gene expression and their involvement in pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) mediated activation were evaluated in mouse hepatocytes. Using the genomic sequence of human CYP2C9 as a template, segments covering different regions of CYP2C9 5'-flanking sequences starting from the translation start site were amplified by PCR and inserted into a pGL-3 luciferase vector. Plasmid DNA containing the 0.2K, 1K, 2K, 3K, 5K, or 10K upstream sequences of the CYP2C9 gene were transfected into mouse liver by hydrodynamic delivery, and the activity of each fragment in driving reporter gene expression was assessed. With the exception of the 10K fragment, the level of luciferase activity in transfected mouse liver was similar among the constructs examined. Cotransfection of these reporter constructs with the pCMX-PXR or pCMX-CAR plasmids resulted in a slight increase in luciferase gene expression that could be significantly enhanced by chemical inducers. In mice cotransfected with pCMX-PXR, pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) induced a 20-fold increase in the luciferase level compared to a 70-fold increase induced by rifampicin. Similarly, when animals were cotransfected with the pCMX-CAR plasmid, phenobarbital and 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene enhanced luciferase gene expression by 10- and 57-fold, respectively. The element responsible for PXR- and CAR-mediated activation of luciferase gene expression by chemical inducers was found to reside in the -2000 to -1000 bp region of the 5'-flanking sequence of the CYP2C9 gene. These results prove that PXR and CAR are transcription factors regulating CYP2C9 gene expression.
Orthographic Traces in Romanian and Japanese Loanwords: Enriching Phonological Representations

This paper presents a formal account of the influence of orthography in the adaptation of Romanian loanwords from French and Japanese loanwords from English. It agues that, in the course of adaptation, the accompanying presence of a written representation does play a part in shaping the phonological content of borrowed words. To explain such orthographic manifestations in loanwords, a grammatical mechanism is devised in which underlying input representations are composed of linguistic information emanating from both the native perceptual system and the grapheme-phoneme mapping procedure. Cast in the framework of Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky, 1993/2004), the bulk of the analysis rests in determining how the grammar evaluates output forms resulting from such amalgamated inputs. Theoretical implications of such a proposal are also discussed, in particular as it concerns the nature of input coding and representation. In short, phonological representations are assumed to embrace the segmental richness imparted by both speech and print.
Harvesting as a factor in population decline of a long-lived salamander; the Ozark hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi Grobman

We documented the harvesting of 558 Ozark hellbenders, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi, between 1969 and 1989, from the North Fork of the White River (NFWR), Ozark County, Missouri. Scientific studies accounted for 272 individuals. More than 256 Ozark hellbenders were taken for the pet trade for suppliers in Michigan, New Jersey, and Japan by collectors from Nebraska and Alabama. During the first weekend of September 1980, 171 were collected illegally. Estimates indicate that approximately 50% of the females were removed from the most significant hellbender habitat in the NFWR (riffle 2-3) that weekend. Between 1969 and 1980, coordination with the Missouri Department of Conservation helped insure that C. a. bishopi, used for scientific research, were not removed from a 2.67 km (NFWR 1) research section. Population estimates from 1970 and 1978 studies indicate stability in the most densely populated habitat. In the 1970's, larger samples of individuals collected for research were not removed from a single site, but a few individuals were collected from multiple sites within a 10 km reach of the NFWR. During 1982-1984 more than 100 individuals were removed from the same section as in 1980 by commercial collectors. This evidence supports harvesting of C. a. bishopi, especially illegal harvesting, as a contributing factor in the decline of this population and documents that the decline had begun by 1980.
Darwinian fitness and adaptedness in experimental populations of Drosophila willistoni

Author(s): Mourao, CA; Ayala, FJ; Anderson, WW | Abstract: Fifteen second chromosomes were extracted from Drosophila willistoni flies collected in four natural populations. The adaptedness of populations homozygous for each chromosome was measured by average population size and productivity. Six 'control' populations were established with mixtures of the wild second chromosomes. The Darwinian fitness of flies homozygous for each wild second ehromosome, and of flies carrying random combinations of these chromosomes, was measured relative to the fitness of flies heterozygous for a wild and a marker chromosome. The Darwinian fitness of homozygotes for each second chromosome relative to the fitness of flies carrying random combinations of the natural chromosomes was then inferred. The estimated loss of fitness on making the natural second chromosomes homozygous was substantial, ranging from 39 to 83 pereent, with an average reduction in fitness of 66 percent. These results with D. willistoni are consistent with those from similar experiments with other drosophila species, and they are compatible with a significant role for heterosis in the maintenance of genetic variability. Populations homozygous for wild chromosomes differ in their adaptedness to the experimental environment. Population size and productivity are correlated, although the correlation is far from complete. Some populations have high productivity and low population size, or vice versa. The control populations, with greater genetic variability, were superior in adaptedness to the average of the single-chromosome populations. The Darwinian fitness and the adaptedness of the genotypes in this experiment were not significantly correlated. It follows that certain measures used by population geneticists, such as genetic load and average Darwinian fitness, cannot be taken as general indices of how well adapted a population is to its environment. © 1971 Martinus Nijhoff.
Is the ridge formed by aligned jet propagation and medium flow

Abstract Motivated by the recent observation that the ridge decreases with trigger particle angle ( ϕ s ) relative to the event plane, it is theorized that the ridge is formed by interplay between jet propagation and medium flow. Such interplay may produce asymmetry in the ridge azimuthal correlation at a fixed ϕ s . We present an analysis of this asymmetry from STAR data. We found an asymmetric ridge with maximum asymmetry at ϕ s ≈ 45 ° concurrent with a symmetric jet at all ϕ s .
The 3960A absorption system of H2CO vapor

Abstract Four temperature sensitive bands belonging to the 3960A absorption system ( 3 A 2 ← 1 A 1 ) of H2CO vapor are reported. The bands of this system may be interpreted in terms of an inversion in the out-of-plane bending coordinate of the excited state. The temperature sensitive bands permit a determination of the inversion splittings (0− - 0+) = 36 ± 2 cm−1 and (1− - 1+) = 244 ± 2 cm−1 with splitting centers differing by 640 cm−1.
Single-photon multiple ionization of argon in the K -edge region

The individual charge state and total ion yields resulting from the photoionization of argon gas have been measured as a function of photon energy through the [ital K] edge using synchrotron radiation and time-of-flight spectroscopy. We have formulated a model for the mean ion charge [ital [bar q]]([ital h][nu]) observed at nominal photon energy [ital h][nu], and have determined the mean ion charge [ital [bar q]] resulting from the decay of the atom following [1[ital s]]4[ital p], [1[ital s]]5[ital p], and [1[ital s]][var epsilon][ital p] photoabsorption. We have also characterized the energy-dependent photoelectron recapture probability due to postcollision interaction. In contrast with the recent analysis by Doppelfeld [ital et] [ital al]. [J. Phys. B 26, 445 (1993)], we find that the gradual increase in [ital [bar q]]([ital h][nu]) that begins approximately 20 eV below the argon [ital K] edge can be attributed to lifetime energy broadening of the [ital K]-hole state and the finite energy width of the x-ray source.
Formalism in the social sciences, rhetorically speaking

Even formal methods in economics, which sociologists have been tempted to adopt, are “rhetorical,” in the sense of “argued to other scholars, not proven forever and ever.” The rhetoric of inquiry, in other words, is not confined to flowery language. Two examples of formal methods that have defective rhetorics are significance tests (in which the sociologists are far ahead) and existence theorems (in which the sociologists are in danger of imitating the economists’ errors). Much effort in economics is spent on a rhetoric without conclusions. A more humanistic economics — or sociology—would examine all the arguments, whether mathematical or not.
Poverty Among Rural Elders: Trends, Context, and Directions for Policy

Despite the improvedfortunes of the elderly in general, rural elders continue to face substantial economic hardships. In 1990, 16.1% of nonmetropolitan elders were poor compared with 10.8% of their...
Solution structure of a ubiquitin-like domain from tubulin-binding cofactor B

Proper folding and assembly of tubulin αβ-heterodimers involves a stepwise progression mediated by a group of protein cofactors A through E. Upon release of the tubulin monomers from the chaperonin CCT, they are acted upon by each cofactor in the folding pathway through a unique combination of protein interaction domains. Three-dimensional structures have previously been reported for cofactor A and the C-terminal CAP-Gly domain of cofactor B (CoB). Here we report the NMR structure of the N-terminal domain of Caenorhabditis elegans CoB and show that it closely resembles ubiquitin as was recently postulated on the basis of bioinformatic analysis (Grynberg, M., Jaroszewski, L., and Godzik, A. (2003) BMC Bioinformatics 4, 46). CoB binds partially folded α-tubulin monomers, and a putative tubulin-binding motif within the N-terminal domain is identified from sequence and structure comparisons. Based on modeling of the homologous cofactor E ubiquitin-like domain, we hypothesize that cofactors B and E may associate via their β-grasp domains in a manner analogous to the PB1 and caspase-activated deoxyribonuclease superfamily of protein interaction domains.
Modeling Implications in Simulation-Based Design of Stents

Variations associated with stenting systems, artery properties, and doctor skills necessitate a better understanding of coronary artery stents so as to facilitate the design of stents that are customized to individual patients. This paper presents the development of an integrated computer simulation-based design approach using engineering finite element analysis (FEA) models for capturing stent knowledge, utility theory-based decision models for representing the design preferences, and statistics-based surrogate models for improving process efficiency. Two focuses of the paper are: 1) understanding the significance of engineering analysis and surrogate models in the simulation-based design of medical devices; 2) investigating the modeling implications in the context of stent design. The study reveals that the advanced nonlinear FEA software with analysis capacities on large deformation and contact interaction has offered a platform to execute high fidelity simulations, yet the selection of appropriate analysis models is still subject to the tradeoff between cost of analysis and accuracy of solution; the cost-prohibitive simulations necessitate the employment of surrogate models in subsequent multi-objective design optimization. A detailed comparison between regression models and Kriging models suggests the importance of sampling schemes in successfully implementing Kriging methods.© 2006 ASME
A theory of consolidation for reasoning about devices

Given a collection of components connected in a certain way, how can the behavioral descriptions of the components be composed into a behavioral description of the collection as a whole? We propose a theory of consolidation based on a conceptual representation of behavior. The behaviors of components are represented using a small number of primitive types of behaviors. The behavior of a device is inferred using rules of composition that describe how one type of behavior can arise from a structural combination of other types of behaviors.
The Effect of Instruction with Relational and Item-Specific Elaborative Strategies on Young Children's Organization and Free Recall.

Abstract One hundred and sixty second-grade children were assigned on the basis of a free recall pretest to four instruction conditions and were given a series of lists of pictures for free recall. For three groups, the instructions were directed at encoding either (a) list organizational information, (b) item-specific semantic information, or (c) organizational and individual item information, while the fourth group constituted a “No-training” control with standard free recall instructions. The subjects received either related or unrelated lists during the training phase and related or unrelated lists during two post-tests, immediately following and 1 week after training. For both types of lists, instructions emphasizing list organization were more effective than those emphasizing item-specific elaboration. Subjects given individual item elaborative instructions showed levels of recall which were comparable to those of the control subjects. While the combined effect of organizational and individual item processing did not exceed the performance produced by organizational instructions alone, the degree of generalization was greater for subjects processing both kinds of information, especially when subjects received related lists during training.
Identification of MrtAB, an ABC Transporter Specifically Required for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis to Colonize the Mesenteric Lymph Nodes

A highly conserved virulence plasmid encoding a type III secretion system is shared by the three Yersinia species most pathogenic for mammals. Although factors encoded on this plasmid enhance the ability of Yersinia to thrive in their mammalian hosts, the loss of this virulence plasmid does not eliminate growth or survival in host organs. Most notably, yields of viable plasmid-deficient Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Yptb) are indistinguishable from wild-type Yptb within mesenteric lymph nodes. To identify chromosomal virulence factors that allow for plasmid-independent survival during systemic infection of mice, we generated transposon insertions in plasmid-deficient Yptb, and screened a library having over 20,000 sequence-identified insertions. Among the previously uncharacterized loci, insertions in mrtAB, an operon encoding an ABC family transporter, had the most profound phenotype in a plasmid-deficient background. The absence of MrtAB, however, had no effect on growth in the liver and spleen of a wild type strain having an intact virulence plasmid, but caused a severe defect in colonization of the mesenteric lymph nodes. Although this result is consistent with lack of expression of the type III secretion system by Wt Yptb in the mesenteric lymph nodes, a reporter for YopE indicated that expression of the system was robust. We demonstrate that the ATPase activity of MrtB is required for growth in mice, indicating that transport activity is required for virulence. Indeed, MrtAB appears to function as an efflux pump, as the ATPase activity enhances resistance to ethidium bromide while increasing sensitivity to pyocyanin, consistent with export across the inner membrane.
Elasto-plastic stress analysis and fatigue life prediction of a freight car wheel under mechanical and cyclic thermal loads

Abstract The elasto-plastic finite element analyses of a 36 in. dia. freight car wheel, subjected to cyclic thermal loads in presence of mechanical loads and cyclic mechanical loads in presence of thermal loads, were conducted. The stresses and strains computed for these loading conditions were then used to predict the fatigue life of a wheel subjected to a random load history.
A U.S.-China Investigation of the Effects of Perceived Partner Conflict Styles on Outcome Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Perceived Partner Conflict Competence

The primary purpose of this study is to test the competence-based conflict model across two cultures. It seeks to determine whether perceptions of partner conflict competence and communication satisfaction mediate the relationship between perceived partner conflict behavior and relational satisfaction in U.S. and Chinese cultures. Results indicate that, although cultural variances exist, the competence-based model has an adequate model fit across both cultures. The effects of perceived partner conflict styles on relational satisfaction are largely mediated through perceived partner conflict effectiveness in the United States, whereas their effects are mostly mediated through appropriateness in China. Results also indicate that culture does not moderate the effects of perceived partner conflict styles on perceived partner effectiveness and appropriateness.
Visualization of social media: seeing a mirage or a message?

Cyberspace (Gibson 1984) is a digital wonderland for people to meet with their friends, to share their ideas, and to create their dreams. Social media are built upon cyberspace to enable hybrid mul...
The determination of lymphoid cell chimerism using peripheral blood lymphocytes from murine bone marrow chimeras

Abstract A simple, rapid and accurate method was devised for determining lymphoid cell chimerism in bone marrow-reconstituted mice. Chimeras were produced by reconstituting lethally irradiated mice with semi-allogeneic bone marrow cells. Lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of individual chimeric mice were purified by sedimentation in dextran solution and differential flotation in Ficoll-Hypaque gradients. From 250–500 μl of blood, 1–7 × 10 5 cells were routinely obtained. The extent of chimerism was determined serologically by using peripheral blood lymphocytes as target cells in a dye exclusion microcytotoxicity assay. Using this new technique, approximately 80% of the reconstituted mice were found to be repopulated with lymphocytes of the donor type.
Evaluating the Carotid Plaque: Going beyond Stenosis

Background: Carotid disease is an important cause of ischemic stroke. Traditionally, therapeutic efforts in carotid disease have been aimed at identifying carotid stenosis in sympto