cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weight-bearing, aerobic exercise increases markers of bone formation during short-term weight loss in overweight and obese men and women

We investigated the impact of weight-bearing, aerobic exercise- and diet-induced weight loss on markers of bone turnover during a larger study of changes in metabolic fitness during short-term weight reduction using a repeated-measures, within-subject experimental design. Subjects (N = 19) underwent 6 weeks of energy restriction (reduced by approximately 3140 kJ/d) and aerobic exercise ( approximately 1675 kJ/d, walking or jogging at 60% maximum oxygen consumption) to induce a 5% reduction in body weight. Bone turnover markers and hormones were measured in serum collected at baseline and after 6 weeks of weight loss. Despite a 5% reduction in body weight at week 6, markers of bone formation, osteocalcin, and bone alkaline phosphatase, were significantly increased, and resorption markers, C-terminal cross-links of type I collagen and soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand, were unchanged after 6 weeks of energy restriction and exercise. The concentration of leptin was significantly reduced after weight loss, but insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and cortisol levels were unaffected. In conclusion, weight-bearing, aerobic exercise training may favorably affect the balance between bone resorption and formation during weight loss.
FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE NOVEMBER EFFECT

Tax-loss selling by individuals has long been thought to be a major factor driving the January effect. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 changed the tax-year end for mutual funds to October 31 and increased the marginal tax rate, creating a natural experiment allowing Bhabra, Dhillon, and Ramirez (1999) to empirically test the tax-selling hypothesis. They find empirical support for a postact November effect. However, a second paper by Gibson, Safieddine, and Titman (2000) finds empirical support for the November effect in only one post-act year, 1990. In this article, we respecify betas, calculate holding period returns over each tax year, construct portfolios with large, differences in mutual fund ownership, and test for the presence of a bid-ask spread bias. The empirical results offer evidence of a November effect but only in the first week of November.
A comparison of peak QRS potential detection using unipolar and bipolar cardiac pacemaker lead systems

Abstract The use of bipolar lead systems with demand cardiac pacemakers has been criticized because the small interelectrode distance was thought to decrease sensitivity to cardiac electrical potentials. This study was done to determine if the reduced interelectrode distance inherent in bipolar systems is a limiting factor with the new small surface area electrodes. Three bipolar electrodes of differing surface areas were placed in the right ventricule of 10 anesthetized dogs. Bipolar sensing was compared with unipolar sensing. The results demonstrated three factors which determine the amplitude of the potentials detected: (1) surface area of the electrode; (2) position of the indifferent ring electrode in the bipolar system; and (3) pacemaker sensing circuit impedance. Electrode surface area was the most important determinant and impedance was the least. No significant peak QRS potential differences were detected when bipolar and unipolar sensing with the newer small surface area electrodes were compared.
Linewidth of the harmonics in a microwave frequency comb generated by focusing a mode-locked ultrafast laser on a tunneling junction

Previous analyses suggest that microwave frequency combs (MFCs) with harmonics having extremely narrow linewidths could be produced by photodetection with a mode-locked ultrafast laser. In the MFC generated by focusing a passively mode-locked ultrafast laser on a tunneling junction, 200 harmonics from 74.254 MHz to 14.85 GHz have reproducible measured linewidths approximating the 1 Hz resolution bandwidth (RBW) of the spectrum analyzer. However, in new measurements at a RBW of 0.1 Hz, the linewidths are distributed from 0.12 to 1.17 Hz. Measurements and analysis suggest that, because the laser is not stabilized, the stochastic drift in the pulse repetition rate is the cause for the distribution in measured linewidths. It appears that there are three cases in which the RBW is (1) greater than, (2) less than, or (3) comparable with the intrinsic linewidth. The measured spectra in the third class are stochastic and may show two or more peaks at a single harmonic.
On anaphor binding in Russian

It has been demonstrated that the reciprocal pronoun in Russian is a strict anaphor: it must have an antecedent in its governing category. The only respect in which the reciprocal is problematic for the formulation of Binding Theory assumed here is the absence of the i/i effect. The absence of the i/i effect is shared by the Russian reflexive pronouns, suggesting that the governing category is defined differently in Russian than in English. In particular, English imposes the requirement that the SUBJECT of a governing category not violate the ‘i-within-i’ well-formedness condition given in (29b), while Russian does not.
Biological indicators of soil quality and soil organic matter characteristics in an agricultural management continuum

Relationships among biological indicators of soil quality and organic matter characteristics were evaluated across a continuum of long-term agricultural practices in Missouri, USA. In addition to chemical and physical soil quality indicators, dehydrogenase and phenol oxidase activity were measured, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) and diffuse reflectance Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectra of soil organic matter were collected, and visible, near-infrared reflectance (VNIR) spectra of whole soil were collected. Enzyme activities were positively correlated with several soil quality indicators and labile fractions of soil organic matter (r = 0.58–0.92), and were negatively correlated with DRIFT indices of decomposition stage and recalcitrance (r = −0.62 to −0.76). A comparison of vegetative and land management practices was scored using the soil management assessment framework (SMAF)—a soil quality index. Perennial vegetation (i.e., native prairie, restored prairie, and timothy) plots exhibited the greatest soil quality (SMAF scores 93.6–98.6 out of 100), followed by no-till and conventionally cultivated plots, with wheat outranking corn. Among fertilization practices, soil quality followed the order: manure > inorganic fertilizer > unamended soil. Finally, in the estimation of soil properties, VNIR spectra generally outperformed DRIFT spectra using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and multiple, linear regression (MLR). The strongest estimates of dehydrogenase and phenol oxidase activity were found using MLR models of VNIR spectra (R2 > 0.78, RPD > 2.20). Overall, this study demonstrates the potential utility and versatility of enzymes in modeling and assessing changes in soil organic carbon fractions and soil quality, and emphasizes the benefits of maintaining long-term agricultural experiments.
Mapping of chemically accessible regions in semicrystalline polymers

Important chemical and mechanical properties in semicrystalline polymers are determined by the noncrystalline or nonordered regions. Hence, characterizing these regions is important in developing a morphological model to better define and predict the chemical and mechanical behavior of polymeric materials. With this objective, preferential tagging was accomplished by covalent linking of a heavy element to poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). In scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), contrast was obtained using a low concentration of thallium (0.4%), the tagging element, thus providing a map of the more accessible regions within the semicrystalline structure. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) were used to characterize the PET film. Elemental analysis using energy dispersive x-ray analysis ( EDAX ) was used to confirm the presence of the heavy element in the tagged regions. The STEM imaging results were then compared with the characterization results from the DSC and WAXS measurements to gain an understanding of the domains and their size ranges in the semicrystalline microstructure of PET.
Collateral Circulation of the Heart

Seiler Christian MD, FACC, FESC 450 pages. London, UK: Springer, 2009. $139.00. ISBN 978-1-84882-341-9 Attempting to summarize and discuss a complex field of biology with respect to both basic mechanistic issues and potential therapeutic significance is a daunting venture. For the most part, such volumes are compendia of chapters by individual scholars with major expertise in a component of the area of study. The book is commonly edited and compiled by one of the contributors, who provides a preface and a chapter in his or her own area of expertise. These volumes often contain well-reasoned and up-to-date presentations that are scientifically state-of-the-art at the time the chapter is written; inevitably, the chapters are at least partially out of date by the time publication occurs. Moreover, they tend to be more of a loosely integrated anthology. In …
Incorporation of Tritiated Thymidine into the Ovarian DNA of Stable Flies: Effects of Treatment with Apholate

SEVERAL independent investigations have shown that apholate1 and other chemosterilants inhibit the production of DNA in insect eggs2, and dominant lethal mutations have been demonstrated in insect eggs3,4 after treatment of the adult insects with chemosterilants.
Japanese preschool children's narrative development

This study analysed oral personal narratives of 20 middle-class Japanese preschoolers, half of them four years old and half five, and their mothers, using stanza analysis and high point analysis. The patterning in stanzas revealed that, compared to four-year- olds, five-year-olds have begun to use the form of adult-like narratives. High point analysis indicated that compared to four- year-olds, five-year-olds have begun to evaluate in the form of adult-like narratives. The results suggest that the preschool years, during which various narrative components evolve, represent a period of extremely rapid development in the child's acquisition of narrative capacity. They also illustrate that from early childhood on, Japanese children learn the narrative mode of discourse valued by their mothers.
Irving S. Cooper and His Role in Intracranial Stimulation for Movement Disorders and Epilepsy

Dr. Irving Cooper (1922-1985) was a pioneer in the field of functional neurosurgery. After years of treating patients with tremor by creating deep lesions with either anterior choroidal artery ligation or cryogenic thalamotomy, he began to utilize methods of electrical cerebral stimulation as treatment for a variety of disorders. Chronic cerebellar stimulation was employed for patients with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and dystonia. While Dr. Cooper believed his results to be significant, there still remain many challenges to his claims. Later in his career, he placed deep brain electrodes in the internal capsule and thalamus for epilepsy and dystonia. His encouraging results from this small series were often overlooked. This paper reviews the science behind Dr. Cooper's work, his case series, and the controversies surrounding his results.
Validation of a high throughput method for serum/plasma testosterone using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Abstract Testosterone, the major androgenic hormone in humans, is commonly measured to aid in the diagnosis of clinical conditions related to its excess or deficiency. In addition, testosterone measurements are used to monitor testosterone replacement-, or antiandrogen therapy. Most commonly, automated direct immunoassays have been used to measure testosterone in human serum. Their advantage compared with other methodologies, lies in high- and rapid sample throughput with minimal human intervention. However, many automated testosterone immunoassays suffer from poor accuracy at the low concentration levels (
WE-E-BRB-11: Riview a Web-Based Viewer for Radiotherapy.

Purpose: Collaborations involving radiotherapy data collection, such as the recently proposed international radiogenomics consortium, require robust, web‐based tools to facilitate reviewing treatment planning information. We present the architecture and prototype characteristics for a web‐based radiotherapy viewer. Methods: The web‐based environment developed in this work consists of the following components: 1) Import of DICOM/RTOG data: CERR was leveraged to import DICOM/RTOG data and to convert to database friendly RT objects. 2) Extraction and Storage of RT objects: The scan and dose distributions were stored as .png files per slice and view plane. The file locations were written to the MySQL database.Structure contours and DVH curves were written to the database as numeric data. 3) Web interfaces to query, retrieve and visualize the RT objects: The Web application was developed using HTML 5 and Ruby on Rails (RoR) technology following the MVC philosophy. The open source ImageMagick library was utilized to overlay scan, dose and structures. The application allows users to (i) QA the treatment plans associated with a study, (ii) Query and Retrieve patients matching anonymized ID and study, (iii) Review up to 4 plans simultaneously in 4 window panes (iv) Plot DVH curves for the selected structures and dose distributions. Results: A subset of data for lungcancer patients was used to prototype the system. Five user accounts were created to have access to this study. The scans, doses,structures and DVHs for 10 patients were made available via the web application. Conclusions: A web‐based system to facilitate QA, and support Query, Retrieve and the Visualization of RT data was prototyped. The RIVIEW system was developed using open source and free technology like MySQL and RoR. We plan to extend the RIVIEW system further to be useful in clinical trial data collection, outcomes research, cohort plan review and evaluation.
Parsing a first language like a second: The erosion of L1 parsing strategies in Spanish-English Bilinguals:

Past research suggests that parsing processes in a bilingual’s first language (L1) can undergo changes as a function of exposure to a second language (L2). Evidence for this claim comes from studies that have examined how SpanishEnglish bilinguals resolve temporarily ambiguous sentences containing a complex noun phrase followed by a relative clause, as is the case in “Peter fell in love with the daughter of the psychologist who studied in California.” Previous studies indicate that whereas monolingual Spanish speakers attach the relative clause to the first noun in the complex noun phrase (non-local attachment), monolingual English speakers interpret the relative clause locally (i.e., attach the relative clause to the noun immediately preceding it). With respect to bilinguals, recent research with Spanish-English bilinguals and professional translators (e.g., Dussias 2001, 2003; Parede, 2004) have shown that bilinguals attach the relative clause to the second noun in the complex noun phrase, when reading in Spanish, their first language. The differences observed between monolingual and bilingual speakers have been attributed to experience in a second language immersion environment. For example, Dussias (2003) argues that extensive exposure to a preponderance of English constructions resolved in favor of local attachment can render this interpretation more available, resulting in the low attachment preference observed in Spanish-English bilinguals. Of interest in the present paper is to assess whether speakers with fewer years of immersion experience in the L2 environment than those reported in previous studies employ the correct strategy in each of their languages. To this end, eye-movement data was collected while proficient L1 Spanish/L2 English speakers read ambiguous sentences of the type described above, in their first language, and their performance was compared to a monolingual Spanish group. Analyses revealed that the L1 Spanish speakers of English favored local over non-local attachment when reading in their first languages. The results are most congruent with exposure-based or parallel interactive models of sentence parsing as postulated by Brysbaert & Mitchell (1996), Mitchell & Cuetos (1991) and Mitchell, Cuetos, Corley & Brysbaert (1995), given the assumption within these models that frequency-based exposure affects parsing decisions.
A biomechanical comparison of three sternotomy closure techniques.

Abstract Background . A biomechanical study of three sternotomy closure techniques (figure-of-eight stainless-steel wires, Pectofix Dynamic Sternal Fixation [DSF] stainless-steel plates, and figure-of-eight stainless-steel cables) was conducted to compare strength and stiffness variables in three clinically relevant loading modes (anterior-posterior shear, longitudinal shear, and lateral distraction). Methods . All tests were conducted on polyurethane foam sternal models that simulate the properties of cancellous bone. Each model was divided longitudinally and reconstructed using one of the sternotomy closure repair techniques. Tests were performed using a materials testing system that applies a continuously increasing amount of force in one direction to the model until it catastrophically breaks. A total of six trials of each fixation type in each of three test groups were prepared and tested, for a total of 54 tests. Strength and stiffness variables as well as a post-yield analysis of failure were evaluated. Results . Sternums repaired using the DSF plate system are a more rigid construct than sternums repaired using the stainless-steel wires or cables in the distraction and transverse shear modes and they are not significantly different from sternums repaired with wires or cables in the longitudinal shear mode. The DSF plate system offers a 25% improvement in resistance to failure (yield) compared to wires when a transverse shear force is applied to the model. The cable system had a higher resistance to failure than the wires in all modes although the differences were not statistically significant. Additionally, the DSF plate system provides substantial reduction of the implant's cutting into the sternal model under loading as evidenced by the post-yield displacement when compared with either cables or wires for the distraction and longitudinal shear modes. For the transverse shear mode, the cables or wires would completely fail at the load for which cutting begins for the DSF. Conclusions . Both the DSF plate system and the stainless-steel cable system offer important advantages over figure-of-eight wire for sternal closure.
Associations of psychosocial factors with health outcomes among youth with cystic fibrosis.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of strains, resources, feelings, and behaviors about treatment adherence reported by youth with cystic fibrosis (CF) with repeated clinic measures of their pulmonary function and nutritional status. Methods Linear mixed models, stratified by gender, adjusting for age, were used to examine the effects of strains, resources, and adherence behaviors on repeated pulmonary function and nutritional status measures. All 10–21 years old with CF at the Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Center were invited by mail to participate. Of these 177 youth, 51% (43 boys, 47 girls) returned surveys. Forced expiratory volume in 1 sec and predicted weight-for-height were extracted from participants' clinic records for the 18 months following receipt of the survey. Results Females showed significantly greater variability in repeated measures of pulmonary function and nutritional status compared to males. Parent–youth strains, physical strains, activity limitations, and cough suppression had significant effects on the 18-month mean of pulmonary function measures for females, but only physical strains had a significant effect for males. Conclusion Compared to males, females experienced more strains and poorer treatment adherence, which may be factors associated with declines in pulmonary function observed among females with CF during the adolescent years. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:46–53. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Pharmacology of CP‐154,526, a Non‐Peptide Antagonist of the CRH1 Receptor: A Review

Since CRH has been shown to mediate stress-induced physiological and behavioral changes, it has been hypothesized that CRH receptor antagonists may have therapeutic potential in disorders that involve excessive CRH activity. CP-154,526 and its close analog antalarmin are potent, brain-penetrable, selective nonpeptide CRH1 receptor antagonists that were discovered in an effort to develop compounds with efficacy in CNS disorders precipitated by stress. Since its discovery many investigators have used CP-154,526 as a tool to study the pharmacology of CRH and its receptors and to evaluate its therapeutic potential in a variety of CNS and peripheral disorders. Systemically-administered CP-154,526 has been demonstrated to antagonize CRH- and stress-induced neuroendocrine, neurochemical, electrophysiological, and behavioral effects. These findings support the hypothesis that CRH1 receptor antagonists may have therapeutic utility in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. CP-154,526, as well as other CRH1 receptor antagonists that have since been discovered, have also shown activity in several preclinical models of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse, while having little effect on locomotor activity and motor function. Although these effects are on occasion inconsistent among different laboratories, clinical evaluation of CRH 1 antagonists appears justified on the basis of these and clinical data implicating the involvement of CRH in several CNS disorders. The effects of CRH 1 antagonists on cognition, neurodegeneration, inflammation, and the gastrointestinal system have not been as extensively characterized and additional studies will be necessary to evaluate their therapeutic potential in these areas.
The early response of59Fe incorporation in the bone marrow of irradiated rats

The change in radioiron uptake in selected bone marrow samples in irradiated rats is representative of the total skeletal uptake only if the baseline or radioresistant uptake has been subtracted.
The human nature of literature

While religious zealots have been attempting to mandate the teaching of ‘intelligent design’ in public schools in the USA, evolutionary scientists have pretty much continued to do what they do best: evolutionary science. Included among its many dimensions are efforts to ‘push the envelope,’ to see how far evolutionary biology can go in explaining behavior, even complex human social behavior. Thus, we have evolutionary psychology [1], evolutionary medicine [2], evolutionary anthropology [3], evolutionary political science [4], even evolutionary legal analyses [5] and evolutionary economics [6].
Integrated television in Europe: a note on the EUROVISION network

For nearly a quarter of a century, European television audiences have enjoyed international coverage of news, sports, and entertainment programs from abroad because of EUROVISION, one of the most successful efforts at technical and cultural cooperation on that continent. The EUROVISION network is an activity of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) currently linking some twenty-five national TV broadcasting services in Western Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East through a permanent network of microwave relays supplemented by satellite hookups to the more remote members. Participation is on a voluntary basis, which means that the international network is more or less a noncommercial clearing house for bi- and multi-lateral program exchanges plus joint telecasts of Olympic games or overseas events. Although EUROVISION programming accounts for only a small share of the total TV broadcast hours in Europe and is hampered by cultural and linguistic barriers, it has proven effective.
A small plant-specific protein family of ABI five binding proteins (AFPs) regulates stress response in germinating Arabidopsis seeds and seedlings

The transcription factor ABA-Insensitive5 (ABI5) is a key regulator of ABA signaling and stress response in Arabidopsis seeds and seedlings. Potential ABI5-interacting proteins were identified by a yeast two-hybrid screen; the most prevalent interactors were a family of four highly conserved plant-specific proteins with no domains of known function, but homology to a previously characterized ABI Five Binding Protein (AFP). This study compares expression and function of the family members. The AFPs are induced by ABA and/or dehydrating stresses in young seedlings, but the developmental timing of their induction differs. Mutations in AFP1 or AFP2 result in increased sensitivity to ABA and salt, whereas afp4 mutants are mildly ABA-resistant. AFP2, like AFP1, acts epistatically to ABI5. Reduced germination or seedling growth of the mutants under stress correlates with a higher level of ABI5 protein when compared to wild-type seedlings, but it is not clear whether this is a cause or effect of the reduced growth. Although both ABI5 and the AFPs are ABA-induced, the ABI5:AFP ratio increases at high ABA concentrations, maintaining growth inhibition under severe stress. An AFP2:GFP fusion, which complements the afp2 mutation, is nuclear-localized in seedlings exposed to stress, but becomes delocalized before being degraded following removal of stress. The AFPs may also interact to varying extents with many ABI5-related bZIP transcription factors. This study suggests that germination and seedling growth are regulated by antagonistic interactions among at least two functionally redundant families, the AFPs and the ABI5-related proteins, providing a mechanism to fine-tune seedling stress responses.
On the anomalous low-temperature behavior of vitreous silica when exposed to 4He

Abstract We have attempted to reproduce measurements which claim to demonstrate that vitreous silica at 4 K sorbs 4He, and that the sorbed 4He greatly increases the specific heat at temperatures below 3 K. We conclude that such an effect is not intrinsic to vitreous silica.
Le secteur informel en Inde: effets de la mondialisation et des réformes

Resume. La mondialisation et les reformes economiques ont habituellement une incidence sur le secteur formel, tandis que le secteur informel fonctionne en marge de la reglementation. Cependant, les liens multiples qui existent entre eux affectent ce dernier de diverses manieres. La segmentation du marche du travail et les migrations etaient traditionnellement utilisees pour expliquer ces effets: les travailleurs licencies du secteur formel augmentent l'offre de travail informel, d'ou une diminution des salaires et un accroissement de la pauvrete. L'auteur examine si cette hypothese se verifie en Inde, suite aux reformes economiques des annees quatre-vingt-dix, et il trouve un modele plus adapte, reposant a la fois sur l'augmentation de l'offre et de la demande de travail, sous l'action de l'externalisation, des transferts de competences et de la creation d'entreprises.
Subsoil Characteristics and Landscape Position Affect Productivity of Reconstructed Mine Soils

The placement of soil materials on minespoils during reclamation affects soil profile and landscape aspects of soil productivity. We hypothesized that the productivity of soil reconstructed by topsoilsubsoil placement on sodic minespoil would be influenced by subsoil characteristics. A 1.4-ha double wedge was constructed in west-central North Dakota (annual precipitation 440 mm) from three subsoil materials (1.2-m thickness at peak) placed in strips over smoothed minespoils so that north- and south-facing slopes were 5 and 1.5%, respectively. Material mostly from B horizons of dominantly Argiboroll soils was used for subsoil treatments: (A) 50% clay; (B) 29% clay; and (C) 13% clay. Subsoils were covered with 0.2 m of mostly A horizon topsoil. Forage yields of crested wheatgrass [CWG, Agropyron desertorum (Fisch.) Schult. were highest on C subsoil plots 4 yr out of 5 observed, and Russian wildrye [RWR, Psathyrostchys juncea (Fisch.) Nevshil were highest on C subsoil plots 3 yr out of 4 observed. In contrast, 2 yr of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seed yields (824 kg ha ' avg.) were 20 to 50% larger on A subsoil plots than on C subsoil, with B yields intermediate. Forage grass yields on north sideslopes of C subsoil plots averaged 1370 and 1040 kg ha -1 for CWG and RWR, about 20 to 60% greater than yields on other positions and subsoils. The largest spring wheat yields, 1068 kg ha -1 , occurred on north sideslope positions of A subsoil plots. Sandy loam subsoils can enhance forage grass yields in rolling lands, while spring wheat yields can he increased by subsoils with greater water-holding capacity.
Interaction of human laminin receptor with Sup35, the [PSI⁺] prion-forming protein from S. cerevisiae: a yeast model for studies of LamR interactions with amyloidogenic proteins

The laminin receptor (LamR) is a cell surface receptor for extracellular matrix laminin, whereas the same protein within the cell interacts with ribosomes, nuclear proteins and cytoskeletal fibers. LamR has been shown to be a receptor for several bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, LamR interacts with both cellular and infectious forms of the prion protein, PrPC and PrPSc. Indeed, LamR is a receptor for PrPC. Whether LamR interacts with PrPSc exclusively in a capacity of the PrP receptor, or LamR specifically recognizes prion determinants of PrPSc, is unclear. In order to explore whether LamR has a propensity to interact with prions and amyloids, we examined LamR interaction with the yeast prion-forming protein, Sup35. Sup35 is a translation termination factor with no homology or functional relationship to PrP. Plasmids expressing LamR or LamR fused with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) were transformed into yeast strain variants differing by the presence or absence of the prion conformation of Sup35, respectively [PSI+] and [psi−]. Analyses by immunoprecipitation, centrifugal fractionation and fluorescent microscopy reveal interaction between LamR and Sup35 in [PSI+] strains. The presence of [PSI+] promotes LamR co-precipitation with Sup35 as well as LamR aggregation. In [PSI+] cells, LamR tagged with GFP or mCherry forms bright fluorescent aggregates that co-localize with visible [PSI+] foci. The yeast prion model will facilitate studying the interaction of LamR with amyloidogenic prions in a safe and easily manipulated system that may lead to a better understanding and treatment of amyloid diseases.
A comparison of the detectability of microbursts in Orlando, Florida, by two c-band Doppler radars

Abstract Microbursts continue to pose a serious problem to the aviation industry. Fortunately, Doppler weather radars are capable of detecting microbursts quite successfully. This study gives the results of a comparison of 84 microbursts detected by a pair of C-band Doppler radars near Orlando during the summer of 1991. The study shows that microbursts were detectable at nearly the same locations (average positional difference of 1 km) and times (average time of detection differed by only 23 s) by both radars. The differential wind velocity detected by each of the radars was also quite similar (average difference of only 0.01 m s−1) as were the radar reflectivity factors (average difference was 1 dB). The conclusion from this is that a C-band radar located anywhere near an airport should be fully capable of detecting hazardous wet-microburst events. Attenuation of the C-band signals was never strong enough to make microbursts undetectable. Bemuse all events were wet microbursts (average reflectivity was 4...
Detection of activated, TIMP-free MMPs.

MMP inhibitor-tethered resins provide a method for detection of activated MMPs in tissues [1]. These measurements will help to elucidate in situ mechanisms of MMP activation, further our understanding of the tumor microenvironment, and facilitate development of MMP-inhibitor therapy.
Actin-stimulated myosin Mg2+-ATPase inhibition by brain protein.

: A low-molecular-weight protein, isolated from bovine brain, inhibits the actin-stimulated Mg-ATPase activity of myosin from striated muscle. This inhibition is probably related to its ability to cause actin to revert from its polymerized to its depolymerized state and to prevent the polymerization of actin. Its effect on the polymeric state of the actin has been demonstrated by viscosity studies, DNase inhibition assay, and electron microscopy. Heavy meromyosin can overcome the effect of the brain protein and stimulate the polymerization of actin. The inhibition of ATPase activity is in part dependent upon the relative amounts of brain protein, actin, and myosin. The apparent molecular weight of the brain protein is approximately 20,000 daltons. It appears to be a heat-labile glycoprotein containing 5–6% carbohydrate.
Top-Gate Graphene-on-UNCD Transistors with Enhanced Performance

We fabricated a number of top-gate graphene field-effect transistors on the ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) – Si composite substrates. Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to verify the quality of UNCD and graphene device channels. The thermal measurements were carried out with the “hot disk” and “laser flash” methods. It was found that graphene on UNCD devices have increased breakdown current density by ∼50% compared to the reference devices fabricated on Si/SiO2. The relatively smooth surface of UNCD, as compared to other synthetic diamond films, allowed us to fabricate top gate graphene devices with the drift mobility of up to ∼ 2587 cm2V-1s-1.
The Effect of Doping with Ti(IV) and Sn(IV) on Oxygen Reduction at Hematite Electrodes

We examined the reduction of oxygen at doped hematite (a-Fe2O3) electrodes to determine how the identity of the dopant affected the reaction and how changes in reactivity compared with changes in dopant concentration. Our results indicated that Sn(IV) and Ti(IV) dopants have a similar effect on the open-circuit potential, cathodic transfer coefficient, and exchange current density, suggesting that any bandgap states associated with the introduction of dopants and directly involved in the reduction of oxygen have similar energies. The greatest difference between the electrodes doped with Sn(IV) and Ti(IV) was in the apparent cathodic transfer coefficient. The cathodic transfer coefficients for the Sn-doped electrodes were slightly smaller than those for the Ti-doped, suggesting that the density of interface states is greater in the Sn-doped electrodes. In comparing electrodes with two different dopant concentrations, we found that the relative increase in reactivity was significantly less than the increase in dopant concentration. This may be due to the electrochemical creation of surface Fe(II) sites that catalyze the reduction of O2. Other factors that may also contribute include bandgap states associated with the dopants and the fact that not all the dopants lead to creation of Fe(II) sites.
Confirmation of the role of pneumolysin in ocular infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae

In earlier experiments on the role of the cytolytic toxin pneumolysin in ocular infections with pneumococcus, we found that a strain carrying a deletion in the gene encoding pneumolysin was considerably less virulent than wild type when tested in an intracorneal model of keratitis in the rabbit. To confirm this result, we have constructed a strain in which pneumolysin activity was restored by transformation of the deleted strain with a plasmid bearing the complete pneumolysin gene. Hemolytic titers of pneumolysin indicated that only one copy of the plasmid per bacterium expresses the pneumolysin gene in this strain. The virulence of this strain was compared with that of wild type and deleted strains transformed with the vector lacking the pneumolysin gene. Slit lamp examination (SLE) scores for eyes infected with the restored strain were similar to those for eyes infected with wild type and significantly greater than those for the pneumolysin-deleted strain. Molecular analysis of bacteria recovered from i...
Keyword comparison

Current web search tools are examined. Human cognitive limitations in working memory, text processing and comprehension, problem solving, and decision-making in a search process are analysed. Based on the literature review, a user-centered feature, keyword comparison, was proposed to help users review the search results and extract useful information. Experimental search engines and browsers were developed using Visual Basic, Java and Common Gateway Interface (CGI) programming languages. An experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of this feature. The dependent variables were the number of relevant web sites identified during the 1-hour period and satisfaction. The independent variable was the interface type of the search tools. A between-subject t -test experimental design was utilized with 20 subjects. Testing of the hypothesis, by contrasting the user-centered feature against the current search engine, indicated that feature keyword comparison improved users' search performance by 77% and satisfaction in using the feature by 35%.
In vitro activity of potential anti-poxvirus agents

The potential use of variola or another orthopoxvirus such as monkeypox as a weapon of bioterrorism has stimulated efforts to develop new drugs for treatment of smallpox or other poxvirus infections. At the present time only cidofovir is approved for use in the emergency treatment of smallpox outbreaks. Although cidofovir is very active against the orthopoxviruses in vitro and in animal model infections, it is not active when given orally and must be administered with precaution so as to avoid renal toxicity. In an attempt to identify alternative treatment modalities for these infections we have determined the anti-poxvirus activity in vitro of most of the approved antiviral agents as well as a number of cidofovir analogs and prodrugs. From these studies, we have identified the nucleotide analog, adefovir dipivoxil, some alkoxyalkyl esters of cidofovir and a number of prodrugs of cidofovir that warrant further investigation as potential therapies for smallpox or other orthopoxvirus infections.
Design and Testing of a Low-Cost Robotic Wheelchair Prototype

Many people who are mobility impaired are, for a variety of reasons, incapable of using an ordinary wheelchair. In some instances, a power wheelchair also cannot be used, usually because of the difficulty the person has in controlling it (often due to additional disabilities). This paper describes two low-cost robotic wheelchair prototypes that assist the operator of the chair in avoiding obstacles, going to pre-designated places, and maneuvering through doorways and other narrow or crowded areas. These systems can be interfaced to a variety of input devices, and can give the operator as much or as little moment by moment control of the chair as they wish. This paper describes both systems, the evolution from one system to another, and the lessons learned.
A statistical analysis of the resonance neutron fission cross sections of 233U, 235U, and 241Pu

Abstract The low energy fission cross sections of 233 U, 235 U, and 241 Pu have been compared to simulated cross sections in order to determine values for the mean level spacing and mean level width which are not biased by failure to observe the numerous weak levels. We have obtained the following values for the mean level spacing and the ratio of mean level width to mean level spacing for both spin states: 233 U, D = 0.55 ± 0.06 eV, 〈Γ〉 D = 1.31 ± 0.23 ; 235 U, D = 0.38 ± 0.04 eV, 〈Γ〉 D = 0.58 ± 0.11 ; and 241 Pu, D = 0.89 ± 0.09 eV, 〈Γ〉 D = 0.56 ± 0.11 . We have also obtained 3.5 ± 1 3 for the ratio of total number of open fission channels for the 3 − to the 4 − states of 235 U in the energy range 1.6–59 eV.
The effect of bilateral ablation of the amygdala on endocrine function in the rat.

Bilateral electrolytic destruction of the amygdala in male rats does not significantly interfere with thyrotropin or corticotropin secretion by the pituitary, but gonadotropin production appears definitely reduced. The amygdalectomized rats were adipsic and aphagic.
Social dominance and learning in the domestic chicken

It has been suggested that rank on the social dominance order is related to “intelligence” or the ability to learn of the domestic chicken. When dominance is assessed by pair comparison procedures and learning is measured by performance in a 3 cul-maze in Rhode Island Reds raised either communally or in social isolation for any of three durations (15, 30, or 81 days), dominance rank is unrelated to learning ability.
Regulation of the expression of Mycobacterium avium complex proteins differs according to the environment within host cells

Mycobacterium avium is an intracellular organism that can infect a number of cell types such as macrophages and epithelial cells. Each one of these cells represents a different environment that requires specific adaptation from the bacterium. The effect of uptake of M. avium and M. smegmatis by both human monocyte-derived macrophages in culture for 6 days, and HT-29 intestinal mucosal cell line on the bacterial synthesis of proteins were comparatively examined. Incorporation of [35S]-methionine by the bacterium was measured at 30 min, 2, 4, and 24 h after infection. Effect of the uptake by cells was compared with bacteria not exposed to cells and bacteria submitted to different stresses such as heat, hyperosmolarity and acid pH. Uptake of M. avium by macrophages triggered the synthesis of 93, 65, 55 and 33 kDa, among other proteins in the bacteria. Between 2 and 4 h of exposure to the intracellular millieu, a number of additional proteins have their synthesis up-regulated such as 39, 31, 43, 42, 61 and 70 kDa. In contrast, uptake by epithelial cells is associated with the up-regulation of 27, 65, 71 and 72 kDa proteins, among others. In this case, exposure to the intracellular environment was associated with expression of a number of proteins that do not vary with time. The results of this study suggest that regulation of the expression of proteins in M, avium varies according to the mammalian cell bacteria they are exposed to, and is influenced by the stage of intracellular infection.
A FIELD EXPERIMENT ON INSURANCE FRAUD IN AUTO BODY REPAIR

This article focuses on a particular form of white-collar crime–insurance fraud in auto body repair. Through the use of an experimental design, whether repair estimates were related to insurance coverage was investigated for a statewide representative sample of auto body repair shops in Massachusetts. The auto body repair estimates were significantly higher with insurance coverage than without, regardless of type of car, extent of damage, sex of driver, and location of shop. The implication of the findings is that the automobile insurance industry is very susceptible to fraudulent or illegal practices that take unfair advantage of consumers and insurance companies.
We need assurance

Summary form only given. NSA is willing to rely on commercial security products and services to satisfy its customer's needs, but only if the commercial offerings have sufficient assurance of quality, reliability, safety, and appropriateness for use. These assurances are lacking in most of today's commercial security products. Paths to better assurance in Operating Systems, Applications, and Hardware through better development environments, requirements definition, systems engineering, quality certification, and legal constraints will be discussed.
Youth suicide and Hurricane Andrew.

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - Vol. 42 - N° 2 - p. 131
A weaker condition for transitivity in probabilistic support

Probabilistic support is not transitive. There are cases in which x probabilistically supports y, i.e., Pr(y | x) > Pr(y), y, in turn, probabilistically supports z, and yet it is not the case that x probabilistically supports z. Tomoji Shogenji, though, establishes a condition for transitivity in probabilistic support, that is, a condition such that, for any x, y, and z, if Pr(y | x) > Pr(y), Pr(z | y) > Pr(z), and the condition in question is satisfied, then Pr(z | x) > Pr(z). I argue for a second and weaker condition for transitivity in probabilistic support. This condition, or the principle involving it, makes it easier (than does the condition Shogenji provides) to establish claims of probabilistic support, and has the potential to play an important role in at least some areas of philosophy.
Four Evolutionary Strata on the Human X Chromosome

Human sex chromosomes evolved from autosomes. Nineteen ancestral autosomal genes persist as differentiated homologs on the X and Y chromosomes. The ages of individual X-Y gene pairs (measured by nucleotide divergence) and the locations of their X members on the X chromosome were found to be highly correlated. Age decreased in stepwise fashion from the distal long arm to the distal short arm in at least four "evolutionary strata." Human sex chromosome evolution was probably punctuated by at least four events, each suppressing X-Y recombination in one stratum, without disturbing gene order on the X chromosome. The first event, which marked the beginnings of X-Y differentiation, occurred about 240 to 320 million years ago, shortly after divergence of the mammalian and avian lineages.
Enhanced Tumor Necrosis Factor in Anti-Cd3 Antibody Stimulated Diabetic Nod Mice: Modulation by Pge1 and Dietary Lipid

Administration of OKT3 anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to patients for transplant rejection, is associated with a distinct and often severe clinical syndrome related to massive cytokine release. Previous reports have similarly demonstrated increased levels of serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in normal mice following administration of 1452-C11 anti-CD3 mAb. In this study, we compared serum TNFα levels at baseline and after anti-CD3 stimulation among three groups of mice: normal BALB/c controls, pre-diabetic non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, and diabetic NOD mice. Baseline serum TNFα levels, as measured by L929 cell bioassay, were 2×higher in diabetic NOD and 3×higher in pre-diabetic NOD compared with BALB/c. Ninety minutes after anti-CD3 mAb stimulation, serum from BALB/c controls and pre-diabetic NOD contained 2-to 8-fold higher levels of TNF-α as compared to untreated control mice. In contrast, following anti-CD3 mAb, there was a dramatic 20-fold increase in serum TNFα in diabetic NOD mice (levels >5...
Characterization of a Major Permeability Barrier in the Zebrafish Embryo

Fish embryos represent a class of multicompartmental biological systems that have not been successfully cryopreserved, primarily because of the lack of understanding of how water and cryoprotectants permeate the compartments. We are using the zebrafish embryo as a model to understand these kinetics. Zebrafish embryos have two major compartments, the blastoderm and the yolk, which is surrounded by the multinucleated yolk syncytial layer (YSL). We determined the water and cryoprotectant permeability in these compartments using two methods. First, we measured shrink/swell dynamics in optical volumetric experiments. Zebrafish embryos shrank over time and did not re-expand while immersed in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or propylene glycol. Second, we measured DMSO uptake with diffusion-weighted nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. DMSO uptake was rapid during the first few minutes, then gradual thereafter. We used one- and two-compartment models to analyze the data and to determine the permeability parameters. We found that the two-compartment model provided a better fit to the data. On the basis of this model and in the presence of DMSO, the yolk and blastoderm had very similar water permeabilities (i.e., 0.01 and 0. 005 micron x min-1atm-1, respectively), but they had different DMSO permeabilities separated by three orders of magnitude (i.e., </= 5 x 10(-6) and 1.5 x 10(-3) cm/min, respectively). The low solute permeability of the yolk predicted that the yolk/YSL compartment should be more susceptible to cryodamage. To test this, the yolk, blastoderm, and YSL were examined at the ultrastructural level after vitrification. Only the YSL incurred significant damage after freezing and thawing (p </= 0.05).