cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Affective Decision-Making and Externalizing Behaviors: The Role of Autonomic Activity

We tested a conceptual model involving the inter-relations among affective decision-making (indexed by a gambling task), autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms in a largely impoverished, inner city sample of first through third grade children (N=63, 54% male). The present study hypothesized that impaired affective decision-making and decreased sympathetic and parasympathetic activation would be associated with higher levels of ADHD and ODD symptoms, and that low sympathetic and parasympathetic activation during an emotion-inducing task would mediate the relation between affective decision-making and child externalizing symptoms. In support of our model, disadvantageous decision-making on a gambling task was associated with ADHD hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms among boys, and attenuated sympathetic activation during an emotion-inducing task mediated this relation. Support for the model was not found among girls.
Floodcasting, a data dissemination service supporting real-time actuation and control

Packet collisions have gone from something to be avoided to something that can be embraced. We build upon recent results that employ intentional packet collisions for synchronized flooding to show how multi-hop wireless networks can support real-time actuation and control. First, we show how a network of nodes can synchronize their LED transmissions to extend the range of a visual light communication (VLC) system. Second, we show how buffer-free, streaming audio is possible over a multi-hop wireless mesh network.
Public Policy and Increased Competition in the Synthetic Ammonia Industry

Early history, 374. — World War II and after, 377. — The Korean period, 382. — The present structure of the industry, 384. — Postwar price behavior, 388. — A supplement to antitrust policy? 390.
Prevention of Leaks in Esophageal Surgery

Esophagogastric anastomosis leaks continue to be a significant source of morbidity and mortality after esophageal surgery. There are many variables that may be implicated in the development of this complication, and it is important to understand these factors for the surgeon to prevent their occurrence. The patient factors, such as the patient’s age, comorbidities, nutritional status, and the use of steroids or neoadjuvant therapy, play an important role by impairing esophageal or conduit healing. Technical variables such as conduit preparation and type, anastomosis location, and technique are also implicated. Surgeons must control and manage these risk factors and variables perioperatively in order to improve their outcomes.
Minkowski space-time is locally extendible

An example of a real analytic local extension of Minkowski space-time is given in this note. This local extension is not across points of theb-boundary since Minkowski space-time has an emptyb-boundary. Furthermore, this local extension is not across points of the causal boundary. The example indicates that the concept of local inextendibility may be less useful than originally envisioned.
The Alternative Medicine Pawpaw and Its Acetogenin Constituents Suppress Tumor Angiogenesis via the HIF-1/VEGF Pathway

Products that contain twig extracts of pawpaw (Asimina triloba) are widely consumed anticancer alternative medicines. Pawpaw crude extract (CE) and purified acetogenins inhibited hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1)-mediated hypoxic signaling pathways in tumor cells. In T47D cells, pawpaw CE and the acetogenins 10-hydroxyglaucanetin (1), annonacin (2), and annonacin A (3) inhibited hypoxia-induced HIF-1 activation with IC(50) values of 0.02 microg/mL, 12 nM, 13 nM, and 31 nM, respectively. This inhibition correlates with the suppression of the hypoxic induction of HIF-1 target genes VEGF and GLUT-1. The induction of secreted VEGF protein represents a key event in hypoxia-induced tumor angiogenesis. Both the extract and the purified acetogenins blocked the angiogenesis-stimulating activity of hypoxic T47D cells in vitro. Pawpaw extract and acetogenins inhibited HIF-1 activation by blocking the hypoxic induction of nuclear HIF-1alpha protein. The inhibition of HIF-1 activation was associated with the suppression of mitochondrial respiration at complex I. Thus, the inhibition of HIF-1 activation and hypoxic tumor angiogenesis constitutes a novel mechanism of action for these anticancer alternative medicines.
Bound states of electrons in the vicinity of a dielectric sphere

Abstract The binding energy of a hydrated electron in the vicinity of a water cluster is considered. Our consistent quantum-mechanical treatment results in an effective potential different form the classical image potential. Various approximate forms of the dielectric function are tested and compared.
Improving image-based characterization of road junctions, widths, and connectivity by leveraging OpenStreetMap vector map

Image-based road network extraction approaches encounter a number of problems related to the lack of prior road data. In this paper, we present a road extraction approach using OpenStreetMap road vectors to accurately and robustly extract complete road information. Due to the persistent misalignment between image and map data, map registration is carried out first to move road vectors to corresponding image road centerlines. Junction templates derived from road vectors are matched with image-derived binary road mask and curvilinear response image to correct junction points. The non-junction point matching approach then effectively aligns the vector road network based on image curvilinear structures, within which width and orientation estimations are also embedded and can be obtained to recover the piecewise width of road segments. Road label mask is finally created with full road knowledge - centerline, width, connectivity, and topology. Our approach was tested on complex scenes and its effectiveness could be verified.
Inducible D-malic enzyme in Escherichia coli.

D-MALIC acid is usually referred to as the unnatural form of malic acid and is considered to be metabolically inert. We find that extracts of E. coli cells which have been grown on, or in the presence of, D-malate contain an inducible D-malic enzyme which catalyses the reversible reaction (1), as well as a constitutive, partly inducible, L-malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40 L-malate: TPN oxidoreductase, decarboxy-lating) which catalyses reaction (2).
Personalized numerical observer

ABSTRACT It is widely accepted that medical image quality should be assessed using task-based criteria, such as human-observer (HO) performance in a lesion-detection (scoring) ta sk. HO studies are time consuming and cost prohibitive to be used for image quality assessment during development of either reconstruction methods or imaging systems. Therefore, a numerical observer (NO), a HO surrogate, is highly desirable. In the past, we have proposed and successfully tested a NO based on a s upervised-learning approach (namely a su pport vector machine) for cardiac gated SPECT image quality assessment. In the supervised-learning approach, the goal is to identify the relationship between measured image features and HO my ocardium defect likelihood scores. Thus far we have treated multiple HO readers by simply averaging or pooling their respective scores. Due to observer variability, this may be suboptimal and less accurate. Therefore, in this work, we are setting our goal to predict individual observer scores independently in the hope to bette r capture some relevant lesion-detection mechanism of the human observers. This is even more important as there are many ways to get equivalent observer performance (measured by area under receiver operating curve), and simply predicting some joint (average or pooled ) score alone is not likely to succeed. Keywords : Model observer, LNO, numerical observer, human observer, non-linear model
Dermatitis Artefacta: Clinical Features and Approaches to Treatment

In dermatitis artefacta, the patient creates skin lesions to satisfy an internal psychological need, usually a need to be taken care of. The clinical presentation is characteristic, and differs from that of neurotic excoriations, delusional disorders, malingering, and Munchausen’s syndrome. Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy is a form of dermatitis artefacta. Except where disease is mimicked, lesions that do not conform to those of known dermatoses are shrouded in mystery, appearing fully formed on accessible skin, within the context of a characteristic psychological constellation. The patient is friendly but bewildered, and the relatives, angry and frustrated. Because of lack of diagnostic stringency, quoted female-to-male ratios range from 3: 1 to 20: 1, with the highest incidence of onset in late adolescence to early adult life. Most patients have a personality disorder; borderline features are common. The patient’s denial of psychic distress, and negative feelings aroused in healthcare personnel, make management difficult. Limit-setting for the protection of both the physician and patient; creation of an accepting, empathic, and nonjudgmental environment; and close supervision of symptomatic dermatologic care will permit development of a therapeutic relationship in which psychological issues may gradually be introduced, that may occasionally permit psychiatric referral. Issues of etiology should be sidestepped because confrontation is counter productive. When psychiatric referral is refused by the patient, the use of psychotropic drugs by dermatologists is helpful and appropriate. The upper dose range of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or low dose atypical antipsychotic agents, may be effective. Except in mild transient cases triggered by an immediate stress, the prognosis for cure is poor. The condition tends to wax and wane with the circumstances of the patient’s life. Lesions can be kept to a minimum, the patient can be protected from unnecessary and intrusive studies, and society can be protected from escalating and unnecessary expenditure of medical resources if, rather than discharging the patient, the dermatologist continues to see the patient on an ongoing basis for supervision and support, whether or not lesions are present. Research studies are necessary to document more accurately the expectable cause, treatment outcome, and prognosis for this group of patients.
An experimental study of fading in propagation at 3-cm wavelength over a sea path

The paper describes an experimental study of fading in propagation over a sea path within the radio horizon at a wavelength of 3 cm carried out between July 1950 and January 1951. Horizontal polarization was used. The object of the investigation was to record the general fading characteristics (i.e. depth, duration and frequency of occurrence) for summer, autumn and winter and to present the results in such a form that the effects of fading on the operational ranges of radar equipments could be readily appreciated. An initial assessment of the transmitter power required for reliable operation of a beacon under given conditions has also been made.
Hidden Discontinuities and Parametric Sensitivity Calculations

Parametric sensitivity analysis is becoming a very important tool when studying differential equations. However, potential pitfalls exist if this analysis is applied naively. In particular, if the model contains discontinuities, then the application of standard numerical codes will typically result in incorrect sensitivity trajectories. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the problems associated with "hidden discontinuities" during sensitivity analysis (i.e., discontinuities not handled explicitly) and to present a code analysis and transformation approach through which differential equations containing discontinuities can be solved efficiently and correctly with minimal effort required by the modeler.
The cost of rent seeking: Reply

We find little to quarrel with in Gordon Tullock's (19??) comment on our paper (Dougan and Snyder, 1993). Much of his comment serves to remind us that the deadweight costs of redistributive policies dwarf any measures of rentseeking costs. Our paper argues that those deadweight costs may help limit the amount of potential transfers that are dissipated through rent-seeking activity. We argue further that this aspect of policy may be by design rather than due to ignorance. It is only on this latter point that we and Tullock differ. The starting point of our paper, as reiterated by Tullock, is that in a democracy the voters are the ultimate decision makers, and this has profound implications for the form of redistributive policies as well as for the identities of the winners and losers under those policies. This observation by itself is certainly not original with us. What we claim as a consequence of this point is that many regularities in the design of redistributive policies can be explained as foresighted attempts to limit subsequent rent-seeking costs. That is, we have offered an explanation of some of the most puzzling aspects of policy design that does not depend entirely on voter ignorance. Tullock evidently prefers to explain those aspects of policy design as attempts by some majority of voters to fool the corresponding minority. This is an empirical claim, however, not a logical necessity, so it does not constitute a refutation of our paper. It is difficult to argue simply that the majority consists of well-informed producers (i.e., factor owners) who benefit at the expense of poorly informed consumers, since in general equilibrium every voter is a member of both groups. (This is another way of saying that it is not possible to raise all relative prices.) Second, the same logic that predicts that voters will be rationally uninformed also predicts that no one will vote. Since we do observe voter turnout rates substantially greater than zero on a sustained basis, we might well conclude that there are consumption aspects to voting. But if this is so, there may also be consumption aspects to information acquisition. There is nothing particularly farfetched about this observation: Fans of professional baseball are often well informed about the batting averages of the players on their favorite teams
The antihypertensive efficacy of hydrochlorothiazide is not prostacyclin dependent

We tested the hypothesis that vascular prostacyclin synthesis is stimulated by hydrochlorothiazide and could account for some of the drug's antihypertensive effect. We studied 13 patients with mild essential hypertension in a randomized, double-blind design to assess the effects of indomethacin on hydrochlorothiazide's ability to lower blood pressure, alter body weight, stimulate plasma renin activity, and modulate vascular prostacyclin biosynthesis as assessed by the urinary excretion of the major enzymatically produced metabolite of prostacyclin, 2,3-dinor-6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (PGF1 alpha), measured by GC/MS. Administration of hydrochlorothiazide, 50 mg daily for 2 weeks, was associated with a significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both supine (systolic, 148 +/- 3 to 136 +/- 3 mm Hg; diastolic, 97 +/- 2 to 94 +/- 3 mm Hg) and upright (systolic, 151 +/- 4 to 131 +/- 2 mm Hg; diastolic, 103 +/- 2 to 97 +/- 3 mm Hg) positions. Hydrochlorothiazide administration resulted in a 1 kg weight loss and stimulation of plasma renin activity from 1.7 +/- 0.4 to 5.3 +/- 1.1 ng angiotensin I/ml/hr. However, the urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha was unchanged after administration of hydrochlorothiazide (86 +/- 13/ng/gm creatinine during placebo, 74 +/- 13 ng/gm during week 1 of hydrochlorothiazide, and 70 +/- 9 ng/gm during week 2 of the drug). Administration of indomethacin, 50 mg twice a day, resulted in greater than 60% inhibition of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha excretion but did not affect the antihypertensive response to hydrochlorothiazide. Indomethacin did not oppose the diuretic effect of hydrochlorothiazide as assessed by weight loss but did attenuate the rise in plasma renin activity. Our data demonstrate that the blood pressure-lowering effect of a thiazide diuretic does not require enhanced prostacyclin synthesis and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin does not antagonize the antihypertensive efficacy of hydrochlorothiazide.
Estimating the size of a closed population from a single mark-recapture regime by using a diffusion probability of marked individuals

A population estimate model was developed to account for the unequal recapture probability of marked animals when their diffusion into the released population has yet to reach the equilibrium. We assumed a spatial bias for marked individuals within the finite area of the animals' territory, and used a correction parameter to account for the bias. Mark-recapture data previously collected for field colonies of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, were applied to the new model and the results were compared with the Peterson and weighted mean models.
Differential Effects of yfgL Mutation on Escherichia coli Outer Membrane Proteins and Lipopolysaccharide

YfgL together with NlpB, YfiO, and YaeT form a protein complex to facilitate the insertion of proteins into the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. Without YfgL, the levels of OmpA, OmpF, and LamB are significantly reduced, while OmpC levels are slightly reduced. In contrast, the level of TolC significantly increases in a yfgL mutant. When cells are depleted of YaeT or YfiO, levels of all outer membrane proteins examined, including OmpC and TolC, are severely reduced. Thus, while the assembly pathways of various nonlipoprotein outer membrane proteins may vary through the step involving YfgL, all assembly pathways in Escherichia coli converge at the step involving the YaeT/YfiO complex. The negative effect of yfgL mutation on outer membrane proteins may in part be due to elevated sigma E activity, which has been shown to downregulate the synthesis of various outer membrane proteins while upregulating the synthesis of periplasmic chaperones, foldases, and lipopolysaccharide. The data presented here suggest that the yfgL effect on outer membrane proteins also stems from a defective assembly apparatus, leading to aberrant outer membrane protein assembly, except for TolC, which assembles independent of YfgL. Consistent with this view, the simultaneous absence of YfgL and the major periplasmic protease DegP confers a synthetic lethal phenotype, presumably due to the toxic accumulation of unfolded outer membrane proteins. The results support the hypothesis that TolC and major outer membrane proteins compete for the YaeT/YfiO complex, since mutations that adversely affect synthesis or assembly of major outer membrane proteins lead to elevated TolC levels.
Synthesis and properties of an acetaldehyde-derived oligonucleotide interstrand cross-link.

Acetaldehyde (AA), occurring widely in the human environment, is a mutagen and carcinogen. AA can react with DNA to form AA−DNA adducts. Several types of adducts, including an interstrand cross-link 3-(2-deoxyribos-1-yl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-8-(N2-deoxyguanosyl)-6-methylpyrimido[1,2-a]purine-10(3H)one (7), have been previously characterized by our laboratory. We hypothesize that cross-link 7 may be involved in determining the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of AA. To address this question, the double-stranded oligonucleotide 13, bearing cross-link 7, was synthesized in a sequence appropriate for mutagenicity studies in human cells. Oligonucleotide 9, containing 2-fluoro-O6-(trimethylsilylethyl)deoxyinosine (dIno), was reacted with 4-amino-1,2-pentanediol, followed by treatment with NaIO4. The resulting oligonucleotide 11 containing the 1,N2-propano-deoxyguanosine (dGuo) 5 was incubated with the complementary oligonucleotide 12 to give the desired cross-link 13, which was characterized by negative-ion ...
Overexpression of Fas-ligand by neuroblastoma: A novel mechanism of tumor-cell killing☆

Abstract Background/Purpose: Binding of Fas ligand (Fas-L) to the membrane-bound Fas receptor incites a series of intracellular events that results in programmed cell death or apoptosis. Although this apoptotic phenomenon plays a key role in down-regulating cytotoxic T cells, the authors have shown previously that pancreatic beta cells (bTC) overexpressing Fas-L paradoxically undergo accelerated rejection that is dependent on a Fas/Fas-L interaction. This study evaluates whether a neuroblastoma (NB) cell line manipulated to overexpress Fas-L undergoes similar destruction and whether tumor-specific protective immunity can be produced. Methods: The authors transfected NB cells (SK-N-MC) with either mFas-L cloned into a pcDNA3.1/Zeo plasmid vector (NB/Fas-L) or with the vector alone (NB/control). Successful transfection of Fas-L was characterized by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the ability of transfectants to induce apoptosis of Fas-sensitive T cells (Jurkat). Expression of Fas and Fas-L in untransfected NB clones was characterized by immunohistochemistry and RNase protection assay (RPA). Apoptosis was measured by FACScan analysis using an Annexin V assay. A total of 3 × 10 6 NB/control and NB/Fas-L cells were implanted subcutaneously into the hind leg of Balb/C SCID mice. Tumor-specific protective immunity was also tested in this model by inoculating mice with NB/Fas-L before implanting NB/control cells. Results: Zeocin resistance and RT-PCR confirmed successful transfection of Fas-L into NB cells. Fas Ligand transfectants induced apoptosis in 17.6% ± 2.9% of Fas-sensitive T cells, whereas controls induced apoptosis in only 2.8% ± 1.2% ( P =.01, n=3). Although Fas appears to be constitutively expressed by NB in low amounts, introduction of Fas-L into NB cells did not induce suicide or affect tumor cell growth in vitro. In vivo, NB cells expressing Fas-L failed to grow in SCID mice (n = 3), whereas controls grew rapidly in all animals until death (n = 3). NB/control cells implanted into the opposite leg of mice that rejected initial NB/Fas-L transfectants also grew rapidly (n = 3) implying no protective immunity. Conclusions: Overexpression of Fas-L in NB clones targets such cells for rapid destruction even in immune compromised hosts, suggesting potential utility of Fas-L in combating NB. In this SCID mouse model, the observed effect is probably neutrophil mediated and does not provide tumor-specific protective immunity. J Pediatr Surg 35:375-379. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Influence of Host Resistance and Temperature During Dormancy Upon Seasonal History of the Walnut Husk Fly, Rhagoletis Completa Cress.

Data obtained during a five-year biological study of the walnut husk fly, Rhagoletis completa , show that host resistance (particularly varietal susceptibility) is directly related to hardness of the walnut husk at the time of oviposition activity of the fly. Seasonal adult emergence is dependent upon the action of factors influencing the termination of dormancy, among which accumulated temperature appears to be of prime importance. A comparison of the seasonal history of the insect for the period 1928-1932 is graphically presented.
Ab initio modelling of neutral and cationic Hg-benzene complexes

Abstract The interactions of Hg with benzene, thiophene and furan are studied by means of coupled cluster and second order Moller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) calculations. Hg forms Mulliken outer π complexes with benzene, furan and thiophene, with binding energies of −0.15, −0.13 and −0.13 eV, respectively. The (Hg–benzene)+ complex has a minimum energy structure in the form of a π (η2) complex with a binding energy of −2.18 eV. A low-energy 3(Hg–benzene) complex with a binding energy of −1.34 eV has been identified.
Nomenclature of phase transitions

Discusses the curious situation in which the terminology of chemistry and physics has only five words to describe the six possible transitions between three states of matter.
Play fighting and the development of agonistic behavior in male and female rats

Two longitudinal studies were conducted to quantify the social behaviors exhibited by both male and female Long-Evans rats from the immediate postweaning period until young adulthood. In Experiment 1, male sibling pairs engaged in a high level of play fighting during the early juvenile period but such activity declined to a level significantly lower than that of female and mixed-sex pairs after 54 days of age. In Experiment 2, social exchanges during maturation were examined during the presence and absence of the piloerection response in an effort to distinguish play fighting from agonistic interactions. In male pairs, piloerection was rarely seen before 55–75 days of age but thereafter occurred with increasing frequency especially among dominant males. Furthermore, subordinate males retreated from their dominant partners and remained in an escape chamber for a significant amount of time only during encounters involving the exhibition of piloerection. This finding suggests that piloerection can be useful in identifying play and aggressive interactions. In female and heterosexual pairs, piloerection was observed infrequently during social encounters occurring throughout maturation. In addition, when given the opportunity to escape, females were less likely to retreat from play activity if their partner was another female than a male.
What are the keys to successful thyroid FNA interpretation

Summary There is much concern expressed in the literature regarding the lack of predictive power of the thyroid fine needle aspiration/biopsy (TFNAB) approach to defining the nature of clinically detected thyroid nodules. This has been exacerbated in the past decade or more by the routine use of ultrasonography (US) in examining the thyroid as well as the introduction of molecular testing in the realm of thyroid pathology. Some have even gone so far as to suggest replacing the TFNAB with molecular signature testing to reduce the degree of uncertainty for a specific cytological diagnosis. This review addresses those concerns with a re-emphasis on understanding the basic keys to successfully evaluating a patient with a thyroid nodule by routine TFNAB examination. These keys include bringing to bear an experienced group of physicians in an integrated team approach, a sharpened focus on the TFNAB cytological categories and a grounded understanding of the predictive ability of molecular testing in a given patient when the cytological interpretation creates too much uncertainty in the minds of the patients and clinicians in attempting to reach a decision on how to manage a thyroid nodule. With this practical approach in mind, the false-negative and false-positive rates of “negative (benign)” and “positive (malignant)” thyroid aspirates should be no more than 1%; and the prevalence of an “indeterminate” aspirate – the area in TFNAB attracting the most attention for improvement with novel biomarkers – should be 10% or less. Thus, physicians should be capable of managing at least 90% of patients undergoing TFNAB in a confident manner without further testing beyond the routine, future re-examination of the patient's nodule to re-assess for any change in its nature or its impact on the patient's quality of life. The other 10% can then be considered for molecular testing in a manner tailored to those individuals truly in need of a more sophisticated – and expensive – approach to the characterization of their thyroid nodules. As the era of US has matured – just as with the era of serum PSA testing for prostate cancer in men – we have experienced a paradigm shift: Given the incidence of thyroid nodules in the U.S. adult population in comparison with the risk of dying of thyroid malignancy, the main role of TFNAB is to reduce the need for surgical intervention.
Toward logical data independence: a relational query language without relations

One of the main goals of database systems, relational systems in particular, is to provide a degree of physical data independence for users and programs. Users should not need to know the exact physical storage structures to use the database, and should be protected from changes in those structures. We attempt to go a step further, to logical data independence. We want an interface to a relational database where a user need not be concerned with how the data has been partitioned into various relations. The natural relation schemes to be used, from a semantic point of view, may be decomposed in the database for normalization or redundancy reasons. Our approach essentially loads all the semantics onto the attributes. In our query language tuple variables are not bound to specific relations. Rather, the system uses the set of attributes, say X, that appear in a query with a tuple variable, say t, to combine the database relations to form a single relation with scheme X over which t ranges. We describe our method for constructing such a relation given the associated set of attributes X. When tuple variables are bound implicitly, the logical connectives 'and', 'or', and 'not' take on 'semantic overtones' since they can affect the binding. We discuss the motivation behind the chosen semantics for these connectives. Our goal is a powerful, yet concise, query language with natural semantics.
Large single crystals of the Neurospora crassa plasma membrane H+-ATPase: an approach to the crystallization of integral membrane proteins.

Large single crystals of the dodecylmaltoside (DDM) complex of a polytopic integral membrane transport protein, the Neurospora plasma membrane H+-ATPase, have been obtained using an approach that attempts to take into account the possibly radically different physicochemical properties of the protein surfaces and the detergent micellar collar. The overall goal of the crystallization strategy employed was to identify conditions in which the protein surfaces of the DDM–ATPase complex are moderately insoluble and in which the DDM micellar collar is also near its solubility limit. The first step was to screen a variety of commonly used protein precipitants for those that were able to induce the aggregation of pure DDM micelles. The concentration at which any precipitant induced DDM micellar aggregation was hoped to be close to the concentration at which it might induce insolubility of the detergent micellar collar of the DDM–ATPase complex. Of the nine precipitants tried, seven, all polyethylene glycols (PEGs), were able to induce DDM micelle insolubility. The seven PEGs were then tested for their effect on the solubility of the DDM–ATPase complex at a concentration slightly below that necessary to induce DDM micellar aggregation. Three of the PEGs caused extensive precipitation of the ATPase at this concentration and were, therefore, shelved. The other four PEGs did not induce precipitation at the concentration employed and were subsequently used at this concentration for crystallization trials in which the protein concentration was varied. Encouragingly, crystalline plates of the ATPase were obtained for each of the four PEGs tried, indicating that the overall approach may be valid. Unfortunately, the crystals obtained were visibly flawed, suggesting that the correct balance of protein surface and DDM micelle insolubility had not yet been reached. The ionic strength of the crystallization trials was then raised, which was known from other experiments to render the protein surfaces of the ATPase less soluble while having no effect on the DDM micellar aggregation point. For one of the PEGs, PEG 4000, this brought on a new, well formed hexagonal crystal habit. Subsequent optimization of the initial conditions has yielded large single hexagonal crystals of the H+-ATPase roughly 0.4 × 0.4 × 0.15 mm in size, holding promise for exploration of the structure of the ATPase by X-ray diffraction analysis.
Anomalous transmission in strained ductile and brittle crystals by the divergent X-ray beam method

Abstract A modification of the x-ray anomalous transmission method utilizing a divergent beam source in conjunction with a synchronized specimen and film scanning technique is described. The method is applied to the study of lattice distortions accompanying the deformation of germanium, copper and tungsten crystals. The results are discussed in relationship to the structural characteristics pertaining to the ductile and brittle modes of deformation.
Immune and airway effects of house dust mite aeroallergen exposures during postnatal development of the infant rhesus monkey.

Summary Background The effect of chronic environmental aeroallergen exposure on the immune system and airways has not been experimentally defined in very young children. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the immunophenotype of peripheral blood and airway leucocytes in the newborn rhesus macaque monkey, following recurrent aerosol exposure to house dust mite (HDM) (Dermatophagoides farinae). Methods A regimen of HDM aerosolization was initiated for 2 h per day, three times per week, starting when rhesus macaque monkeys were 1 week of age. All monkeys were inoculated with diptheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine at 5 weeks of age to simulate human infant vaccination schedules. Results Following 8 weeks of HDM aeroallergen exposure, infant monkeys exhibited a significant reduction in the total peripheral blood lymphocyte numbers and a decreased frequency of peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocytes with a CD45RA−‘memory’ immunophenotype. Lavage CD4+ T lymphocytes from HDM-exposed monkeys showed elevated expression of CD25, as well as an increase in CD45RA−/CD62L−/CD11ahigh immunophenotype. Eosinophils were more abundant within airways of HDM-exposed monkeys, accumulating maximally within the trachea. Conclusion These data demonstrate the development of immunological responses following chronic inhalation of a common environmental allergen during postnatal maturation in the non-human primate.
The Use of Recombinant Antioxidants in Neonatal

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that develops in infants treated with oxygen and mechanical ventilation for a primary lung disorder. BPD has been traditionally defined as oxygen requirement with an abnormal chest radiograph at 28 days of life.1,2 BPD can affect 20-60% of premature neonates who are born each year with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)3. The development of BPD is associated with significant mortality and morbidity such as repeated hospitalizations and developmental handicaps.4 With the increasing survival of many premature infants, BPD is emerging as the most common sequella of neonatal intensive care.5
Composable specifications for structured shared-memory communication

In this paper we propose a communication-centric approach to specifying and checking how multithreaded programs use shared memory to perform inter-thread communication. Our approach complements past efforts for improving the safety of multithreaded programs such as race detection and atomicity checking. Unlike prior work, we focus on what pieces of code are allowed to communicate with one another, as opposed to declaring what data items are shared or what code blocks should be atomic. We develop a language that supports composable specifications at multiple levels of abstraction and that allows libraries to specify whether or not shared-memory communication is exposed to clients. The precise meaning of a specification is given with a formal semantics we present. We have developed a dynamic-analysis tool for Java that observes program execution to see if it obeys a specification. We report results for using the tool on several benchmark programs to which we added specifications, concluding that our approach matches the modular structure of multithreaded applications and that our tool is performant enough for use in development and testing.
Effect of Platelet-activating Factor Inhalation on Nonspecific Bronchial Reactivity in Man

Bronchial hyperactivity is a recognized hallmark of asthma, characterized by an exaggerated bronchial response to numerous mediators, including histamine. It is also well recognized that bronchial hyperresponsiveness is increased following allergen exposure, although no particular mediator has been shown to induce this response. The recent observation that PAF can induce increased nonspecific bronchial reactivity in normal subjects emphasizes its importance as an inflammatory mediator. In this report we sought to further elucidate the role of PAF in airway hyperreactivity by comparing the effect of PAF on methacholine-induced airway responsiveness in six non-asthmatic subjects. Nonspecific airway responsiveness was not significantly increased following PAF inhalation at 6 hours nor was it increased at 1, 2, 7, or 14 days. Further elucidation of the potential role of PAF in explaining changes in airway reactivity is necessary.
Maintenance of Pregnancy by Reserpine in the Absence of Dietary Protein1

Varying levels of reserpine (2.5- 50 μg/100 g body wt) were administered to pregnant rats fed a protein-free diet. A 10 μg/100 g daily dosage maintained living embryos in 64% of the rats or 41 % of implantation sites. Higher levels appeared not only to decrease the incidence of implantation but also to increase the percentage of resorptions. A mechanism of action involving the liberation of hypophysial luteotropin (LtH) is postulated. (Endocrinology 79: 460, 1966)
On Sabır and Agency : THE POLITICS OF PIOUS PRACTICE IN KONYA'S CARPET WEAVING INDUSTRY

This article focuses on the pious practice of sabir (patience) within the context of the weaving neighborhoods in Konya, Turkey. Through an ethnographic analysis of the everyday politics of the practice of sabir, which is central to labor relations, this article adds to and complicates feminist analyses of labor politics and the economy by highlighting the interconnected nature of ethical religious practice and labor politics. Additionally, I argue for the need to go beyond the question of whether women have or lack agency as subjects in feminist analyses of labor politics and relationships, and instead point out the need for the empirical examination of specific, contextually-bound practical conditions through and within which women cultivate various forms of ethical action and subjectivities. In pointing out the importance of a project that analyzes operations of power with a keen awareness of context, this essay presents an ethnographically grounded discussion of pious practice within the context of Ko...
Simulation of electromagnetic induction scattering from targets with negligible to moderate penetration by primary fields

The problem of numerical modeling of electromagnetic induction (EMI) responses by metallic objects is complicated by the fact that transmitted fields may penetrate the target, but will often only do so slightly. The effect cannot be ignored, yet it is often grossly impractical to discretize the entire surface or volume of a target in space increments only on the order of a fraction of the skin depth. To deal with this problem, we retain a simple integral equation formulation in scalar potential for the region outside the target, where magnetic fields are quasi-static and irrotational. Within the target we apply only the divergence relation, /spl nabla//spl middot/H = 0. When the skin depth is small relative to the radius of curvature of the target (e.g., <0.1), we use the thin skin depth approximation (TSA), /spl part/H/sub n///spl part/n as /spl sim/-ikH/sub n/, just inside the target's surface, where k is the electromagnetic wavenumber inside the metal and n is the normal direction on the surface and pointing inside of metallic object. Examination of analytical solutions for the sphere suggests the parameter range in which this approximation might perform well and suggests ways of improving accuracy over an extended range. The fundamental TSA formulation appears to be relatively robust. Analysis indicates that it is insensitive to variation over the target's surface of primary field orientation relative to that surface, and that it is only dependent on the target's magnetic permeability through induction number. Implementing the TSA numerically, within the above divergence relation, allows us to express all quantities in terms of tangential magnetic field components and their tangential derivatives over the target surface. In principle, this closes the system completely in terms of the exterior scalar potential. Broad-band numerical simulations based on the TSA compare favorably with analytical and other numerical solutions.
Disaggregating Corruption: A Comparison of Participation and Perceptions in Latin America with a Focus on Mexico1

An abundant empirical literature on corruption relying on survey research has emerged since the mid-1990s. The predominant line of inquiry concerns perceptions of corruption with respect to institutions and processes. Another, separate line of inquiry that has enjoyed less attention concerns reports about individuals’ participation in corruption. These two dimensions of corruption, however, are typically confl ated, leading to error and confusion. This article explores the relationship between the two and seeks to differentiate the two. Using data at the country and individual levels, analysis shows how the two may be only weakly related to one another – though causality remains unclear – and respond to distinct sets of determinants and generate distinct outcomes. The analysis underlines the need to specify the fi ndings in the literature: that the causes and consequences of corruption relate more to ‘perceived’ corruption rather than actual corruption.
Murine Follicular Development Requires Oocyte DICER, but Not DROSHA

Both DICER and DROSHA are RNase III enzymes involved in the biogenesis of small noncoding RNAs. DROSHA cleaves the stem-loop portion of the primary miRNAs and produces precursor miRNAs in the nucleus, whereas DICER processes double-stranded RNA precursors into mature miRNAs and endogenous small interference RNAs in the cytoplasm. Selective inactivation of Dicer in growing oocytes of primary follicles leads to female infertility due to oocyte spindle defects. However, it remains unknown if oocyte Dicer expression in the fetal ovary is required for proper follicular development in the postnatal ovary. Moreover, the role of Drosha in folliculogenesis has never been investigated. Here, we report that conditional knockout of Dicer in prophase I oocytes of the fetal ovary led to compromised folliculogenesis, premature ovarian failure, and female infertility in the adult ovary, whereas selective inactivation of Drosha in oocytes of either the fetal or the developing ovary had no effects on normal folliculogenesis and female fertility in adulthood. Our data indicate that oocyte DICER expression in the fetal ovary is required, and oocyte DROSHA is dispensable, for postnatal follicular development and female fertility in adulthood.
Printed electronics for low-cost electronic systems: Technology status and application development

In recent years, printing has received substantial interest as a technique for realizing low cost, large area electronic systems. Printing allows the use of purely additive processing, thus lowering process complexity and material usage. Coupled with the use of low-cost substrates such as plastic, metal foils, etc., it is expected that printed electronics will enable the realization of a wide range of easily deployable electronic systems, including displays, sensors, and RFID tags. We review our work on the development of technologies and applications for printed electronics. By combining synthetically derived inorganic nanoparticles and organic materials, we have realized a range of printable electronic ldquoinksrdquo, and used these to demonstrate printed passive components, multilayer interconnection, diodes, transistors, memories, batteries, and various types of gas and biosensors. By exploiting the ability of printing to cheaply allow for the integration of diverse functionalities and materials onto the same substrate, therefore, it is possible to realize printed systems that exploit the advantages of printing while working around the disadvantages of the same.
Feature seeding for action recognition

Progress in action recognition has been in large part due to advances in the features that drive learning-based methods. However, the relative sparsity of training data and the risk of overfitting have made it difficult to directly search for good features. In this paper we suggest using synthetic data to search for robust features that can more easily take advantage of limited data, rather than using the synthetic data directly as a substitute for real data. We demonstrate that the features discovered by our selection method, which we call seeding, improve performance on an action classification task on real data, even though the synthetic data from which the features are seeded differs significantly from the real data, both in terms of appearance and the set of action classes.
The Neuromuscular Junction: Aging at the Crossroad between Nerves and Muscle

Aging is associated with a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength and a decline in neurophysiological functions. Age-related neuromuscular junction (NMJ) plays a key role in musculoskeletal impairment that occurs with aging. However, whether changes in the NMJ precede or follow the decline of muscle mass and strength remains unresolved. Many factors such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, changes in the innervation of muscle fibers and mechanical properties of the motor units probably perform an important role in NMJ degeneration and muscle mass and strength decline in late life. This review addresses the primary events that might lead to NMJ dysfunction with aging, including studies on biomarkers, signaling pathways and animal models. Interventions such as caloric restriction (CR) and exercise may positively affect the NMJ through this mechanism and attenuate the age-related progressive impairment in motor function.
Mammary developmental fate and breast cancer risk

The ovarian hormones, estrogen and progesterone, play a pivotal role in normal and neoplastic development of the mammary gland. These hormones have a paradoxical role as long duration of estrogen and progesterone are associated with increased breast cancer risk, while short duration of pregnancy level doses are associated with a reduced breast cancer risk. The protective effects of estrogen and progesterone, as well as pregnancy, have been extensively studied in animal models. Recent studies have demonstrated that these hormones induce alterations in gene expression in the mammary epithelial cells which persist for a long time after the hormones are withdrawn from the host. It is postulated that hormones induce a switch in mammary developmental fate which decreases the risk of breast cancer over the lifetime of the host. Some of the possible cellular pathways persistently altered by short term hormone exposure are a decrease in growth factors and an increase in apoptosis. The expression of these genes, in turn, may be affected by alterations in genes regulating chromatin remodeling. The relative contributions of host-mediated factors and mammary cell intrinsic factors remain to be determined. The current studies have moved this research area from the biological to the molecular realm and offer the potential for directing prevention efforts at specific molecular targets.
Direct Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Diffusion Mechanisms in NiAl

Molecular dynamics simulations of the diffusion process in ordered B2 NiAl at high temperature were performed using an embedded atom interatomic potential. Diffusion occurs through a variety of cyclic mechanisms that accomplish the motion of the vacancy through nearest neighbor jumps restoring order to the alloy at the end of the cycle. The traditionally postulated 6-jump cycle is only one of the various cycles observed and some of these are quite complex. A detailed sequential analysis of the observed 6-jump cycles was performed and the results are analyzed in terms of the activation energies for individual jumps calculated using molecular statics simulations.