cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medication-usage patterns and medical decisions: days hospitalized.

Despite similarity on two estimates of severity of their asthma (frequency and duration of intravenous therapy during hospitalization and pulmonary function measures taken on non-IV days), patients who missed scheduled medications frequently and who requested PRNs infrequently were hospitalized for fewer days than others. The results suggest that patients' characteristics associated with medication-use patterns may be critical variables influencing medical decisions.
Border region commercial electricity demand

Border region electric utilities face unique circumstances in attempting to assess overall business and load demand conditions. These result from the many business cycle conditions facing these entities as a consequence of operating near international political boundaries. Can international economic fluctuations be systematically incorporated into electricity demand models? Along the U.S.-Mexico border, this problem is further complicated by economic interactions between an advanced economy and a developing country where data constraints exist at the regional level of disaggregation. Transfer function autoregressive moving average analysis is utilized to examine whether commercial electricity sales in El Paso, Texas respond to the national and metropolitan business cycles affecting economic performance in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Together, these cities form one of the largest international metropolitan areas in the world. This provides a logical starting point when considering the questions raised in this paper.
The effect of the OSHA lead exposure in construction standard on blood lead levels among iron workers employed in bridge rehabilitation

Over 50,000 workers are at risk of occupational exposure to lead in the course of renovating the nation's deteriorating infrastructure. In mid-1993, to control exposure to lead in the construction setting OSHA promulgated a Lead in Construction Standard. In this study, we assessed the effect of the mandated changes in exposure conditions which followed the introduction of this new standard. We analyzed changes in baseline and maximum blood lead concentrations and in maximum increments in blood lead levels before and after introduction of the standard among iron workers employed in the renovation of a large, lead-painted, steel bridge in New York City. Results indicated that baseline and maximum blood lead levels fell significantly after the implementation of the provisions of the standard, as did maximum increments in blood lead concentrations. Seventy-six percent of the workers maintained blood lead concentrations below 20 micrograms/dl after the OSHA standard, as compared with 66% prior to its implementation. Increments of 20 micrograms/dl or more occurred considerably more frequently before introduction of the standard (13% before vs. 4% after; p = 0.01). Evidence of decreased exposure to lead was observed among iron workers who were present both before and after the introduction of the OSHA standard, as well as among iron workers newly hired after the OSHA provisions were put in place. These findings document the effectiveness of the OSHA construction lead standard in controlling exposure to lead in this complex and variable environment. The data indicate the utility of blood lead determinations in assessing the outcome of industrial hygiene interventions to reduce exposures to lead in the construction setting.
Transition-metal Dion-Jacobson layered perovskites, M0.5LaNb2O7

Abstract Transition-metal layered perovskites were synthesized by topotactic methods. Compounds of the approximate formula M 0.5 LaNb 2 O 7 (M = Fe, Ni) were obtained directly by ion exchange between RbLaNb 2 O 7 and MBr 2 at low temperature (350 °C). Cu 0.5 LaNb 2 O 7 was synthesized by another route where CuCl 2 was topochemically deintercalated from (CuCl)LaNb 2 O 7 at 550 °C under a dynamic vacuum. The series M 0.5 LaNb 2 O 7 (M = Fe, Ni, Cu) is isostructural with adjacent double-perovskite layers aligned, as in RbLaNb 2 O 7 . The set of compounds all exhibit Curie–Weiss paramagnetism.
STOCHASTIC SEISMIC PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF TUNED LIQUID COLUMN DAMPERS

The seismic performance of Tuned Liquid Column Dampers (TLCDs) for the passive control of flexible structures is investigated using random vibration analysis. A non-stationary stochastic process with frequency and amplitude modulation is used to represent the earthquake strong motion, and a simple equivalent linearization technique is used to account for the non-linear damping force in the TLCD. The governing equations of motion for the structure TLCD system are formulated and reduced to a first-order state vector equation, from which the differential equation for the system response covariance matrix is obtained. The TLCD performance is evaluated on the basis of selected structural response statistics, namely, the expected maximum and root-mean-square displacements, and root-mean-square absolute accelerations and interstorey shears. A parametric study and sensitivity analysis are conducted to assess the TLCD performance and identify critical design parameters. Illustrative examples are presented using SDOF and MDOF shear-beam structural models, a wide-banded stationary random base acceleration and two non-stationary random input ground motions representative of long- and short-duration ground accelerations with significant low-frequency content.
Identification of a Subunit Interface in Transthyretin Amyloid Fibrils: Evidence for Self-Assembly from Oligomeric Building Blocks†

Amyloid and prion diseases appear to stem from the conversion of normally folded proteins into insoluble, fiber-like assemblies. Despite numerous structural studies, a detailed molecular characteri...
Biological Diversity Mapping Comes of Age

Over the past 60 years, Earth observing has evolved from aerial photographic studies to high-tech airborne 3-D imaging and global satellite-based monitoring. These technological advances have been driven by an increasing call for quantitative and information-rich data on changes in Earth properties and processes. Within the biospheric remote sensing arena, focus has mostly been placed on changes in land cover and land use, ecological disturbance including fire, and basic biophysical properties such as vegetation light absorption and greenness. In recent years, however, interest has rapidly increased in the area of biological diversity monitoring. This special issue of Remote Sensing [1] captures some of the latest thinking on how both traditional and newer mapping technologies can contribute to biodiversity monitoring and analysis. [...]
Spontaneous reduction of intussusception: verification with US.

PURPOSE: To report cases of spontaneous reduction of intussusception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the clinical and imaging findings in four patients with intussusception. Patients ranged in age from 3 to 7 months and were seen over a 12-year period. RESULTS: Intussusception was diagnosed with ultrasound (US) in all four patients; however, when enema studies were performed, intussusception was not identified. Repeat US also failed to demonstrate the presence of an intussusception, and all four patients showed concomitant rapid resolution of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous reduction of intussusception is probably more common than is generally thought, and its documentation was facilitated with US. It is likely that spontaneously reduced intussusception will be documented more frequently in the future.
Contributions to the biology of the horn fly.

The abundance of adult Haematobia irritans (L.) emerging from bovine manure was observed in relation to 6 measurable variables. Only a slight increase in frequency of occurrence was noted with increased length of exposure from 2 minutes to 8 hours. It was found that the female horn fly will oviposit at any time of day or night. Seasonal abundance was studied, and a general increase in numbers occurred throughout the summer period. Wind movements averaging 6 miles per hour or more apparently had an adverse effect upon egg deposition. The viscosity of the manure pads as well as their size also had a direct effect upon the numbers of horn flies emerging from them.
Laryngeal Involvement in Progressive Nodular Histiocytosis: A Case Report

Progressive nodular histiocytosis (PNH) belongs to an exceedingly rare family of benign proliferative skin disorders known as non-Langerhans cell histiocytoses (NLCHs). Since initial description as progressive nodular histiocytoma by Taunton et al 1 in 1978, there have been only a handful of case reports describing this rare entity. In the past, there has been a great deal of confusion in classifying the various histiocytoses owing to the rarity in which they were encountered as well as to the tremendous overlap, both clinically and histologically, observed between these diseases. 2 The lesions encountered in this family of diseases are generally benign; however, in the case reported herein, the involvement of the larynx led to partial airway obstruction, a clinical occurrence previously undescribed (to our knowledge).
Measurement Noise Tolerance of a Single-Angle Plane-Wave Photonic Crystal Characterization Method

A method to measure the single-angle plane-wave transmittance/reflectance of photonic crystal structures has been developed. The method employs an inverse matrix computation susceptible to measurement noise. The noise tolerance of the characterization method is identified.
Human lymphocytes recognise mouse alloantigens.

H-2 LD antigens1 of the mouse major histocompatibility complex and the lymphocyte-activating determinants of the Mls (ref. 2) locus induce vigorous lymphocyte proliferation and enhance generation of cytotoxic effector cells in allogeneic combinations (ref. 3 and D. J. Schendel, and F. H. Bach, unpublished). These antigens do not serve well as targets for cell-mediated lympholysis (CML)—a function which in the mouse is performed by the classical H-2 determinants, the SD antigens4,5. A similar differential function of LD and SD antigens is found in human allograft reactions in vitro6.
Extreme-ultraviolet efficiency measurements of freestanding transmission gratings

We report new, near-normal-incidence, transmission grating efficiency results at selected extreme-ultraviolet wavelengths between 4.5 and 30.5 nm for two transmission gratings, one with a period of 200 nm and the other with a period of 400 nm. These gratings consist of opaque gold bars separated by open spaces that have been produced by photolithography techniques commonly used to produce electronic components. The gold bars and the open spaces are nominally of the same width. Both gratings have a thickness of 470 nm. The transmission efficiency at the central, first, and, when possible, second order of diffraction was measured. In addition, guided-wave phenomena at nonnormal angles of incidence, as well as transmission differences depending on which side of the grating was illuminated, were investigated. The observed guided-wave effects allow one to selectively enhance the transmission of the grating at desired wavelengths, as is realized with a blazed reflection grating.
Financial Responsibilities Toward Older Parents and Stepparents Following Divorce and Remarriage

We assessed beliefs about adult children’s responsibilities to financially assist parents and stepparents following later-life divorce and remarriage using a multiple-segment factorial vignette with a national sample (N = 1,121). Ordered logistic regression analyses indicated that beliefs about financial responsibilities to older adults declined after marital transitions, and responsibilities to assist stepparents were more tenuous than to parents. Beliefs about intergenerational responsibilities were affected by adult children’s financial resources and by changes in older adults’ marital statuses. Kinship obligation norms, the adult children’s financial resources, and reciprocity norms were the most common reasons used to explain beliefs about responsibilities to financially assist older parents and stepparents, but these reasons became less salient following divorce and remarriage of the older adult. After marital transitions, beliefs about intergenerational financial responsibilities were more often based on the older adult’s culpability for being in a position of need, relationship quality, and diminished kinship obligations.
High resolution X-ray diffraction and X-ray topography study of GaN on sapphire

High resolution X-ray diffraction and X-ray topography study of GaN thin films, grown on sapphire (11.0) substrate by reduced pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) under various conditions, were performed. The strained lattice parameters, stress, misorientation and dislocation density of GaN films were estimated. The experimental stress compares well with the theoretical stress obtained from the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the film and substrate. The dislocation density was found to be highest in the thinner GaN film. It was also higher in the film without any buffer layer. For the same carrier concentration, the mobility of one of the film was lower than the other which could be due to the presence of higher dislocation density. Slip lines associated with dislocations, stacking faults, cellular structure of dislocations and double positioning boundaries were found in the X-ray topography from the GaN films.
Algorithms for Generating Maximin Latin Hypercube and Orthogonal Designs

Abstract Various proposals for implementing the maximin criterion for space-filling designs for use in computer experiments are reviewed. A new, well-performing algorithm is presented for the construction of maximin Latin hypercube designs using a 2-dimcnsional distance metric. An additional criterion, design orthogonality, is important when screening the effects of the input variables and a new search algorithm for orthogonal maximin designs is described for both 2-dimensional and multi-dimensional distance metrics. The new algorithms are shown to outperform existing algorithms under a variety of criteria.
Trypanosoma cruzi‐infected macrophages are defective in major histocompatibility complex class II antigen presentation

Trypanosoma cruzi, the intracellular protozoan parasite that causes Chagas' disease, interferes with the host immune response to establish a persistent infection. In this report, we demonstrate that macrophages infected with T. cruzi are unable to effectively present antigens to CD4 T cells. The interference is due to defective antigen-presenting cell (APC) function, as antigen-independent stimulation of the T cell in the presence of infected macrophages is not affected. The defect is distal to antigen processing and is not due to decreased major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II expression, decreased viability, defective peptide loading in the infected macrophages, nor absence of CD28 co-stimulation. There was a role for gp39: CD40 co-stimulation during antigen presentation to the T cells we studied, but the expression of CD40 on T. cruzi-infected macrophages was not decreased. Antigen-specific adhesion between macrophages and T cells was reduced by infection. Equivalent levels of the adhesion molecules lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 or very late antigen-4 are found on infected and uninfected APC, suggesting that reduced expression of these adhesion molecules was not responsible for the defect in antigen-specific adhesion. The defective T cell:macrophage adhesion may be due to the reduced expression of other adhesion molecules or other changes in the cell induced by infection. Interfering with MHC class II antigen presentation in infected macrophages may help T. cruzi to blunt the immune response by the host.
Isolation and characterization of the Haemophilus influenzae tolQ, tolR, tolA and tolB genes

Abstract The tolQ, R, A and B genes have been isolated from the DNA of Haemophilus influenzae and sequenced. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence of the H. influenzae TolQ, ToIR, TolA and TolB show 67, 63, 41 and 62% identity with Escherichia coli TolQRAB proteins, respectively. These four proteins are involved in transport of colicins and phages across the cell envelope. The translational stop codon of TolB (the last gene in the cluster) is 23 bases upstream of the start codon of the P6 lipoprotein gene. Primer extension and Northern blot analysis revealed that the start of the P6 transcript is within the tolB gene. Nucleotide sequence (nt) analysis of the entire Ṕ region shows a transcriptional terminator immediately downstream of the P6 gene. The tolQRABP6 gene cluster of H. influenzae may thus constitute an operon.
Lymphoma presenting as fulminant hepatic failure; a case report and review of the literature

Lymphoma presenting as fulminant hepatic failure; a case report and review of the literature
Accretion of the Earth

The origin of the Earth and its Moon has been the focus of an enormous body of research. In this paper I review some of the current models of terrestrial planet accretion, and discuss assumptions common to most works that may require re-examination. Density-wave interactions between growing planets and the gas nebula may help to explain the current near-circular orbits of the Earth and Venus, and may result in large-scale radial migration of proto-planetary embryos. Migration would weaken the link between the present locations of the planets and the original provenance of the material that formed them. Fragmentation can potentially lead to faster accretion and could also damp final planet orbital eccentricities. The Moon-forming impact is believed to be the final major event in the Earth9s accretion. Successful simulations of lunar-forming impacts involve a differentiated impactor containing between 0.1 and 0.2 Earth masses, an impact angle near 45° and an impact speed within 10 per cent of the Earth9s escape velocity. All successful impacts—with or without pre-impact rotation—imply that the Moon formed primarily from material originating from the impactor rather than from the proto-Earth. This must ultimately be reconciled with compositional similarities between the Earth and the Moon.
Expression of Egr-1 in Late Stage Emphysema

The transcription factor early growth response (Egr)-1 is an immediate-early gene product rapidly and transiently expressed after acute tissue injury. In contrast, in this report we demonstrate that lung tissue from patients undergoing lung reduction surgery for advanced emphysema, without clinical or anatomical evidence of acute infection, displays a selective and apparently sustained increase in Egr-1 transcripts and antigen, compared with a broad survey of other genes, including the transcription factor Sp1, whose levels were not significantly altered. Enhanced Egr-1 expression was especially evident in smooth muscle cells of bronchial and vascular walls, in alveolar macrophages, and some vascular endothelium. Gel shift analysis with 32 P-labeled Egr probe showed a band with nuclear extracts from emphysematous lung which was supershifted with antibody to Egr-1. Egr-1 has the capacity to regulate genes relevant to the pathophysiology of emphysema, namely those related to extracellular matrix formation and remodeling, thrombogenesis, and those encoding cytokines/chemokines and growth factors. Thus, we propose that further analysis of Egr-1, which appears to be up-regulated in a sustained fashion in patients with late stage emphysema, may provide insights into the pathogenesis of this destructive pulmonary disease, as well as a new facet in the biology of Egr-1.
Orthogonality condition for the normal modes in the out-of-plane twist-bending vibrations of an elastic ring

Abstract Orthogonality condition for the normal modes in the out-of-plane twist-bending vibrations of an elastic ring is proved in this note for all simple boundary conditions.
In vivo trafficking and survival of cytokine-induced killer cells resulting in minimal GVHD with retention of antitumor activity

Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are ex vivo–expanded T lymphocytes expressing both natural killer (NK)– and T-cell markers. CIK cells are cytotoxic against autologous and allogeneic tumors. We previously showed that adoptive transfer of allogeneic CIK cells in a murine model caused minimal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, the precise mechanism of reduced GVHD is not fully understood. Therefore, we evaluated the trafficking and survival of luciferase-expressing CIK cells in an allogeneic bone marrow transplant model. The initial trafficking patterns of CIK cells were similar to conventional T cells that induced GVHD; however, CIK cells infiltrated GVHD target tissues much less and transiently. CIK cells accumulated and persisted in tumor sites, resulting in tumor eradication. We evaluated different properties of CIK cells compared with conventional T cells, demonstrating a slower division rate of CIK cells, higher susceptibility to apoptosis, persistent increased expression of interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and reduced acquisition of homing molecules required for entry of cells into inflamed GVHD target organs that lack expression of NKG2D ligands recognized by CIK cells. Due to these properties, allogeneic CIK cells had reduced expansion and caused less tissue damage. We conclude that CIK cells have the potential to separate graft-versus-tumor effects from GVHD.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Regulatory Growth Management Programs An Analytic Framework

This article develops an analytic framework for evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory growth management programs. First, the literature review assembles a large body of recent research examining the evolution of growth management programs, the role of government institutions, and evidence of policies’ effectiveness. Second, working from the findings of the literature review, the article inductively develops a conceptual model identifying the relationships between program implementation, land market processes, and land use outcomes. Finally, the conceptual model is used to derive a set of principles that may be used to inform future research.
Induction of iron(III) and copper(II) reduction in pea (Pisum sativum L.) roots by Fe and Cu status : does the root-cell plasmalemma Fe(III)-chelate reductase perform a general role in regulating cation uptake ?

We investigated the effects of Fe and Cu status of pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings on the regulation of the putative root plasma-membrane Fe(III)-chelate reductase that is involved in Fe(III)-chelate reduction and Fe2+ absorption in dicotyledons and nongraminaceous monocotyledons. Additionally, we investigated the ability of this reductase system to reduce Cu(II)-chelates as well as Fe(III)-chelates. Pea seedlings were grown in full nutrient solutions under control, -Fe, and -Cu conditions for up to 18 d. Iron(III) and Cu(II) reductase activity was visualized by placing roots in an agarose gel containing either Fe(III)-EDTA and the Fe(II) chelate, Na2bathophenanthrolinedisulfonic acid (BPDS), for Fe(III) reduction, or CuSO4, Na3citrate, and Na2-2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthrolinedisulfonic acid (BCDS) for Cu(II) reduction. Rates of root Fe(III) and Cu(II) reduction were determined via spectrophotometric assay of the Fe(II)-BPDS or the Cu(I)-BCDS chromophore. Reductase activity was induced or stimulated by either Fe deficiency or Cu depletion of the seedlings. Roots from both Fe-deficient and Cu-depleted plants were able to reduce exogenous Cu(II)-chelate as well as Fe(III)-chelate. When this reductase was induced by Fe deficiency, the accumulation of a number of mineral cations (i.e., Cu, Mn, Fe, Mg, and K) in leaves of pea seedlings was significantly increased. We suggest that, in addition to playing a critical role in Fe absorption, this plasma-membrane reductase system also plays a more general role in the regulation of cation absorption by root cells, possibly via the reduction of critical sulfhydryl groups in transport proteins involved in divalent-cation transport (divalent-cation channels?) across the root-cell plasmalemma.
Direct Interaction of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen with the p125 Catalytic Subunit of Mammalian DNA Polymerase δ

The formation of a complex between DNA polymerase δ (pol δ) and its sliding clamp, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), is responsible for the maintenance of processive DNA synthesis at the leading strand of the replication fork. In this study, the ability of the p125 catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase δ to engage in protein-protein interactions with PCNA was established by biochemical and genetic methods. p125 and PCNA were shown to co-immunoprecipitate from either calf thymus or HeLa extracts, or when they were ectopically co-expressed in Cos 7 cells. Because pol δ is a multimeric protein, this interaction could be indirect. Thus, rigorous evidence was sought for a direct interaction of the p125 catalytic subunit and PCNA. To do this, the ability of recombinant p125 to interact with PCNA was established by biochemical means. p125 co-expressed with PCNA in Sf9 cells was shown to form a physical complex that can be detected on gel filtration and that can be cross-linked with the bifunctional cross-linking agent Sulfo-EGS (ethylene glycol bis (sulfosuccinimidylsuccinate)). An interaction between p125 and PCNA could also be demonstrated in the yeast two hybrid system. Overlay experiments using biotinylated PCNA showed that the free p125 subunit interacts with PCNA. The PCNA overlay blotting method was also used to demonstrate the binding of synthetic peptides corresponding to the N2 region of pol δ and provides evidence for a site on pol δ that is involved in the protein-protein interactions between PCNA and pol δ. This region contains a sequence that is a potential member of the PCNA binding motif found in other PCNA-binding proteins. These studies provide an unequivocal demonstration that the p125 subunit of pol δ interacts with PCNA.
Contrasting effects of ERK on tight junction integrity in differentiated and under-differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayers

ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) activation leads to disruption of tight junctions in some epithelial monolayers, whereas it prevents disruption of tight junctions in other epithelia. The factors responsible for such contrasting influences of ERK on tight junction integrity are unknown. The present study investigated the effect of the state of cell differentiation on ERK-mediated regulation of tight junctions in Caco-2 cell monolayers. EGF (epidermal growth factor) potentiated H2O2-induced tight junction disruption in under-differentiated cell monolayers, which was attenuated by the MEK [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK kinase] inhibitor U0126. In contrast, EGF prevented H2O2-induced disruption of tight junctions in differentiated cell monolayers, which was also attenuated by U0126. Knockdown of ERK1/2 enhanced tight junction integrity and accelerated assembly of tight junctions in under-differentiated cell monolayers, whereas it had the opposite effect in differentiated cell monolayers. Regulated expression of wild-type and constitutively active MEK1 disrupted tight junctions, and the expression of dominant-negative MEK1 enhanced tight junction integrity in under-differentiated cells, whereas contrasting responses were recorded in differentiated cells. EGF prevented both H2O2-induced association of PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A), and loss of association of PKCζ (protein kinase Cζ), with occludin by an ERK-dependent mechanism in differentiated cell monolayers, but not in under-differentiated cell monolayers. Active ERK was distributed in the intracellular compartment in under-differentiated cell monolayers, whereas it was localized mainly in the perijunctional region in differentiated cell monolayers. Thus ERK may exhibit its contrasting influences on tight junction integrity in under-differentiated and differentiated epithelial cells by virtue of differences in its subcellular distribution and ability to regulate the association of PKCζ and PP2A with tight junction proteins.
On the nature of surfactant vesicle and micelle systems

Abstract Several physical techniques, including fluorescence spectroscopy, laser photolysis, NMR, and electrical conduction were used to investigate the structural and kinetic properties of synthetic vesicles formed from didodecyldimethylammonium bromide. These structures are like their natural counterparts but unlike micelles in exhibiting broad lines in the proton NMR spectrum and in occluding glucose in their interiors, though diffusion through the vesicle walls is much more rapid than in the lecithins. The surface charge is low, with tighter binding of counterions such as I− and Br− than in micelles, and the head groups are in close proximity, both features typical of vesicles. The surface region appears to have a polarity much like that of cationic micelles, though the gradation to a nonpolar environment is much steeper in the vesicles. The vesicles modify photochemical reactions of species solubilized in these structures, in a fashion reminiscent of analogous micellar structures.
A Two-substrate Kinetic Analysis of Lipoxygenase in Malt

La lipoxygenase de l'orge maltee a un impact sur les performances du brassage et la qualite de la biere. Une preparation de malt proche du melange existant dans la maische est observee. L'activite lipoxygenasique est mesuree, et la cinetique des reactions est mesuree pour les 2 substrats (acide linoleique et oxygene). Pour reduire le phenomene d'oxydation, il faut reduire la penetration d'oxygene lors de l'empâtage
The structure and development of the haustorium in parasitic Scrophulariaceae

The structure and development of roots and haustoria in 37 species of parasitic Scrophulariaceae was studied using light microscopy. The mature haustorium consists of two regions: the swollen “body” and the parent root, which resembles non-haustorial roots in structure. The body arises from the parent root and is composed of an epidermis, cortex, central region of xylem (the vascular core), a region of parenchyma (the central parenchymatous core), and the portion of the haustorium contained in the host tissue (the endophyte). The xylem of the vascular core is composed predominately of vessel elements. The central parenchymatous core is composed of parenchyma and col-lenchyma. Vessels extend from the vascular core through the central parenchymatous core to the endophyte. The endophyte is composed of parenchyma cells and vessel elements. No phloem is present in the body of the haustorium. Early stages in the development of the haustorium are exogenous. Initial periclinal divisions in the epidermis or outer cortex are followed by hypertrophy of cortical parenchyma. These events are followed by development of the vascular core from the pericycle, attachment of haustorium to the host by a specialized layer of cementing cells or root hairs, and penetration of the host by dissolution of host cells.
Gender Differences in Perception and Verdict in Relation to Uncorroborated Testimony by a Child Victim

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine how sex of mock jurors affected perception of child victim witnesses. Participants (N = 330) were asked to act as mock jurors, read a trial summary describing a sexual abuse case, and make decisions regarding the case. The case described a (6-8), (9-11), or (12-14) year old child that had allegedly been sexually abused by a stranger. The only evidence was the child's uncorroborated testimony. Participants were asked to rate the believability and importance of the child's testimony. They were also asked to assign a percentage of blame to the victim and to determine a verdict in the case. Contrary to expectations, main effects of age of victim were not found. However, as expected significant sex differences were found for a number of the case outcome variables. Males tended to rate the child's testimony as less believable and less important than females. In addition, males tended to assign more blame to the victim and yielded fewer guilty verdicts than femal...
The separate effects of egg size and parental quality on the development of ornamental plumage coloration

The fitness-related consequences of egg size, independent of the influences of parental quality, are poorly understood in altricial birds. Not only can egg size and parental quality influence growth and survival, but each could influence the development of condition-dependent plumage coloration in offspring. The Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis is an altricial, multi-brooded, cavity-nesting passerine in which juveniles display dichromatic UV-blue plumage. Previous research suggests that plumage coloration acts as a signal of individual quality among juvenile and adult Eastern Bluebirds. Here, we separate the effects of egg size and parental quality (defined by egg size laid) on nestling growth and plumage ornamentation by exchanging clutches of large eggs with clutches of small eggs. Nestlings were significantly larger immediately post-hatching when hatched from a large egg, but to maintain a larger size, nestlings needed to have hatched from a large egg and to have been reared by high-quality parents. Nestlings were brighter when reared by high-quality parents and this relationship was strongest later in the breeding season. Nestlings exhibited greater UV chroma if hatched early in the season, but UV chroma was not significantly affected by egg size or parental quality. These findings demonstrate varying influences of both egg size and parental quality on offspring growth and plumage ornamentation but suggest that quality of post-hatching investment is more influential than pre-hatching investment.
His and her marriage : a multivariate study of gender and marital satisfaction

This study examined gender differences in marital satisfaction using the multidimensional marital inventory ENRICH. Contrary to previous research, the results indicated that men are somewhat more satisfied with their marriages than women. The findings also suggest that religion is a more important part of the marriage for men, whereas women esposed egalitarian roles to a greater extent. A significant interaction was found between marital distress and gender on the Sexual Relationship, Communication, Parenting and Children, and Equalitarian Roles scales, indicating that these areas may be particularly important in distressed couples. The differences in husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction found in this study are consistent with research suggesting that men obtain greater mental health benefits from marriage than do women. The explanation of the obtained gender differences are discussed with regard to measurement issues, sampling procedures, and power and task inequities. Sampling and differences in marital tasks and power are cited as the best explanations of the findings.
Evaluation of Integrated and Inclusive Pedagogy for Cognitive Communications

Educational systems, especially in STEM disciplines, continue to be challenging in terms of effective design of pedagogies and environments to support teaching and learning. There is a need for mor...
AEGIS: An adaptive ideal-magnetohydrodynamics shooting code for axisymmetric plasma stability

A new linear ideal-magnetohydrodynamics stability code for axisymmetric plasmas, AEGIS, is described. The AEGIS code employs adaptive shooting in the radial direction and Fourier decomposition in the poloidal direction. The general solution is a linear combination of the independent solutions of the Euler-Lagrange equations solved by the adaptive shooting. A multiple-region matching technique is used to overcome the numerical difficulty associated with the stiff nature of the independent solutions. Benchmarks with other MHD codes show good agreement. Because it is adaptive, the AEGIS code has very good resolution near the singular surfaces of MHD modes. AEGIS has the additional advantage of allowing the investigation of modes with not only low mode numbers, but also intermediate to high mode numbers.
Cellular/tissue engineering - Cardiomyoplasty: The prospect of human stem cells

Currently, the largest ongoing effort in cellular and tissue cardiomyoplasty therapies is the search for a suitable cell source. The following are the desirable attributes of an ideal cell source: 1) autologous (not requiring immune suppression), 2) able to substantially proliferate in vitro, 3) having a similar function when compared to host cardiomyocytes, and 4) able to couple with the host cells electrically and mechanically. A number of cell types have been attempted for cellular and tissue engineering therapies in the heart.
Conceptualizing and Implementing a Professional Development Pilot Program for Public School Teachers to Strengthen Sexuality Education

Professional development and training efforts are essential components of effective and evidence-based approaches for educators to teach sexuality education. Public school teachers, with and withou...
Endocytic Relay as a Potential Means for Enhancing Ligand Transport through Cellular Tissue Matrices: Analysis and Possible Implications for Drug Delivery.

The transport of peptide ligands, such as cytokines, through tissue is complicated by resistances due to cell multilayers and holdup in extracellular matrix. To determine whether it is possible for receptor-mediated endocytic trafficking to enhance ligand transport, we have developed a mathematical model of ligand flux through tissue containing cells possessing complementary receptors. Tissue is considered as two phases: the cell phase and the matrix phase; thus tissue is modeled as analogous to a packed bed reactor. This model allows calculation of steady-state flux of intact and degraded peptide through a one-dimensional cell/tissue matrix. Both environmental and molecular parameters were considered in this study. Results predict that three quantities should have a major influence on growth factor flux: the ratio of matrix diffusivity to intracellular "diffusivity" (D(m)/D(i)), the extracellular matrix proteolysis rate constant (k (prot)), and the fraction of internalized growth factor degraded (f(1)). For basal levels of intracellular degradation (0 /= 0.05) but no extracellular proteolysis, significant enhancement is possible only for D(m)/D(i) >/=1. f(1) increases, enhancement is only possible up to f(1)= 0.07 even for D(m)/D(i) 0), the requirements for D(m)/D(i) and f(1) to permit transport enhancement encompass a broader range with the exact values dependent on k (prot). These insights may be helpful for delivery of ligands generated from controlled-release devices or genetically modified autocrine cells, and may also provide better understanding of cytokine transport in embryonic development.
CHEMICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE TiAl(010) SURFACE

The atomic structure of a clean (010) surface of the ordered binary alloy TiAl (with tetragonal bulk structure of the CuAu I type) is studied with quantitative low-energy electron diffraction (QLEED). Two different surface phases are found depending on the preparation procedure. After a cleaning step in vacuo by means of Ar-ion bombardments, anneals at 750−850°C produce a 2×1 surface and anneals at about 900° C produce a 1×1 surface. A QLEED intensity analysis of the 1×1 structure reveals the occurrence of chemical reconstruction, whereby the Ti atoms in the first layer exchange places with the Al atoms in the second layer. Thus, while any bulk (010) plane contains 50% Al and 50% Ti, the top atomic layer of a (010) surface contains 100% Al and the second atomic layer contains 100% Ti. Both layers are slightly buckled and the first interlayer distance is compressed about 7.1% while the second interlayer spacing is expanded about 7.4% with respect to the bulk value.
Strain-driven grain boundary motion in nanocrystalline materials

Abstract We report fully three-dimensional atomistic molecular dynamics studies of strain-induced grain boundary mobility in nanocrystalline Ni at room temperature. The position of a statistically significant number of grain boundaries was monitored as a function of the strain level for a strain rate of 3.3 × 10 8 s −1 for two different interatomic potentials. The results show the grain boundaries migrating with velocities of 2–3 m/s, depending on the interatomic potential used. Detailed analysis of the process shows that grain boundary migration is accompanied by grain rotation and in many cases dislocation emission. The results suggest that grain rotation, grain boundary sliding, and grain boundary migration occur simultaneously in nanocrystalline metals as part of the intergranular plasticity mechanism. The effects of free surfaces present in the sample on these related mechanisms of plasticity were investigated in detail and it was found that the presence of free surfaces lowers the flow stress observed for the samples and increases the amount of grain boundary sliding, while actually decreasing the average velocity of grain boundary migration parallel to itself. Finally, we report observations of grain coalescence in the samples with a free surface. The results are discussed in terms of the coupling of grain boundary sliding and migration.
Whither Infectious Diseases? Memories, Manpower, and Money

I am most grateful to my old friend Paul Quie for asking me to speak at this meeting. It is just like being allowed to give a Presidential Address without being President. I do want you to know, however, that I am a card-carrying member of the Infectious Diseases Society, who, if not faithful in attendance, at least is not delinquent in dues. As a matter of fact, on a number of occasions I have paid the registration fee for this meeting only to forfeit it by a lastminute necessity to be absent. I am also one of the survivors of the hearty band that started the Society 22 years ago. Many of the original 149 have resigned, a few have been thrown out, and there are several who are looking down upon us from that great big Pus Club in the sky. In fact, some of you might consider me in this category, because the difference between being dean and being dead is only a single letter. I tried to find out something about the pathogenesis of this Society, so I called the Society's oracle, my old friend Ed Kass. The oracle was, as is not unusual for him, in London. He returned my call soon after alighting back in Boston. Unfortunately, he could not add much to the printed words in several recent Presidential addresses. The fact is that not
Older Adult Opinions About Driving Cessation: A Role for Advanced Driving Directives

Objectives: To describe older adults’ opinions about driving cessation and driver retesting. Methods: Older adult (≥ 65 years) patients visiting the emergency department or geriatric clinic at a university hospital completed a confidential survey regarding attitudes toward driving tests and restrictions. Results: The response rate was 50% (N = 169). The median age was 75 years (range, 65-98); 53% were women. Most reported driving at least occasionally (78%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 72-84). Twelve percent (95% CI, 7-18) reported a crash in the prior year; most (84%; 95% CI, 78-90) reported at least 1 medical diagnosis possibly linked to increased crash risk. Most participants (74%; 95% CI, 67-81) supported mandatory, age-based driver retesting but thought family (73%; 95% CI, 68-81) or physicians (60%; 95% CI, 54-69) should determine license revocation for an unsafe driver rather than the Department of Motor Vehicles (34%; 95% CI, 28-42) or the police (30%; 95% CI, 23-37). Almost all reported they...
Superpulsed carbon dioxide laser: an update on cutaneous surgical applications

Superpulsing the carbon dioxide laser allows delivery of high energy pulses separated by short pauses during which tissue cooling can occur.1 This new technology can provide several important advantages in cutaneous surgery over similar procedures performed with conventional continuous discharge carbon dioxide laser systems. In the excisional mode, there is a two-thirds reduction in thermal necrosis of the wound edge.2 This should translate into more rapid healing3 and increased rate of gain in tensile strength. In the vaporizational mode, precise, superficial and bloodless ablation of multiple benign appendigeal tumors is possible with less thermal damage yielding excellent cosmetic results. The establishment through additional research of accurate laser parameters, pulse duration, peak energy levels, and frequency of pulses, will help improve the specificity of the laser-tissue interaction to provide even better surgical results.
Explore the domain features of co-regulation proteins, co-interaction proteins and co-regulation & Co-interaction proteins

The interaction between proteins is one of the most important features of protein functions. Behind protein-protein interactions there are relationship among protein domains physically to perform the necessary functions. Accordingly, we focus on our research on the domain features of co-regulation proteins sets, co-interaction proteins sets and co-regulation & co-regulation proteins sets. We applied aggregation factors to evaluate the domain features about above three protein sets. By random experiment, we approved that the aggregation factors were significant (p<0.01) in these three protein sets. That is to say, the same domains present more frequency in them than in other protein subsets. Furthermore, our results also showed that the same domains present more frequency in co-regulation & co-interaction subsets than in co-regulation subsets, which indicated that co-regulation protein sets & co-interaction protein sets are more likely protein sets which have the same domains.
Effect of long-term clofibric acid treatment on serum and tissue lipid and cholesterol levels in obese Zucker rats.

Abstract The long-term effects of clofibric acid (200 mg/kg body weight) injected subcutaneously from 6–36 weeks of age were assessed in obese, hyperlipemic Zucker rats. At 18 and 36 weeks of age, treated rats had significantly lower fasted serum cholesterol levels but triacylglycerol levels were not affected. Rats were killed at 36 weeks of age at which time there were no differences in body and kidney weights between control and clofibric acid-treated rats. Liver, spleen and heart weights were lowered by clofibric acid treatment. In liver there was an elevation of lipid/g due to treatment but there were no effects on cholesterol/g or on either total liver lipid or cholesterol levels. In the epididymal fat pad of clofibric acid-treated rats, there was a 21% elevation of cholesterol level on a per pad basis. In the other organs, there were no effects of treatment on lipid or cholesterol levels except for lowered total cholesterol in kidney. Several liver lipogenic enzymes were lowered by treatment but malic enzyme was two times higher.