cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The function of pseudouridylic acid in transfer ribonucleic acid. II. Inhibition of amino acyl transfer ribonucleic acid-ribosome complex formation by ribothymidylyl-pseudouridylyl-cytidylyl-guanosine 3'-phosphate.

Abstract Inhibition of the nonenzymatic binding of phenylalanyl transfer RNA to polyuridylic acid-coded ribosomes at 20 mm magnesium was used as an assay to determine whether the tetranucleotide ribothymidylyl-pseudouridylyl-cytidylyl-guanosine 3'-phosphate possessed any specific ability to bind to ribosomes. Inhibition of binding at the peptidyl site was studied by adding tetracycline to block aminoacyl site binding activity, and aminoacyl site activity was examined in the presence of excess deacylated tRNA to suppress peptidyl site binding. Deacylated tRNA was bound competitively with aminoacyl-tRNA at the peptidyl site, but was without effect at the aminoacyl site. At both of these sites, T-ψ-C-Gp was more inhibitory than any other oligonucleotide tested. At the peptidyl site, T-ψ-C-Gp was 10 times more active than A-A-A-Gp, and 3 times more active than (A, U, C)Gp. At the aminoacyl site, T-ψ-C-Gp was again 3 times more active than (A, U, C)Gp and 20 times more active than A-A-Gp or (A,C)Gp. Alkaline hydrolysis destroyed the inhibitory activity and cyanoethylation of the pseudouridine residue with acrylonitrile decreased the activity to 50% although a control treated with propionitrile was fully active. Inhibitory activity was resistant to boiling. Inhibition by T-ψ-C-Gp was not competitive with free phenylalanyl-tRNA nor affected by ribosome concentration. However, T-ψ-C-Gp does act at the ribosomal level since ammonium chloride-washed particles were 4 times more sensitive to T-ψ-C-Gp inhibition, and aging of these particles further increased their sensitivity. Variation of the polyuridylic acid or Mg++ concentration was without effect. Since T-ψ-C-Gp was able to block aminoacyl-tRNA binding sites on ribosomes more effectively than other similar nucleotides this sequence probably represents part of the normal ribosome binding site in tRNA. The failure to compete with unbound aminoacyl-tRNA and the effect of ammonium chloride washing on the ribosomes suggests that the actual reaction mechanism is complex.
The Social Environment of an Aggregating, Ant-Attended Treehopper (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Vanduzea arquata)

Many membracid treehoppers are attended by honeydew-harvesting ants. Ant mutualism often favors group living, which will in turn influence social interactios and communication. I investigated aspects of life history that underlie the social behavior of an aggregating, ant-attended treehopper. The number of adults, and their patterns of distribution, changes dramatically over the course of a season. Despite the relatively low vagility and high persistence in the same clump of host plants, individuals encounter a wide range of social environments. This aggregating species differs from solitary species in the clumped distribution of females, and possibly in the intensity of acoustic competition among males, but both aggregating and solitary species exhibit large temporal changes in density. A high degree of temporal and spatial variation in the social environment is probably characteristic of many insects and may be an important source of selection on insect communication.
Understanding the mechanisms of formation of nanophase compounds from Stardust: Combined experimental and observational approach

Abstract– We have experimentally produced nanophase sulfide compounds and magnetite embedded in Si-rich amorphous materials by flash-cooling of a gas stream. Similar assemblages are ubiquitous, and often dominant components of samples of impact-processed silica aerogel tiles and submicron grains from comet 81P/Wild 2 were retrieved by NASA’s Stardust mission. Although the texture and compositions of nanosulfide compounds have been reproduced experimentally, the mechanisms of formation of these minerals and their relationship with the surrounding amorphous materials have not been established. In this study, we present evidence that both of these materials may not only be produced through cooling of a superheated liquid but they may have also been formed simultaneously by flash-cooling and subsequent deposition of a gas dominated by Fe-S-SiO-O2. In a dust generator at the Goddard Space Flight Center, samples are produced by direct gas-phase condensation from gaseous precursors followed by deposition, which effectively isolates the effects of gas-phase reactions from the effects of melting and condensation. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis show that these experiments replicate key features of materials from type B and type C Stardust tracks, including textures, distribution of inclusions, nanophase size, and compositional diversity. We argue that gas-phase reactions may have played a significant role in the capture environment for nanophase materials. Our results are consistent with a potential progenitor assemblage of micron and submicron-sized sulfides and submicron silica-bearing phases, which are commonly observed in chondritic interplanetary dust particles and in the matrices of the most pristine chondritic meteorites.
RESEARCH PROGRAM TO INVESTIGATE LOWER EXTREMITY INJURIES

Biomechanical response and injury tolerance of the lower extremities is being investigated at the University of Virginia. This paper presents the experimental and simulation work used to study the injury patterns and mechanisms of the ankle/foot complex. The simulation effort has developed a segmented lower limb and foot model for an occupant simulator program to study the interactions of the foot with intruding toepan and pedal components. The experimental procedures include static tests, pendulum impacts, and full-scale sled tests with the Advanced Anthropomorphic Test Device and human cadavers. In these tests, the response of the lower extremities is characterized with analogous dummy and cadaver instrumentation packages that include strain gauges, electrogoniometers, angular rate sensors, accelerometers, and load cells. An external apparatus is applied to the surrogate's lower extremities to simulate the effects of muscle tensing. Sled tests are performed with a toepan device that subjects the lower extremities to rotational, longitudinal, and vertical intrusion pulses typical of offset vehicle crashes. Based upon data from the component and full-scale sled tests, a risk function which correlates observed cadaver injury with dummy responses is developed.
Antiviral Action and Cellular Toxicity of Four Thymidine Analogues: 5-Ethyl-, 5-Vinyl-, 5-Propyl-, and 5-Allyl-2′-Deoxyuridine

5-Ethyl-, 5-vinyl-, 5-propyl-, and 5-allyl-2'-deoxyuridine (dUrd) had antiviral activity against herpes simplex type 1 and type 2 grown in HeLa TK(-) cells, in the order 5-vinyl-dUrd, 5-ethyl-dUrd, 5-propyl-dUrd, 5-allyl-dUrd, but they were inactive against a TK(-) mutant of herpes simplex type 1. The antiviral activity of these compounds could be partially reversed by thymidine. Except for 5-vinyl-dUrd, they were not toxic to WI-38 and HeLa TK(-) cells at a concentration of 25 muM. All four analogues inhibited the growth of herpes simplex type 1-transformed HeLa TK(-) cells at a concentration of 1 muM.
Pediatricians’ intention to administer human papillomavirus vaccine: the role of practice characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study was to examine pediatrician characteristics and attitudes associated with intention to recommend two hypothetical human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. Methods A survey instrument mailed to a random sample of 1000 pediatricians assessed provider characteristics, HPV knowledge, and attitudes about HPV vaccination. Intention to administer each of two HPV vaccines types (a cervical cancer/genital wart vaccine and a cervical cancer vaccine) to girls and boys of three different ages (11, 14, and 17 years) was assessed. Linear mixed modeling for repeated measures and multivariable linear regression models were performed to identify variables associated with intention to recommend vaccination. Results The mean age of participants (n = 513) was 42 years and 57% were female. Participants were more likely to recommend vaccination to girls vs. boys and older vs. younger children, and were more likely to recommend a cervical cancer/genital wart vaccine than a cervical cancer vaccine ( p p = .002), number of young adolescents seen weekly (β 1.300, p = .015), higher HPV knowledge (β 1.079, p = .015), likelihood of following the recommendations of important individuals and organizations regarding immunization (β .834, p = .001), and fewer perceived barriers to immunization (β −.203, p = .001). Conclusions Vaccination initiatives directed toward pediatricians that focus on modifiable predictors of intention to vaccinate, such as HPV knowledge and attitudes about vaccination, may facilitate adherence to emerging national immunization guidelines.
Isomorphisms of cyclic combinatorial objects

Abstract Let υ = qp r where p is a prime number and p does not divide q . Let B and B ′ be isomorphic combinatorial objects whose vertex sets is Z υ , the integers modulo υ, and further assume that translations in Z υ are automorphisms of the objects. Conditions are given which imply that B and B ′ must be isomorphic by the composition of a polynomial in Z υ and a map which is a translation when restricted to each of the cosets of Z υ modulo q .
Thermally developing laminar flow in a duct with external radiation and convection

International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 3, Jan.-March 1971, pp. 25-33. Bathe, K. J. and Wilson, E. L., "Solution Method for Eigenvalue Problems in Structural Dynamics," International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1973, pp. 213-226. Jennings, A., "Mass Condensation and Simultaneous Iteration for Vibration Problems," International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 6, No. 4, 1973, pp. 543-552. Kidder, R. L., "Reduction of Structural Frequency Equations," AIAA Journal, Vol. 11, June 1973, p. 892. Kidder, R. L., "Reply by Author to A. H. Flax," AIAA Journal, Vol. 13, May 1975, pp. 702-703. Flax, A. H., "Comment on 'Reduction of Structural Frequency Equations,' " AIAA Journal, Vol. 13, May 1975, pp. 701-702. Hensell, R. D. and Ong, J. H., "Automatic Masters for Eigenvalue Economization," Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics, Vol. 3, April 1975, pp. 375-383. 11 Irons, B. M., "Discussion on 'Dynamic Reduction of Structural Models,' " Journal of Structural Division ASCE, Vol. 107, May 1981, pp. 1023-1024. Flax, A. H., "Discussion on 'Dynamic Reduction of Structural Models,' " Journal of Structural Division ASCE, Vol. 107, July 1981, pp. 1393-1394. Malpartida, C., "Dynamic Condensation of Structural Eigenproblems," M.S. Thesis, Speed Scientific School, University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky., April 1983. Miller, C. A, "Dynamic Reduction of Structural Models," Journal of Structural Division ASCE, Vol. 106, Oct. 1980, pp. 20972108. Miller, C. A., "Errors Resulting from Dynamic Reduction," Proceedings of the First National Conference on Computer in Civil Engineering, May 1981, pp. 58-71. Newmark, N. M. and Hall, W. J., "Procedures and Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design," Building Practice for Disaster Mitigation, Dept. of Commerce, 1973, pp. 209-236.
Attitudes and Dispositional Optimism of Animal Rights Demonstrators

Mail-in surveys were distributed to animal activists attending the 1996 March for the Animals. Age and genderdemographic characteristics of the 209 activists who participated in the study were similar to those of the 1990 March for the Animals demonstrators. Most goals of the animal rights movement were judged to be moderately to critically important, although beliefs about their chances of being realized varied considerably. Movement tactics judged to be least effective included the liberation of laboratory animals and the harassment of researchers. Education was seen as being a particularly important instrument of future social change. Demonstrators' scores on the Life Orientation Test - a measure of dispositional optimism - were significantly greater than scores of comparison groups of college students and of patients awaiting coronary bypass surgery. There was a significant positive relationship between levels of optimism and activists' perceptions of the achievement of movement objectives.
Hydrothermal synthesis, cesium selectivity and water sorption property of V2O5·nH2O gel

Layered vanadium pentaoxide gels, analogous to montmorillonite layered silicate can be synthesized under hydrothermal conditions at 200°C. The gel was characterized by x-ray diffraction and thermal analyses and electron microscopy. Water sorption isotherm of V2O5 gel indicated that the gel initially has micropores or cavities commensurate with the size of water molecules. At higher relative pressures of water, steps in sorption isotherm appeared indicating the montmorillonite type layer structure which expands and accommodates at least two layers of water molecules in between the layers. This gel is stable in aqueous media and hence could be used as an ion exchanger for several alkali, alkaline earth and transition metal cations. The gel exhibited high selectivity for cesium ion (Kd = 226–981) in the presence of highly concentrated solutions of metal (M) cations such as Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, and Sr2+ (M/Cs equivalent ratio = 250). Its cesium uptake and selectivity was investigated in detail at room temperature. This property could be useful in the separation of Cs from radioactive waste solutions or naturally occurring brines.
Optical computing, an example of change

Some ways in which the new technologies of optical computing can add, and thereby change, the growing capabilities of present day digital techniques, are briefly reviewed. Among these are two-dimensional Fourier transforms, including complex (holographic) two-dimensional filters, the remarkable parallel nature of certain optical applications in radar, and the significant increase in bit packing densities offered by holographic memories.
My Treatment Approach to Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

My favored treatment approach for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma continues to evolve. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma can now be cured in more than 50% of patients. This is a result of improved definitions of the disease, improved diagnostic capabilities, better staging and restaging techniques, a useful prognostic index to guide therapeutic decisions, and the development of increasingly effective therapies. Positron emission tomographic scans have improved the accuracy of both staging and restaging. Findings on a positron emission tomographic scan at the end of therapy are the best predictors of a good treatment outcome. Numerous subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma have been identified that require specific treatment approaches. For example, plasmablastic lymphoma typically lacks CD20 and does not benefit from treatment with rituximab. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma originating in specific extranodal sites such as the central nervous system, testes, and skin presents special problems and requires specific treatment approaches. A subgroup of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a very high proliferative rate seems to have a poor outcome when treated with CHOP-R and does better with regimens used for patients with Burkitt lymphoma. New insights into the biology of these disorders are likely to further change treatment approaches. Recognition that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is not one disease, but a variety of clinicopathologic syndromes provides the opportunity to further improve our ability to benefit patients.
Subtype-specific mechanisms for regulating K+ channel density during development. Focus on "The carboxyl tail region of the Kv2.2 subunit mediates novel developments of channel density".

Outward K+ currents play fundamental roles in neuronal development. At early stages in the development of many nerve and muscle cells, K+ currents are small and activate relatively slowly. This allows action potentials early in development to have long durations; this in turn either increases the
Recordings of His bundle and other conduction tissue potentials in children.

The technique of in vivo intracardiac conduction tissue potential recording has been applied to children for the first time. Thirty-four of 35 children had His bundle potentials recorded at the time of cardiac catheterization. Atrioventricular nodal, right bundle, and left bundle branch potentials were also obtained. The procedure has been demonstrated to be feasible, practical, and without significant additional risk.
An Iterative Method for Altering the Kinematic Properties of Wind Fields.

Abstract Grid-point values of eastward and northward wind components imply that specific fields of divergence, vorticity and deformation exist. For certain purposes, one may wish to change the winds slightly to make them non-divergent, or to make them conform to fields of vorticity or deformation somewhat different than the original values. Control over the kinematic properties of a wind field can be exercised by the procedure given in this paper. The desired wind fields are obtained by a point iterative method applied to the two simultaneous linear partial differential equations that define horizontal divergence and relative vorticity, or stretching and shearing deformation. Some possible applications of this technique in analysis and forecasting are described briefly.
Two-dimensional mathematical structure of the human visuotopic map complex in V1, V2, and V3 measured via fMRI at 3 and 7 Tesla

We describe an improved methodology for recording human visual topography in striate and extra-striate cortex via fMRI at 3 T and 7 T field strengths, as well as the first fit of a two-dimensional map function which jointly models the visuotopic structure within cortical areas V1, V2, and V3 to fMRI visual topography data. We discuss five methodological improvements for fMRI visual topography studies. (1) We constructed a custom multi-channel surface coil covering occipital cortex for an improvement in signal-to-noise ratio relative to standard head coil systems. (2) Real-time feedback to subjects, based on psychometrically established eye fixation performance for individual subjects, motivated subjects to maintain fixation. This enabled us to verify accurate long-term fixation and to discard trials where performance was poor. (3) We developed a phase encoding stimulus paradigm where the standard M-factor scaling of a black-and-white checkerboard pattern is replaced with a dynamic spatial noise pattern, in which the correlation length of the noise is matched to cortical magnification factor and thus scales with distance from the center of the visual field. (4) Least-squares optimal quasiisometric brain flattening was used to obtain flat representations of the two-dimensional cortical surface without relaxation cuts through V1 or any other retinotopic area. (5) Finally, we fit a recently developed model of the structure of V1, V2, and V3 visual topography (Balasubramanian et al., Neural Networks, 15:1157–1163, 2002) to our data. This mathematical model allows for shear (i.e., anisotropy) in the cortical map and uses a small number of parameters (two global parameters and one additional parameter each for V1, V2, and V3 shear). Results of this new methodology and data analysis are presented on five human subjects, four collected at 3 T field strength and one collected at 7 T field strength. Presented at Vision Sciences Society 2005 Annual Meeting. Abstract number 901. Support Contributed By: NIH/NIBIB EB001550 Contact info: Jonathan Polimeni, Computer Vision and Computational Neuroscience Lab, 677 Beacon St., Boston, MA, 02215. URL: http://eslab.bu.edu, Email: jonnyreb@cns.bu.edu
Results and predictors of early and late outcomes of coronary artery bypass graft surgery in octogenarians.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate early and late outcomes of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in a large cohort of octogenarian patients. The results were compared with 2 other age groups including septuagenarians and patients Design: A retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing CABG surgery using a computerized database based on the New York State Department of Health registry. Data collection was performed prospectively. Setting: A university hospital (single institution). Participants: Two thousand nine hundred eighty-five patients undergoing CABG surgery including 282 (9.4%) octogenarians, 852 (28.6%) septuagenarians, and 1851 (62%) patients younger than 70 years old. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Patient characteristics, hospital mortality, morbidity, length of stay, and long-term survival were analyzed. Octogenarians were more likely female and presented significantly more often with comorbidities such as heart failure, an ejection fraction 80 years was not a predictor of hospital mortality. The length of stay was significantly higher in octogenarians compared with nonoctogenarians (16 ± 24 days v 10 ± 13 days, p Conclusions: Excellent results after CABG surgery can be expected in octogenarians, with a minimal increase in postoperative mortality and acceptable postoperative morbidity. Respiratory failure is the main postoperative complication in octogenarians. Recent advances in operative techniques and perioperative management have contributed in improving surgical outcome in these patients compared with historic reports.
Reconstruction of a full-thickness alar wound with a single operative procedure.

Background. The reconstruction of full-thickness alar wounds often requires multiple challenging surgical procedures. These procedures, although often functionally and aesthetically successful, are often staged, and they therefore introduce operative risks, significant investments of surgeon and patient time, and extraordinary costs. Objective. A turnover nasolabial flap can offer a one-step repair of difficult full-thickness alar wounds. A thorough explanation of the flap's design and execution is presented. An understanding of these factors is required to achieve predictably reliable operative results. Methods. A case report and review are given. Results. The turnover nasolabial flap can produce aesthetic and functional results that rival the most sophisticated pedicled flap reconstructions of the lateral ala. Conclusion. In distinction to the multiple operative procedures required to replace the missing tissues of the complicated ala, this turnover flap offers a one-step elegant repair of the nose. The flap belongs in the repertoire of any dermatologic surgeon interested in facial reconstruction.
Effect of steroid hormones on endotoxin-mediated cartilage degradation.

Cartilage degradation is a characteristic feature of various types of human arthritis, notably rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The influence of glucocorticoid and other steroid hormones on cartilage proteoglycan breakdown was examined in a model system in which breakdown is readily quantified by the release of proteoglycan from cultured bovine nasal cartilage discs. Endotoxin (bacterial lipopolysaccharides) treatment enhanced the depletion of cartilage proteoglycan by 2–3 fold. This was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by hydrocortisone (10−9 to 10−5M) or other glucocorticoid hormones (dexamethasone, prednisolone, cortisone). Inhibition required the continued presence of the steroid. Removal of hydrocortisone (3 × 10−7M) after 4 days from endotoxin-treated cultures resulted in the rapid restoration of an endotoxin response, so that proteoglycan release approached maximum levels during a second 4-day culture period. Other C-21 steroid hormones (progesterone, aldosterone) were also inhibitory at 10−5M, but testosterone and β-estradiol showed little influence on endotoxin action. Proteoglycan products of smaller average mol wt (Sepharose CL-2B chromatography), consistent with core protein cleavages, were released from endotoxin-treated cartilage. Cleavage was unaffected by β-estradiol, partially blocked by aldosterone and largely prevented by hydrocortisone administration.
Short-term memory and acoustic similarity

In a STM paradigm, four groups of 96 Ss each had all combinations of low and high acoustic similarity of items and sequential and simultaneous modes of presentation. Acoustic interference occurred as a proactive inhibition effect of prior items, and then only for the sequential mode and an immediate retention test. Acoustic interference was absent at a 30-sec test, showing its short life.
Investigation of Volatile Nitrosamines in Disposable Protective Gloves

Laboratory personnel of Eastern Regional Research Center, USDA, are required to wear disposable latex or vinyl gloves for certain analyses involving nitrosamines. In order to assess possible exposure of the wearers of these gloves, a limited survey was carried out on the volatile nitrosamine content in disposable protective gloves. Six latex gloves, nonsterile and sterile, surgical and nonsurgical, from four companies, and four vinyl gloves from three companies were analyzed. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP) were the primary nitrosamines detected. Five of the six latex gloves contained 37–329 ppb NDMA and 115–1879 ppb NPIP, all confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS); one glove contained no detectable trace of NDMA or NPIP. Of the four vinyl gloves, one contained 19 ppb NDMA and 759 ppb NPIP, both confirmed by GC-MS, one contained 6 ppb apparent NDMA and no detectable level of NPIP, and the remaining two contained no detectable levels of NDMA and NPIP.
53 PU.1 Expression Delineates Heterogeneity in Primary Th2 Cells

Primary T helper 2 cells are heterogeneous in nature, expressing subsets of cytokines at varying levels. Mechanisms controlling this spectrum of phenotype are still unclear. The ETS-family transcription factor PU.1 is a critical regulator in hematopoiesis. PU.1-null mice are either embryonic or neonatal lethal, and all result in defective lymphoid and myeloid lineage development. We identified selective expression of PU.1 in Th2 but not Th1 subsets. Th2 cytokine production is decreased in cultures transduced with a PU.1 expressing retrovirus and increased in Th2 cells expressing a short hairpin RNA that decreases PU.1 expression. In primary cultures, PU.1 expression is restricted to a subpopulation of Th2 cells that express CCL22 but decreased level of other Th2 cytokines. We also defined that the PU.1 transactivation and PEST domains are not required for regulating Th2 cytokine production. PU.1 appears to regulate the Th2 phenotype by antagonizing GATA-3 function by interfering with GATA-3 DNA binding both in vitro and in vivo without altering protein levels. Expression of PU.1 in Th2 cells alters cytokine production and may contribute towards establishing the spectrum of cytokine production observed in Th2 populations. These findings will be important in understanding the development of Th2-mediated diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.
Wind Estimates from Cloud Motions: Results from Phases I, II and II of an In Situ Aircraft Verification Experiment

An experiment is in progress to verify geostationary-satellite-derived cloud-motion wind estimates by in-situ aircraft wind-velocity measurements. One or more low-level aircraft equipped with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) were used to define the vertical extent and horizontal motion of a cloud and to measure the ambient wind field. A high-level aircraft, also equipped with an INS, took photographs to describe the horizontal extent of the cloud field and to measure cloud motion. To date the experiment has been conducted over tropical oceans and in the western Gulf of Mexico. A total of 60 h have been spent tracking some 40 tropical cumulus and five cirrus clouds. Results for tropical cumulus clouds indicate excellent agreement between the cloud motion and the wind at cloud base. The magnitude of the vector difference between the cloud motion and the cloud-base wind is less than 1.3 m/s for 67% of the cases with track lengths of 1 h or longer. Similarly, the vector differences between the cloud motion and the wind at sub-cloud (150 m), mid-cloud, and cloud-top levels are 1.5, 3.6 and 7.0 m/s, respectively. The cirrus cloud motions agreed best with the mean wind in the cloud layer with a vector difference of about 1.6 m/s.
Conventional strain energy in the oxadiazetidines

The conventional strain energies for all four isomers of oxadiazetidine are determined within the isodesmic, homodesmotic, and hyperhomodesmotic models. Optimum equilibrium geometries, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and corresponding electronic energies are computed for all pertinent molecular systems using self-consistent field theory, second-order perturbation theory, and density functional theory (DFT) and employing two basis sets of triple-zeta valence quality: 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311+G(2df,2pd). The DFT functional employed is Becke's three-parameter hybrid functional using the Lee, Yang, and Paar correlation functional. Single-point fourth-order perturbation theory and coupled-cluster theory restricted to single and double excitations [CCSD(T)] calculations employing the larger basis set also are computed, at both the second-order Moller–Plesset (MP2)/6-311G(d,p) and the MP2/6-311+G(2df,2pd) optimized geometries, to determine the effect of higher-order correlation effects on strain energy computation and to gauge the effect of geometry on these effects. Using the same models and methods, the conventional strain energies for both isomers of oxazetidine also are computed, to determine the effect on the strain energy of replacing a nitrogen with a carbon in the ring. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004
Distinctive Sulphydryl Responses in X-Irradiated and in Heat-treated Micrococcus radiodurans

THE role of endogenous sulphydryl compounds (SH) as partial determinants of radio-resistance has been challenged in wild type and in radio-sensitive mutants of Micrococcus radiodurans and in cell-free radio-protective extracts prepared from the wild strain1,2. While agents such as p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (HMB) and iodoacetic acid (IAA) complex cellular sulphydryl groups and sensitize this cell to ionizing radiation3,4, it has been shown that both HMB and IAA suffer radiolytic decomposition and possibly poison the cell by a non-sulphydryl vector5,6. When HMB was used to titrate the endogenous SH of eleven bacterial strains, however, a linear relationship was discovered between the quantity bound and both the LD90 and D0 exposures7. Recent studies reveal (a) that M. radiodurans binds more HMB than expected from its larger mass, (b) that the change in HMB binding after both X-irradiation and heat exposure is similar, and (c) that this response differs from responses of more radio-sensitive bacteria such as Escherichia coli B/r and Sarcina lutea.
Welfare Reform and the Myth of the Marketplace

Abstract The underlying value of the welfare reform initiatives of the 1990s is individual responsibility for economic well-being. Policymakers posit that if each person on public assistance would take full responsibility for her or his life, then the problem of welfare dependence would be solved. This article analyzes the flaws and myths of this perception. Trend analysis of employment of women heads of households demonstrates that historically the marketplace has never provided sufficient employment to raise public assistance families out of poverty. Welfare reform efforts will not help poor families, and the beliefs emanating from the welfare reform debate disregard the important role of social responsibility.
Empirical search for psychotherapists' gender competence in psychotherapy.

Over the past half century, psychotherapyresearch has demonstrated that psycho-therapy outcomes do not vary based onclients gender (Clarkin & Levy, 2004;Gar eld, 1994; Wierzbicki & Pekarik,1993). However, most studies assumedthat all psychotherapists are equally com-petent to treat men and women, thus po-tentially missing essential informationabout variations in psychotherapy out-comes. In fact, there is a paucity of stud-ies that have examined if psychothera-pists gender competence truly exists. Wepropose that psychotherapists gendercompetence should be de ned as the psy-chotherapists ability to achieve positivepsychotherapy outcomes with either fe-male or male clients. This study exam-ined the relationship between clientsgender and psychotherapy outcomes andif psychotherapists varied in their abili-ties to produce positive psychotherapyoutcomes for female and male clients.The sample included 93 male and 229female clients treated by 31 psychothera-pists. Consistent with previous research,the results demonstrated that clients gen-der was not related to psychotherapyoutcomes. However, compared to otherpsychotherapists, some psychotherapistswere better at treating men, whereas otherswere better at treating women. The resultsof this study demonstrate that psychothera-pists gender competence exists and relatesdirectly to the psychotherapy outcomes (i.e.,psychological well-being) of clients. Impli-cations for psychotherapy practice, training,and research are offered.Keywords: men, women, psychothera-pist effects, client factors, psychother-apy outcomes
DNA endoreduplication in maize endosperm cells is reduced by high temperature during the mitotic phase

DNA endoreduplication is the replication of nuclear DNA without subsequent mitosis and cell division, and is believed to be important in maize (Zea mays L.) kernel development. DNA endoreduplication has been shown to be negatively affected by high temperature treatments (HTTs) imposed during early kernel development in maize; however, the specific period of endosperm development at which the process is most sensitive to HTT has not been determined. To address this issue, HTTs (4 and 6 d at 35 degrees C) were applied to in vitro-grown maize kernels starting at 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 d after pollination (DAP). Our approach was to isolate endosperms to determine the effect of elevated temperature on endosperm fresh weight (FW), number of endosperm cells, mitotic index, and DNA endoreduplication. The 4-and 6-d HTTs imposed during the mitotic phase of the endosperm cell cycle (4, 6, and 8 DAP) reduced nuclei number and kernel FW, delayed cell division, decreased average DNA content, and reduced the percentage of nuclei in the 24, 48, and 96 C classes (C is the DNA content of a haploid nucleus in maize). In contrast, delaying the imposition of the 4- or 6-d HTTs until 10 or 12 DAP (during the endoreduplication phase of the endosperm cell cycle) did not affect nuclei number, average DNA content, and DNA endoreduplication compared to the control. Thus, HTTs are most deleterious to DNA endoreduplication, endosperm FW, and nuclei number when applied during the mitotic phase of the endosperm cell cycle. These data further show that 4 to 10 DAP is the period during maize endosperm development that is most sensitive to high temperature, and that prolonged exposure restricts entry of mitotic cells into the endoreduplication phase of the cell cycle.
Digital Arteriography in Occlusive Arterial Disease and Clubbing of the Fingers

A study of transbrachial digital arteriography led to the development of a technique that includes the use of an intra-arterial vasodilator (tolazoline) measurement of circulation time, direct roentgenographic magnification and serial exposures of long (14 by 35-inch) films in cassettes. This technique permitted study of the fine details of digital arteriograms of 34 patients with clubbing of the fingers or peripheral occlusive arterial disease. The ulnar artery was nonopacified in 13 cases and segmental areas of nonopacification of digital arteries were seen in 17 of the entire group, in many instances in the absence of symptoms of occlusive arterial disease. The technique is recommended for more adequate study of the peripheral microangiopathies.
Growth Dynamics of Low‐birth‐weight infants

The growth of weight, length and head circumference of 65 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) preterm infants and 85 full term controls has been studied longitudinally, with emphasis on growth velocity in the perinatal period. In comparison growth patterns of 51 small for gestational age (SGA) preterm infants have been analysed with respect to catch-up growth in relation to feeding practices. Weight gain of the AGA preterm infants is retarded until the corrected age of two months; their length remains below that of full term controls up to 21 months on average. Head circumference growth however is similar to intrauterine standards and from term agrees with that of the full term controls. Growth velocity is very high in the perinatal period and in the first months after term and decreases rapidly thereafter.
Mesh-reinforced ventral hernia repair: preference for 2 techniques

Hypothesis Long-term (5-year) recurrence rates are comparable between onlay vs retrorectus mesh-reinforced ventral hernia repairs. Design Retrospective study of prospective data collection. Setting University and Veterans Affairs hospitals. Patients One hundred twenty-five patients treated between February 1988 and September 2001. Ninety-four patients were male. The mean patient age was 56 years (age range, 29-80 years). Fifty percent of patients were smokers, and 32.0% were obese; comorbidities were similar in the 2 cohorts studied. Interventions Open surgical extraperitoneal prosthetic mesh reinforcement of the incisional closure among 75 patients (onlay repair [cohort OR]) or in the retrorectus position among 50 patients (retrorectus repair [cohort RR]). Main Outcome Measures Recurrent hernia, wound infection, and intestinal fistulas. Results Nine patients in cohort OR and 2 patients in cohort RR (8.8%) had wound infections; no fistulas occurred. Complications were similar in the 2 cohorts. One mortality occurred. All hernias recurred at the cranial or caudal edge of the mesh. The median recurrence rates were 20.0% at 15 months in the OR cohort and 4.0% at 9 months in cohort RR ( P Conclusions Extraperitoneal mesh reinforcement avoids intestinal complications and subsequent operations to remove mesh. Recurrence is more frequent after onlay mesh reinforcement and usually occurs at the cranial or caudal edge of the mesh within the first 2 years after hernia repair. Retrorectus repair is the preferred open surgical treatment of incisional hernia, but it has not been universally applicable. Hernias developing 6 to 7 years after surgery are not the result of failed earlier repairs.
Phonological processing in first-degree relatives of individuals with autism: An fMRI study

r Abstract: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Twin studies have provided heritability estimates as high as 90% for idiopathic ASD. Further evidence for the spectrum's heritability is provided by the presence of the broad autism phenotype (BAP) in unaffected first-degree relatives. Language ability, specifically phonological processing, is pro- posed to be a core BAP trait. To date, however, no functional neuroimaging investigations of phonological processing in relatives of individuals with ASD have been undertaken. We con- ducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in parents of children with ASD utilizing a priming task probing implicit phonological processing. In our condition that placed heavier demands on phonological recoding, parents exhibited greater hemodynamic responses than controls in a network of cortical regions involved in phonological processing. Across condi- tions, parents exhibited enhanced priming-induced response suppression suggesting compensatory neural processing. A nonword repetition test used in previous studies of relatives was also administered. Correlations between this measure and our functional measures also suggested compensatory processing in parents. Regions exhibiting atypical responses in parents included regions previously implicated in the spectrum's language impairments and found to exhibit struc- tural abnormalities in a parent study. These results suggest a possible neurobiological substrate of the phonological deficits proposed to be ac ore BAP trait. However, these results should be considered preliminary. No previous fMRI study has investigated phonological processing in ASD, so replication is required. Furthermore, interpretation of our fMRI results is limited by the fact that the parent group failed to exhibit behavioral evidence of phonological impairments. Hum Brain Mapp 00:000-000, 2012. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ToF-SIMS analysis of adsorbate/membrane interactions I. Adsorption of dehydroabietic acid on poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Abstract Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used to investigate the adsorption behaviour of aqueous solutions of dehydroabietic acid (dhAA) in contact with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF). An identification scheme was developed to qualitatively identify the presence of adsorbed resin acid on the membrane surface at solution concentrations from 10–1000 ppm. ToF-SIMS reveals that dehydroabietic acid adsorbs inhomogeneously on the surface of poly(vinylidene fluoride).
Detection and Relative Titer of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus in the Salivary Glands and Alimentary Canal of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) Vector of Citrus Huanglongbing Disease

Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) bacterium has been strongly implicated as the causative agent of huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, which is currently the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. HLB is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), in a persistent manner. We used quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect CLas in dissected organs of individual D. citri adults infected with HLB in the laboratory or collected from field-infected citrus trees in South Florida. The proportion of infected (CLas-positive) dissected organs was 47–70% for the salivary glands, 72–80% for the alimentary canal, and 79–97.5% for the rest of the insect body. Statistical analysis indicated that, in both field- and laboratory-infected D. citri, the proportion of infected salivary glands was significantly lower than that of other parts in the insect body. With field-collected psyllids, the relative copy number of CLas genomes, compared with psyllid genomic DNA in each sample, was significantly higher in both the salivary gland and alimentary canal compared with that in the rest of the insect body for both males and females. These results provide the first PCR confirmation of CLas in the alimentary canal and salivary glands of D. citri and strongly suggest that the salivary glands constitute an important transmission barrier to CLas in the psyllid vector. Our results also suggest that CLas may replicate or accumulate in both the alimentary canal and salivary glands of D. citri.
An Optimal General Purpose Scheduler for Networked Control Systems

The network-induced time delay is one of the major challenges that appear when the design or the analysis of any Networked Control System (NCS) is needed. The delay can be tackled in the network level by performing control of network actions. Since the process of prioritizing the network access is the main contributor of the network-induced time delay, then the efficient way to control the time delay is to improve the scheduling criterion. This paper proposes an optimal scheduling criterion that improves the quality of service for each node in the network and at the same time maintains the stability of the control system. The proposed optimal scheduling protocol is a hybrid scheduling criterion that combines the advantages of the dynamic and the static scheduling protocols. First, the algorithm of the optimal scheduling is discussed. Second, the optimal control-scheduling problem is formulated. The mixed logical-dynamical optimization problem is then solved. Finally, numerical examples and simulation results are introduced and discussed.
A method to estimate the depth of the sciatic nerve during subgluteal block by using thigh diameter as a guide.

Background and Objective: The subgluteal approach is common for sciatic nerve block. Although the surface landmarks are clear, the depth of this nerve at this level is difficult to judge. The purpose of this study is to establish a method of estimating the sciatic nerve depth using the anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the thigh as a marker. Methods: The study was undertaken in 2 phases. Phase 1 entailed review of 100 magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of the pelvis and proximal lower extremity of patients. Measurements were taken of the AP diameter of the thigh at the midpoint of the lesser trochanter and then compared with distances of the sciatic nerves from the skin of the posterior aspect of the thigh at the same level. Phase 2 involved enrolling 40 patients undergoing lower-extremity surgery for whom subgluteal sciatic nerve blocks were indicated. The AP diameters of the thighs were measured from the subgluteal groove to the inguinal groove with the patient in the supine position. Placing the patient in the lateral position, the subgluteal sciatic block was then performed by using a stimulating needle. The distances from the skin at which the sciatic nerves were actually found, as estimated by maximum motor response to stimulus, were noted. Results: Phase 1 showed a mean AP diameter of 18.94 cm ± 2.61 cm (mean ± standard deviation [SD]), mean nerve depth of 6.51 cm ± 1.46 cm (mean ± SD), and a linear regression slope of 0.48. Phase 2 showed a mean AP diameter of 16.28 cm ± 2.73cm (mean ± SD), a mean nerve depth of 6.99 cm ± 1.39 cm (mean ± SD), and a linear regression slope of 0.43. The thigh diameters differed (P Conclusions: Comparing phase 1 and phase 2 datasets shows the slopes of linear regression lines are nearly parallel. The clinical data from phase 2 verify the anatomical data collected in phase 1 and show that the sciatic nerve depth to AP diameter ratio is 0.43 or the depth of the sciatic nerve is approximately 43% of thigh diameter if the patient is positioned in the lateral decubitus position.
Chronic alcohol consumption generates a vulnerable immune environment during early SIV infection in rhesus macaques.

Background Alcohol consumption is a common problem in HIV-infected individuals, and the effects of alcohol may alter the efficiency of the immune response, potentially aggravating the disease as well as affecting end organs, such as the brain. However, the elements of the virus-host interaction that are modulated by ethanol are poorly dissected.
Delayed coincidence techniques with accelerator beams

Abstract An analysis of delayed coincidence methods with special reference to in-beam experiments is presented. A new technique is described which offers an advantage in efficiency over standard methods, and which is intended for the investigation of radiations populating isomeric states. Simple rules are given for the optimization of delayed coincidence experiments.