cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychometric Evaluation of the Shortened Resilience Scale Among Alzheimer's Caregivers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the shortened Resilience Scale (15-item version RS15) among a sample of Alzheimer's caregivers. Self-reported data were collected from 229 participants at 2 Alzheimer's caregiver conferences. RS15 principal axis factoring indicated a single-dimensional solution with all items loaded. Reliability was strong. Convergent validity for the RS15 was suggested through its correlations with stress, family support, and friend support. Odds ratios showed significant likelihoods of high resilience given low stress and high social support. The results confirmed the RS15 to be a psychometrically sound measure that can be used to appraise the efficacy of adaptability among Alzheimer's caregivers.
Coronary artery bypass grafting in renal and cardiac transplant recipients

Six patients required post-transplant coronary artery bypass grafting. Five patients from one month to several years post renal transplant and one patient three years after orthotopic cardiac transplant. One patient who had renal transplant had an aneurysm of the left anterior descending coronary artery involving the left main coronary artery. A combination of ligation and resection technique were used to treat coronary aneurysm. All patients had complete coronary revascularisation. Vigorous antibiotic prophylaxis was instituted in all patients because of immunosuppression and was continued throughout the pre and postoperative course. all patients recovered and did well. There was one late death 18 months postoperatively in a patient who had earlier undergone renal transplant. Death was related to cancer of the prostate gland. Our short experience shows that coronary artery bypass grafting can be satisfactorily undertaken in this special subset of patients.
Design and analysis of a micromachined piezoelectric sensor for measuring the viscoelastic properties of tissues in minimally invasive surgery

In this paper, the design, analysis and fabrication of a micromachined piezoelectric endoscopic tactile sensor to determine the properties of tissues in minimally invasive surgery is presented. The viscoelastic Kelvin model is employed for tissue characterization. A closed form expression is derived to express the relationship between the force ratio, compliance and the equivalent viscous damping of the tissue. The designed sensor uses a PVDF film as its sensing element. The sensor consists of rigid and compliant elements which are mounted on the tip of an endoscopic surgical grasper tool. The relative force between adjacent parts of the contact object is used to measure the viscoelastic properties experimentally.
Distribution of local repolarization changes produced by efferent vagal stimulation in the canine ventricles

The purpose of this study was to compare the distribution of effects of right and left efferent vagal stimulation on ventricular recovery properties in the in situ heart. To measure these effects in many areas simultaneously, local repolarization changes (local QT intervals) were recorded with bipolar electrodes in nine ventricular sites from 38 anesthetized dogs. In initial experiments, this method was shown to correlate with effective refractory period changes measured in the same test site after QT recording; vagal nerve stimulation prolonged the local QT interval by 1 ms for each 0.82 ms prolongation in effective refractory period (r = 0.87). Simultaneous local QT recordings during vagal nerve stimulation demonstrated uniform prolongation with two exceptions. First, left vagal efferent stimulation prolonged local QT interval in the posterior left ventricular base more than did right vagal stimulation (5.9 ± 1.0 mean ± standard error of the mean versus 3.7 ± 0.9%, p These regional differences in ventricular repolarization exhibited in response to efferent vagal nerve stimulation in the dog may provide a basis for understanding how autonomic influences could contribute to the genesis of ventricular arrhythmias.
Sample thickness and quantitative concentration measurements in Br K-edge XANES spectroscopy of organic materials

While XANES spectroscopy is an established tool for quantitative information on chemical structure and speciation, elemental concentrations are generally quantified by other methods. The edge step in XANES spectra represents the absolute amount of the measured element in the sample, but matrix effects and sample thickness complicate the extraction of accurate concentrations from XANES measurements, particularly at hard X-ray energies where the X-ray beam penetrates deeply into the sample. The present study demonstrates a method of quantifying concentration with a detection limit approaching 1 mg kg(-1) using information routinely collected in the course of a hard X-ray XANES experiment. The XANES normalization procedure unambiguously separates the signal of the absorber from any source of background. The effects of sample thickness on edge steps at the bromine K-edge were assessed and an empirical correction factor for use with samples of variable mass developed.
Modelling planktic foraminiferal assemblage changes and application to sea surface temperature estimation in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean

Abstract Calcite dissolution occurring on the sea floor impedes accurate sea surface temperature estimates from planktic foraminiferal assemblage compositions. As an attempt to address this issue, we devised a mathematical model to study the progressive modifications of species compositions by dissolution and to account for its effect on temperature estimates. To calibrate the model, planktic foraminiferal compositions and preservation were examined for a bathymetrie transect of samples from the Ontong Java Plateau in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. Along the transect, variations in relative abundances of various species show depth-related patterns, and the preservation of foraminifera decreases with water depth. Assuming that the population of each foraminiferal species has a bell-shaped response curve to dissolution, the model numerically dissolves the well-preserved shallowest sample to the levels that are indicated by the fragmentation levels of the samples from deeper water depths. Our results show that the model reproduces the observed depth-related abundance variation patterns with remarkable accuracy. After calibration, the model is able to reconstruct the original species compositions for the samples from water depths above 3500 m by numerically adding back what has been dissolved. This reduces the effect of dissolution on the sea surface temperature estimates from about 2 °C to about 0.5 °C for these samples. We observed that the more dissolved samples on the Ontong Java Plateau give higher sea surface temperature estimates, a pattern opposite to what is observed in the South China Sea. We attribute the differing effects of dissolution on temperature estimates to regional differences in foraminiferal faunal compositions.
H. pylori-Induced Higher C-Reactive Protein in Obese African Americans.

African Americans are more susceptible to develop insulin resistance, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and coronary heart disease (CHD), and systemic inflammation is central to the pathophysiology of these chronic diseases. African Americans are also more likely to contract H. pylori (cagA) infections during their childhood. However, the contribution of H. pylori infection to the degree of overall systemic inflammation in these chronic diseases is not known. Therefore, we studied 46 apparently healthy African Americans, over 40 years of age who were, infected with H. pylori (cagA). These volunteers were assessed at baseline and after treatment with triple regimen drug therapy to eradicate H. pylori. All but 3 subjects were found to be free of this infection by urea breath test (UBT) after the treatment period. No hyperhomocysteinemia was found in these subjects and there were no significant changes in the level of homocysteine (tHcy), folate and B(12); however, CRP levels measured by high sensitivity assay showed a significant (p=0.02) decrease 2 months after the eradication. We further stratified CRP values according to the BMI 27. There was more profound reduction in CRP in the more obese group (i.e., BMI>27) from 54.26 ± 23.67 to 18.73 ± 17.39 mg/l (p=0.01), compared with the leaner subjects in whom CRP decreases from 8.88 ± 6.23 to 4.94 ± 6.21 mg/L (p=0.04), after eradication of the H. pylori (cagA) infection. The level of CRP, however, remained significantly higher in the obese subjects even after the eradication of this infection, indicative of a smaller residual influence of adiposity on CRP. Thus, a major component of systemic inflammation in African Americans may be attributable to chronic H. pylori infection.
Building a research career in general internal medicine: a perspective from young investigators.

To survive academically in a clinician-investigator track, junior research faculty must develop a focused, independent program of investigation that addresses important questions with creative, valid methodologies. Appreciation for the rules of the game, good mentorship, and effective grant-writing skills are invaluable in making the transition from new faculty to established investigator. Although we strongly believe that young researchers should study the issues they passionately care about, we hope that knowledge of these guidelines will make it easier for them to balance practicality with idealism.
Processing of laminin-5 and its functional consequences : role of plasmin and tissue-type plasminogen activator

The laminin-5 component of the extracellular matrices of certain cultured cells such as the rat epithelial cell line 804G and the human breast epithelial cell MCF-10A is capable of nucleating assembly of cell– matrix adhesive devices called hemidesmosomes when other cells are plated upon them. These matrices also impede cell motility. In contrast, cells plated onto the laminin-5–rich matrices of pp126 epithelial cells fail to assemble hemidesmosomes and are motile. To understand these contradictory phenomena, we have compared the forms of heterotrimeric laminin-5 secreted by 804G and MCF-10A cells with those secreted by pp126 cells, using a panel of laminin-5 subunit-specific antibodies. The α3 subunit of laminin-5 secreted by pp126 cells migrates at 190 kD, whereas that secreted by 804G and MCF-10A cells migrates at 160 kD. The pp126 cell 190-kD α3 chain of laminin-5 can be specifically proteolyzed by plasmin to a 160-kD species at enzyme concentrations that do not apparently effect the laminin-5 β and γ chains. After plasmin treatment, pp126 cell laminin-5 not only impedes cell motility but also becomes competent to nucleate assembly of hemidesmosomes. The possibility that plasmin may play an important role in processing laminin-5 subunits is supported by immunofluorescence analyses that demonstrate colocalization of laminin-5 and plasminogen in the extracellular matrix of MCF-10A and pp126 cells. Whereas tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), which converts plasminogen to plasmin, codistributes with laminin-5 in MCF-10A matrix, tPA is not present in pp126 extracellular matrix. Treatment of pp126 laminin-5–rich extracellular matrix with exogenous tPA results in proteolysis of the laminin-5 α3 chain from 190 to 160 kD. In addition, plasminogen and tPA bind laminin-5 in vitro. In summary, we provide evidence that laminin-5 is a multifunctional protein that can act under certain circumstances as a motility and at other times as an adhesive factor. In cells in culture, this functional conversion appears dependent upon and is regulated by tPA and plasminogen.
On Reducing False Conflicts in Distributed Transactional Data Structures

We present techniques for reducing false conflicts in distributed transactional data structure (DDS). The open nesting transactional model is the common solution because it allows nested transactions to commit independently of their parent transaction, thereby objects in the transaction read-set and write-set are released early, minimizing aborts due to false conflicts and improving concurrency. We present three protocols for avoiding false conflicts in DDS. Our first protocol, QR-ON, incorporates open nesting into the QR protocol that manages concurrency control for distributed transactional memory systems using quorum-based replication. We then introduce Optimistic Open Nesting, QR-OON, in which open-nested transactions commit asynchronously so that subsequent transactions can proceed without waiting for the commit of previous transactions. Finally, we propose an early release methodology, QR-ER, in which objects that do not affect the final state of the shared data are dropped from transaction's read-set, which avoids false conflicts and reduces communication costs. Our implementation and experimental studies revealed that QR-OON outperforms QR-ON by up to 43%, and that QR-ER outperforms QR-ON and QR-OON by up to 10X.
4. The Safety Dance: Confronting Harassment, Intimidation, and Violence in the Field

This paper discusses how gender dynamics may put female researchers at risk of harassment or even violence from participants, research assistants, or bystanders when conducting fieldwork. Based on a review of the existing literature on fieldwork safety, as well as the authors' own experiences interviewing male participants, the authors argue that attention to protecting subjects of research has led the social science community to largely ignore the possibility that in some cases, researchers themselves may be at risk. The paper concludes with suggested strategies for increasing researcher safety during data collection, as well as a call for issues of fieldwork safety to be more openly discussed by supervisors, professors, advisors, and others who guide novice researchers through the fieldwork process.
ST. LOUIS ENCEPHALITIS : INFECTION OF CHICKEN MITES, DERMANYSSUS GALLINAE, BY FEEDING ON CHICKENS WITH VIREMIA; TRANSOVARIAN PASSAGE OF VIRUS INTO THE SECOND GENERATION.

A colony of chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) was established from a single adult female mite and her offspring. This colony of mites was shown to be free of the virus of St. Louis encephalitis. Infection of mites from this homogeneous colony with the virus of St. Louis encephalitis was accomplished by feeding on chickens having viremia. The virus was recovered as readily from mites which had not been allowed to feed for 8 days as from mites freshly engorged, showing that the demonstration of virus in the mites does not depend on the presence of fresh infective chicken blood. Transovarian passage of the St. Louis virus into the second generation has been demonstrated in mites infected experimentally. The female mite infected as an adult can pass the St. Louis virus through eggs laid after additional feeding on normal blood. Persistence of the virus for a period of 6 months has been shown in a colony of mites infected experimentally in the laboratory.
PANEL APPRAISAL AS A CRITERION IN TEST VALIDATION: A DEMONSTRATION IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT JOB

The purpose of this project was to develop and validate an entry level written exam for the job of deputy sheriff. In addition, the study investigated a novel approach to collecting criterion data-panel appraisals. A 265 item pilot test was developed in order to cover the KSAO's identified by a thorough job analysis. A concurrent criterion-related validation strategy was employed in which: (1) criterion data were collected in the form of supervisory job performance ratings (i.e., using the panel appraisal format), performance in training, and performance over time on 373 deputies and corporals, and (2) the pilot test was then administered to these same deputies and corporals. Item analysis procedures on an 80% calibration sample resulted in the selection of 75 items for the final version of the written exam. Validity estimates, calculated on a 20% holdout group, were significant for the job performance and performance in training criteria, r=.26 and r=.40, respectively. Subsequent comparisons of the three performance criteria indicated that the panel appraisal format produced a highly reliable criterion measure.
A stochastic possibilistic programming model for bank hedging decision problems

Abstract For a practical bank hedging decision optimization problem, interest rates and price of futures contract may involve both fuzziness and randomness. For subjective nature of satisfaction, maximum desired values of loan demand, deposit supply and ratio of desired loan to deposit are often fuzzy. In this study, we consider and solve a stochastic possibilistic programming model of bank hedging decision problems with the above characters. We first use the expected value to obtain an auxiliary possibilistic linear programming problem which is further resolved by use of β-level cut. An (crisp) auxiliary bi-objective linear programming model is then proposed and solved by our augmented maximum approach. For illustration purpose, a numerical bank hedging decision problem is solved.
A tearing-based hybrid parallel banded linear system solver

A new parallel algorithm for the solution of banded linear systems is proposed. The scheme tears the coefficient matrix into several overlapped independent blocks in which the size of the overlap is equal to the system's bandwidth. A corresponding splitting of the right-hand side is also provided. The resulting independent, and smaller size, linear systems are solved under the constraint that the solutions corresponding to the overlap regions are identical. This results in a linear system whose size is proportional to the sum of the overlap regions which we refer to as the ''balance'' system. We propose a solution strategy that does not require obtaining this ''balance'' system explicitly. Once the balance system is solved, retrieving the rest of the solution can be realized with almost perfect parallelism. Our proposed algorithm is a hybrid scheme that combines direct and iterative methods for solving a single banded system of linear equations on parallel architectures. It has broad applications in finite-element analysis, particularly as a parallel solver of banded preconditioners that can be used in conjunction with outer Krylov iterative schemes.
Technetium-99m labeled epidermal growth factor-tumor imaging in mice.

We have shown previously that the epidermal growth factor peptide (EGF) may be radiolabeled with 99mTc at room temperature and neutral pH by using the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of S-acetyl mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) as a bifunctional chelator. By a competition binding assay, we found that MAG3-conjugated EGF retained biological activity. Furthermore, the labeled peptide exhibited saturation binding to EGF receptor-positive tumor cell lines which could be inhibited by presaturation of the cells with unlabeled, native EGF. Biodistribution in normal mice at 3 h postadministration showed rapid clearance with minimal retention of the label in sampled organs. We have now investigated the tumor localization properties in mice of this labeled peptide. Nude mice implanted with the EGF receptor-positive tumors A431 and LS-174T were administered labeled EGF and a labeled control peptide (BPTI, aprotinin). Tumor uptake at 12 h postadministration was 0.44% injected dose/g for EGF/g vs. 0.09 for the control. Pretreatment of tumored mice with unlabeled EGF blocked about half the tumor uptake. Animals were also administered an anti-EGF receptor antibody labeled with 99mTc via MAG3. Relative to the antibody, tumor-to-muscle ratios were improved from 6 to 15 and tumor-to-blood ratios from 0.4 to 7 with EGF. These favorable results along with documented evidence of overexpression of the EGF receptor in many human tumors suggest that 99mTc-EGF should be considered further for tumor detection. © Munksgaard 1997.
Primary and Secondary Renal Failure in a Total Community (Tecumseh, Michigan): Preponderance in the Elderly and Possible Antecedent Factors*

: In 14 (8 men and 6 women) of the 8,641 original examinees in the Tecumseh Study, renal failure (RF) was found to have developed during an eight-year period. The proportion rose significantly with age. At the initial examination (one to eight years before the onset of RF), no subject subsequently uremic had a history of acute glomerulonephritis or chronic renal disease nor was frankly azotemic, although in 4 there was a suggestion of early disease. Six of the 12 subjects (50 per cent) over age 45 who later became uremic gave a history compatible with urinary-tract infection (UTI), compared with 380 (22 per cent) of the remaining 1,746 examinees in this age range. Conversely, in 6 of 386 persons (1.6 per cent) with a history of UTI, renal failure developed, in contrast to 6 of 1,372 persons (0.4 per cent) without such a history. Common disorders noted at the initial examination one to eight years before RF were congestive heart failure (9 cases), loss of hearing (7 cases), coronary heart disease (5 cases), hyperuricosemia (5 cases), and hyperglycemia (5 cases). This study shows that most persons in whom renal failure develops are elderly and have pre-existing vascular disease; in about a quarter of them, the findings at the time of the initial examination indicate early renal disease. Although these data point to a relationship between UTI and RF in some cases, in most patients with a history of UTI, renal failure does not develop.
Simulation Analysis on Backward Spinning of Utra Thin-walled Shield Sleeve With High Ratio of Diameter/Thickness

In this paper,a elasto-plastic FEM model was constructed for sleeve backward spinning process of Utra thin-walled shield sleeve with high ratio of diameter/thickness,and the large-scale FEM analysis software MSC. Marc is used for a simulation analysis. The metal plastic flow field and the distribution of stress and strain of the spinning wheel contact area are studied,and the theoretical guidance for the actual processing of the ltra thin-walled shield sleevewith high ratio of diameter/thickness is provided.
Persistence of pathogens with short infectious periods in seasonal tick populations: the relative importance of three transmission routes.

Background The flaviviruses causing tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) persist at low but consistent levels in tick populations, despite short infectious periods in their mammalian hosts and transmission periods constrained by distinctly seasonal tick life cycles. In addition to systemic and vertical transmission, cofeeding transmission has been proposed as an important route for the persistence of TBE-causing viruses. Because cofeeding transmission requires ticks to feed simultaneously, the timing of tick activity may be critical to pathogen persistence. Existing models of tick-borne diseases do not incorporate all transmission routes and tick seasonality. Our aim is to evaluate the influence of seasonality on the relative importance of different transmission routes by using a comprehensive mathematical model. Methodology/Principal Findings We developed a stage-structured population model that includes tick seasonality and evaluated the relative importance of the transmission routes for pathogens with short infectious periods, in particular Powassan virus (POWV) and the related “deer tick virus,” emergent encephalitis-causing flaviviruses in North America. We used the next generation matrix method to calculate the basic reproductive ratio and performed elasticity analyses. We confirmed that cofeeding transmission is critically important for such pathogens to persist in seasonal tick populations over the reasonable range of parameter values. At higher but still plausible rates of vertical transmission, our model suggests that vertical transmission can strongly enhance pathogen prevalence when it operates in combination with cofeeding transmission. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrate that the consistent prevalence of POWV observed in tick populations could be maintained by a combination of low vertical, intermediate cofeeding and high systemic transmission rates. When vertical transmission is weak, nymphal ticks support integral parts of the transmission cycle that are critical for maintaining the pathogen. We also extended the model to pathogens that cause chronic infections in hosts and found that cofeeding transmission could contribute to elevating prevalence even in these systems. Therefore, the common assumption that cofeeding transmission is not relevant in models of chronic host infection, such as Lyme disease, could lead to underestimating pathogen prevalence.
Does the phylogeny of pelomedusoid turtles reflect vicariance due to continental drift

Aim The turtle hyperfamily Pelomedusoides has been long regarded as one of the best reptilian examples of the shared biological history of Africa and South America, and of vicariance due to continental drift. The currently accepted phylogeny of the Pelomedusoides is based on morphological and serological evidence. This study uses molecular data to examine the relationships within the Pelomedusoides and tests the hypothesis that the speciation within this group was caused by the separation of the Gondwanan continents. Methods Phylogenetic analysis of 921 bp of 12S and 16S mitochondrial rRNA obtained from GenBank. Results Our analysis resulted in a well-supported phylogenetic hypothesis for the extant Pelomedusoides that does not agree with previous hypotheses based on morphology and serology. The new hypothesis of pelomedusoid relationships is (Pelusios + Pelomedusa) (Peltocephalus[Erymnochelys + Podocnemis]). The molecular evidence supports the monophyly of the Podocnemidae and Pelomedusidae of de Broin (1988). However, the relationships within the Podocnemidae differ in that the Madagascan Erymnochelys is the sister taxon of the neotropical Podocnemis. Main conclusion This result is in conflict with the hypothesis of pelomedusoid speciation being a result of the continental drift of South America and Africa/Madagascar, with the separation of those three continents resulting in three separate evolutionary groups. Based on an extensive fossil record, the Pelomedusoides are known to have been a wide-ranging group. This latest phylogenetic hypothesis, combined with that of Meylan (1996) for the Pelomedusoides, suggests that current pelomedusoid distributions and relationships could be the result of large-scale extinctions with extant taxa being relicts of this widespread group.
Alarm pheromones from the marine opisthobranchNavanax inermis

When molested, the marine opisthobranchNavanax inermis secretes into its slime trail, a bright yellow mixture of three major compounds and several closely related minor substances. Collectively, these compounds induce an avoidance-alarm response in a trail-followingNavanax at the concentration limits of 1 × 10−5 M. The three major compounds have been isolated and identified as 10-(3′-pyridyl)-3E,5E,7E,9E-decatetraen-2-one (navenone A), 10-phenyl-3E,5E,7E,9E-decatetraen-2-one (navenone B) and 10-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)-3E,5E,7E,9E-decatetraen-2-one (navenone C). The minor constituents of the mixture are proposed as the 3Z,5Z,7E,9E-isomers and the 3-methyl homologs of navenones A and B. The navenones appear to be produced in a specialized gland referred to in earlier studies as the “yellow gland” and to communicate the presence of predators within the species.
A systematic study of P1–P3 spanning sidechains for the inhibition of HIV-1 protease

Using information obtained from the co-crystal structure of an initial peptidomimetic lead complexed with HIV-1 protease, a series of inhibitors was constructed with substituents designed to span from the P1 to the P3 pockets of the enzyme. In accord with prediction, systematic extension of the P1 substituent with large, lipophilic groups leads to enhancements in binding potencies for this class of inhibitors. Surprisingly, inhibitors with large substituents at both P1 and P3 are also well-tolerated by the enzyme, providing compounds with subnanomolar binding affinities for HIV-1 protease.
Relation of Cotton Fiber Maturity and Strength Uniformity to Change in Tenacity with Mercerization

Bolls of eight cultivars of Gosspium hirsutum L. were harvested 26, 32, 38, and 44 days postanthesis. Percent maturity varied from 2 to 91, and strength uniformity varied from 0.386 to 0.611. Strength uniformity was negatively correlated with the increase in tenacity on both slack and tension mercerization (tenacity ratio) on samples within a harvest date. When all harvest dates were included, this relationship was nonsignificant. Within a cultivar this correlation was strong and positive. The relationship of XaOH maturity to the tenacity ratio was not significant on samples from one harvest date, but it increased to significance when the range in maturity was extended to include samples from all harvest dates. Within a cultivar this relation was strong and negative. Data on 38- and 44-day-old bolls cover maturities encountered in commercial cottons, and these data show a higher correlation between strength uniformity and tenacity ratio than between maturity and tenacity ratio.
Mutations in the glucose‐6‐phosphatase‐α (G6PC) gene that cause type Ia glycogen storage disease

Glucose-6-phosphatase-alpha (G6PC) is a key enzyme in glucose homeostasis that catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucose-6-phosphate to glucose and phosphate in the terminal step of gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. Mutations in the G6PC gene, located on chromosome 17q21, result in glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia), an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder. GSD-Ia patients manifest a disturbed glucose homeostasis, characterized by fasting hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, nephromegaly, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, lactic acidemia, and growth retardation. G6PC is a highly hydrophobic glycoprotein, anchored in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum with the active center facing into the lumen. To date, 54 missense, 10 nonsense, 17 insertion/deletion, and three splicing mutations in the G6PC gene have been identified in more than 550 patients. Of these, 50 missense, two nonsense, and two insertion/deletion mutations have been functionally characterized for their effects on enzymatic activity and stability. While GSD-Ia is not more prevalent in any ethnic group, mutations unique to Caucasian, Oriental, and Jewish populations have been described. Despite this, GSD-Ia patients exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity and a stringent genotype-phenotype relationship does not exist.
Effect of a squeezed vacuum input on optical bistability.

We discuss the optical bistable behavior of a system of N two-level atoms pumped by a coherent input field and coupled to a squeezed vacuum field by treating the optical bistability of such a system as an input-output problem. We consider the equation of motion for atomic dipole moments, coupled to the cavity field and the squeezed vacuum, and the boundary condition connecting the input and output fields with the atomic lowering operator. A simple analytical expression for the influence of the squeezed vacuum input on the bistable behavior of the output field is derived by this method. The results indicate a strong influence of the squeezed vacuum input on optical bistability. The squeezed (stretched) vacuum input field tends to increase (decrease) the range of optical bistability.
Substrate effects on surface plasmons in single nanoholes

Light transmission and electric field enhancement are calculated for a cylindrical aperture in a silver slab resting on a glass substrate. We find that these properties are influenced significantly by the presence of the substrate. The results suggest that variations in the local dielectric alter the properties of localized surface plasmons that drive the field enhancement and transmission.
Technical Note-A Note on Linearly Decreasing, Delay-Dependent Non-Preemptive Queue Disciplines

Previous authors have presented expressions for expected waiting time in linearly time-dependent queue disciplines. This paper points out two errors in a paper by Hsu on linearly decreasing priority systems.
Triggering Axial Instabilities in Solid Rockets: Numerical Predictions,

Abstract : A theoretical model describing the nonlinear behavior of axial-mode intermediate frequency combustion instability in a solid rocket is developed. Numerical solutions have been obtained to the time-dependent conversation equations describing the one-dimensional two-phase flow in a solid propellant combustion chamber and choked nozzle system. Predictions of the engine response to various amplitude disturbances are discussed. Under certain conditions, the propellant burning rate exhibits sharp, finite-amplitude spikes which lead to large amplitude axial instabilities in the engine flow field. (Modified author abstract)
Categorical Methods in General Systems Theory and Linked Time Systems Series

Following Ma, Yonghao and Yi Lin's definition of a mathematical model of general systems in 1987, shows the class of all general systems with relation‐reversion mappings and that of all general systems with relation‐preserving mappings to be productive, co‐productive categories Answers two questions posed in earlier published papers and poses some more questions for solution.
Two-dimensional mesoscale simulations of shock response of dry sand

Simulations were done to gain insight whether the shock response of dry sand at low stresses would vary with porosity and whether the effects of friction between grains under confinement could be extracted from the planar plate impact experimental data. The sand sample was modeled as grains separated by voids representing porosity. The simulation procedure coupled grain deformations with frictional sliding at grain boundaries. The shock response of dry sand varied considerably with porosity. The sample compacted through pore closure followed by inelastic pore collapse mechanisms affecting the inhomogeneous response and shock rise time. The sample attained final compaction in the shock state long after attaining peak longitudinal velocity/stress. The calculated shock Hugoniot for a sample of high (40%) porosity was in agreement with experimental data. The Us-Up slopes for sand of 10% and 20% porosity were found to be negative. The calculated σH-ρH Hugoniot suggested that the two slopes would become positive at higher stresses in order to approach the solid Z-cut quartz Hugoniot at full compaction. High porosity sand may never exhibit negative slopes. It is concluded that the effects of friction between grains can be successfully extracted from a coupled experimental-computational approach. This requires measuring the velocity profile in the back buffer, elastic buffer material, and code capable of simulating frictional sliding between grains. The dispersion effect increased the slope of the velocity profile with propagation distance but did not result in a wave speed reduction or shock attenuation. This may be due to the small grain size and sample thickness as well as the absence of grain fragmentation in the present simulations.
Gyroscopic motion and aberration in stationary fields

A method developed earlier for calculating the combined gyroscopic precession and starlight aberration is extended to stationary metrics and nongeodesic motion. Results include periodic and secular terms. The secular terms for circular motion agree with presently accepted values.
Colonization of artificial seagrass by fishes and decapod crustaceans: importance of proximity to natural eelgrass

Colonization of artificial seagrass was examined at four sites in a New Jersey estuary, two within natural eelgrass Zostera marina L. beds and two on sand flats distant from natural eelgrass. Near-weekly sampling of fishes and decapod crustaceans demonstrated rapid and dense colonization, with densities often exceeding those in natural eelgrass. Distance from natural eelgrass had a pronounced effect on the composition of the resultant community, with significant differences in densities near and far from natural eelgrass. Although the structure of seagrass communities has often been largely attributed to the structural complexity of the seagrass canopy, the contrasts among artificial seagrass at the four sites in this study indicated that canopy structure was secondary to other factors. Colonists of artificial seagrass included large numbers of settled juvenile and adult fishes and decapods, in contrast to Bell's et al. (1985, 1987, 1988) conclusion that colonists of artificial seagrass were primarily planktonic settlers. At the sites distant from natural eelgrass, colonists apparently emigrated from alternative habitats, crossing expanses of predationrisky sand to reach the small isolated plots of artificial seagrass. This emigration contrasts with Bell & Westoby's (1986a) hypothesis that organisms should remain in the habitat into which they initially settle, even if poor in quality, rather than risk movement across unvegetated substratum.
Revisiting the Complexity of Hardware Cache Coherence and Some Implications

Cache coherence is an integral part of shared-memory systems but is also widely considered to be one of the most complex parts of such systems. Much prior work has addressed this complexity and the verification techniques to prove the correctness of hardware coherence. Given the new multicore era with increasing number of cores, there is a renewed debate about whether the complexity of hardware coherence has been tamed or whether it should be abandoned in favor of software coherence. This article revisits the complexity of hardware cache coherence by verifying a publicly available, state-of-the-art implementation of the widely used MESI protocol, using the Murφ model checking tool. To our surprise, we found six bugs in this protocol, most of which were hard to analyze and took several days to fix. To compare the complexity, we also verified the recently proposed DeNovo protocol, which exploits disciplined software programming models. We found three relatively easy to fix bugs in this less mature protocol. After fixing these bugs, our verification experiments showed that, compared to DeNovo, MESI had 15X more reachable states leading to a 20X increase in verification (model checking) time. Although we were eventually successful in verifying the protocols, the tool required making several simplifying assumptions (e.g., two cores, one address). Our results have several implications: (1) they indicate that hardware coherence protocols remain complex; (2) they reinforce the need for protocol designers to embrace formal verification tools to demonstrate correctness of new protocols and extensions; (3) they reinforce the need for formal verification tools that are both scalable and usable by non-expert; and (4) they show that a system based on hardware-software co-design can offer a simpler approach for cache coherence, thus reducing the overall verification effort and allowing verification of more detailed models and protocol extensions that are otherwise limited by computing resources.
A Dynamic System Matching Technique for Improving the Accuracy of Subsystems

Many complex systems can be described as a combination of subsystems, that is, the elements of the complex system are themselves systems. A subsystem design is often modelled by a differential equation with several coefficients rather than as a constant, as a resistor is modelled, or as a single parameter equation, as a capacitor is modelled. Manufacturing errors produce subsystems whose coefficients vary from the desired coefficients of subsystem design. The coefficient variations contribute to modelling errors in the subsystem, and thus to modelling errors in the complex system. As is the case of elements in an electronic circuit, one way of controlling the variability of a manufactured subsystem is to impose tight control on the manufacturing process so that the component values are within some specified, acceptable bounds. This can be expensive and, in some applications, it may be impossible to achieve acceptable bounds. In a recent paper, [2], the authors presented a method for combining the measurements from many MEMS gyroscopes using a technique based on the concept of dynamic element matching. This was shown to effectively control the modelling errors when the outputs of the many micro-gyroscopes are corrupted by manufacturing errors. This technique essentially transforms the effects of the many manufacturing errors into an additive white noise in the subsystem output. The effect of the additive white noise can be effectively decreased by applying a filter, e.g., a Kalman filter, to the output signal. In this paper, this technique is generalized to applying the concept of dynamic element matching to complex subsystems which may be 'elements' in more complex systems. Because the method deals with systems rather than elements, it will be called dynamic system matching.
Effect of tetracycline on puromycin-induced polysome degradation: influence of magnesium and polyamines.

Abstract Puromycin-induced polysome degradation has been shown to require G factor, guanosine 5′-triphosphate, and the presence of a ribosome release factor (Hirashima and Kaji, 1972, 1973). Tetracycline, which does not inhibit formation of peptidyl-puromycin (Gottesman, 1967; Sarkar and Thach, 1968) nor the guanosine 5′-triphosphate hydrolysis mediated by elongation factor Tu (Ono et al., 1969), inhibits polysome degradation. The tetracycline inhibition requires Mg2+ at concentrations above 8 mM, which are inhibitory to protein synthesis in vitro. At concentrations of Mg2+ below 8 mM, polysome degradation is insensitive to tetracycline, but not to fusidic acid. Addition of spermidine, but not of other polyamines, enables the tetracycline inhibition to occur at concentrations of Mg2+ as low as 2 mM. The inhibition by tetracycline and by fusidic acid suggests that ribosome movement may be essential for the function of ribosome release factor, or that these antibiotics may directly affect its action.
The protean manifestations of Legionnaires' disease

The protean manifestations of Legionnaires' disease are described in an analysis of 12 sporadic cases. Two forms of the disease have been delineated. One variant (Group A) consisted of six patients who had a mild form of non-progressive pneumonia with minimum extra-pulmonary involvement. Six patients (Group B) were differentiated by rapidly progressive pulmonary infiltrates, severe hypoxia and respiratory failure, plus a higher frequency of band neutrophils and extra-pulmonary manifestations. Particularly notable were evidence of severe myositis (elevated creatinine phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase), anaemia, and neurological findings which included alterations in the sensorium, meningitis, and convulsions. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities were seen frequently in patients with neurological manifestations, and necropsy findings in one patient suggested that the Legionnaires' bacillus was capable of producing a fatal leucoencephalitis. Renal findings included haematuria, proteinuria and oliguric renal failure. Hepatic transaminases (SGPT, SGOT) were elevated in six patients and serum bilirubin was abnormal in five. Alkaline phosphatase values were normal to minimally elevated. The gastrointestinal symptoms commonly considered to be a frequent initial manifestation of Legionnaires' disease were rare in this series. Recommendations for instituting empirical therapy, based upon recognition of a clinical syndrome which should suggest the diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease, are included.
Cicero's Opposition to the Lex Clodia de Collegiis

In March 59 Caesar and Pompey presided over the adoption of P. Clodius Pulcher into a plebeian family, thereby rendering the former patrician eligible for the tribunate. The immediate purpose of the dynasts' action was to silence the contumacious criticism of Cicero, whose Pro Antonio had gravely offended Caesar. And the gesture was effective: for a time at least, Cicero withdrew to his country estates. For Cicero – like everyone else in Rome – anticipated that, once tribune, Clodius would move to exact revenge for the dishonour done him during and after the Bona Dea trial. For the remainder of the year Cicero made preparations to fend off his enemy, and principal among his resources was the personal guarantee of his friend Pompey the Great. Pompey, who regarded Clodius as his creature, took it to be a point of honour that he should shield Cicero from harm's way. But the Vettius affair changed everything. Regardless of who masterminded the scandal and despite all protestations to the contrary, the Vettius affair left Pompey estranged from Cicero, a reality that Cicero could not fail to recognize. After the Vettius affair Cicero could not prudently rely solely on the dynasts' promises – if ever he did. Yet the means by which Cicero endeavoured to secure his own safety – independent of his relationship with Pompey or Caesar – have not been adequately appreciated by modern scholars. They incline, quite naturally in view of the events of 58 which followed Cicero's exile, to see the contest over Cicero's fate primarily as a struggle between the dynasts, especially Pompey, and Clodius. Such an attitude, however, tends to cause one to overlook an often cited but infrequently discussed stratagem of Cicero: according to Cassius Dio, Cicero induced L. Ninnius Quadratus, a tribune of 58, to stand up against the legislation which Clodius promulgated upon his entering the tribunate. This arrangement indicates that Cicero was trying with considerable energy to look after his own interests. It is the purpose of this paper to attempt to explain the means by which Cicero hoped to thwart Clodius as well as the machinations by which the erstwhile patrician outwitted his opponent.
Purine receptors modulate chondrocyte extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate production

Summary Objective Extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate (ePPi) plays a key role in the regulation of normal and pathologic mineralization. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the role of P1 and P2 purine receptors in modulating ePPi production by articular chondrocytes. Methods Porcine cartilage explants and chondrocyte monolayers were cultured in the presence of P1 agonists, or a P2 agonist or antagonist and inhibitors of P2 signaling. Ambient media ePPi concentrations were measured after 48–96h. Results The P1 agonists NECA and CGS 21680 significantly decreased ePPi concentrations surrounding chondrocytes and cartilage explants. The P2 agonist, ADP, increased ePPi levels, and the P2 antagonist, suramin, decreased ePPi concentrations. Thapsigargin and 1,2 bis-(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′N′-tetra acetic acid (BAPTA), which dampen Ca 2+ -related P2 signaling, suppressed the response to ADP. Conclusions Purine receptors are important regulators of ePPi production by chondrocytes. P1 receptor stimulation diminishes and P2 receptor stimulation enhances ePPi production. Alterations in receptor signaling or aberrations of extracellular purine nucleotide metabolism resulting in abnormal quantities or proportions of P1 and P2 receptor ligands could foster changes in ePPi production that in turn affect mineralization. We propose a homeostatic role for extracellular purine nucleotides and purine receptors in stabilizing ePPi concentrations.
Immunotherapy with Chimeric NKG2D Receptors Leads to Long-Term Tumor-Free Survival and Development of Host Antitumor Immunity in Murine Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women and the development of novel therapies is needed to complement the standard treatment options such as chemotherapy and radiation. In this study, we show that treatment with T cells expressing a chimeric NKG2D receptor (chNKG2D) was able to lead to long-term, tumor-free survival in mice bearing established ovarian tumors. Tumor-free mice were able to reject a rechallenge with ovarian tumor cells 225 days after original tumor injection. In addition, chNKG2D T cell treatment induced specific host immune responses to ovarian tumor cells, including the development of both CD8+ and CD4+ T cell tumor-specific memory responses. The chNKG2D T cells reduced the ovarian tumor burden using both cytotoxic and cytokine-dependent pathways. Specifically, chNKG2D T cell expression of perforin, GM-CSF, and IFN-gamma were essential for complete antitumor efficacy.