cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The association of waist-hip ratio and risk factors for development of IDDM complications in an IDDM adult population

Abstract The role of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in the metabolic disturbance of IDDM has not been widely explored. Cross-sectional data from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study were used to examine the associations between WHR and risk factors for IDDM complications such as lipid or lipoprotein levels, blood pressure and fibrinogen. A total of 586 adults (≥ 18 years of age) were examined. WHR was calculated as the mean of duplicate waist circumference measurements made at mid-point between the iliac crest and the lower costal margin in mid-axillary line divided by the mean of duplicate maximum hip measures. WHR was positively correlated with total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and fibrinogen univariately for both sexes. WHR was negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol. These correlations remained significant after adjustment for age among females and became less strong, although still significant, for males. The independent effects of WHR to these IDDM risk factors, assessed by multiple linear regression, indicated WHR was related to adverse lipid and lipoprotein levels, but not to fibrinogen or blood pressure. These findings underscore the importance of targeting intervention to IDDM individuals who have a high WHR to reduce known risk factors for IDDM complications especially those for cardiovascular disease, and is consistent with the hypothesis that insulin resistance may have a role to play in IDDM complications.
Diasporic dreaming: return reproductive tourism to the Middle East.

Abstract This article attempts to capture the dynamics of return reproductive tourism to the Middle East, based on ethnographic research undertaken at four different Middle Eastern locales (Egypt, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and Arab America). Across the Middle Eastern diaspora, which is now vast, due to the disruptions of war and political violence, infertile couples often dream of making a test-tube baby ‘back home' for a variety of cultural, moral and psychological reasons. These reasons – including medical expatriotism, the language of medicine, co-religion and moral trustworthiness, donor phenotype, the comforts of home and discrimination – are rarely highlighted in the scholarly literature on cross-border reproductive care. Thus, further empirical investigation is needed in order to assess additional reasons for reproductive travel beyond Euro-America. Of particular concern are the needs of ‘stranded' refugee populations, who are constrained from seeking assisted reproduction technology ‘back home', but who may face economic constraints and cultural discrimination in host communities. This article attempts to capture the dynamics of return reproductive tourism to the Middle East. Middle Eastern migrants and refugees often dream of making a test-tube baby ‘back home' for a variety of cultural, moral and psychological reasons. These reasons include home country patriotism and sense of comfort, similar language, co-religion with clinic staff, donor phenotypes and perceived discrimination in host countries. Of particular concern are the needs of ‘stranded' refugee populations, who are unable to return home, but are constrained from seeking assisted reproduction technology in host communities.
A combination method for reliability-redundancy optimization

This study looks at the system reliability optimization problem under different resource and design configuration constraints by providing a new combination method. From the point of view of logistics engineering, reliability optimization applied in the initial system development period plays a key role to affect system maintenance planning, logistics requirements, and related costs during a system’s planned life cycle. Generally, system reliability can be improved by increasing component reliability level or providing redundant components. Hooke–Jeeves pattern search and dynamic programming, applying dominating sequences are combined to develop a model for such a problem. Besides general design configuration and resource capacity constraints, some specific system and subsystem reliability performance constraints are also included in this model. The proposed combination method can be used to obtain the optimal allocations of component redundancy and reliability level by minimizing the total system cost. A...
Use of Computer-Assisted Motion Analysis for Quantitative Measurements of Swimming Behavior in Peritrichously Flagellated Bacteria

An assay was developed which identifies individual bacterial tumbles and so allows rapid, quantitative measurements of tumble frequency in free-swimming bacteria. Tumble frequency is modulated by cells to enable chemotaxis. Mutations in the chemotaxis signal transduction pathway typically have phenotypes of altered tumble frequency. The purpose of this assay is to quantitatively measure steady-state tumble frequency to enable comparisons of mutant strain phenotypes. It was developed usingEscherichia colibut should be applicable to other species with a peritrichous flagellation pattern, such asSalmonella typhimurium.Tumbles are defined by a combination of the parameters rate of change of direction and swimming speed, with a rapid change of direction defining the beginning of a tumble and increased swimming speed defining the end. These parameters have previously been shown to be correlated with tumbles in general but not used to identify discrete tumble events. The computer assay was validated by comparing its results with manual observations by eye. The assay was intended to be most sensitive to swimming patterns similar to wild type so as to resolve subtle changes which would result from partial-function mutations. It quantitatively detects extreme behavioral phenotypes as well and can be modified to increase resolution at either extreme if necessary.
Two N-terminal regions of the Sendai virus L RNA polymerase protein participate in oligomerization

The RNA dependent RNA polymerase of Sendai virus consists of a complex of the large (L) and phosphoprotein (P) subunits where L is thought to be responsible for all the catalytic activities necessary for viral RNA synthesis. We previously showed that the L protein forms an oligomer [Smallwood, S., Cevik, B., Moyer, S.A., 2002. Intragenic complementation and oligomerization of the L subunit of the Sendai virus RNA polymerase. Virology 304, 235-245] and mapped the L oligomerization domain between amino acids 1 and 174 of the protein [Cevik, B., Smallwood, S., Moyer, S.A., 2003. The oligomerization domain resides at the very N-terminus of the Sendai virus L RNA polymerase protein. Virology 313, 525-536]. An internal deletion encompassing amino acids 20 to 178 of the L protein lost polymerase activity but still formed an L-L oligomer. The first 25 amino acids of paramyxovirus L proteins are highly conserved and site-directed mutagenesis within this region eliminated the biological activity of the L protein but did not have any effect on P-L or L-L interactions. Moreover deletion of amino acids 2-18 in L abolished biological activity, but again the L-L binding was normal demonstrating that the oligomerization domain of L protein resides in two N-terminal regions of the protein. Therefore, sequences between both aa 2-19 and aa 20-178 can independently mediate Sendai L oligomerization, however, both are required for the activity of the protein.
Using the entity-relationship model to teach the relational model

By far the two most important database models used in data management today are the relational and the entity-relationship models. In the database development cycle, entity-relationship modeling precedes the relational model work. Yet, in most textbooks and therefore in the classroom the relational model is presented before the entity-relationship model. The student is left to retrofit the entity-relationship model to the relational model. This paper advocates reversing this order of presentation so as to be in line with the database development cycle. The major benefit lies in taking advantage of this sequence to improve teaching the relational model. Assuming a prior treatment of conceptual modeling, examples and principles of the entity-relationship model are used to illustrate, elaborate, and even explain relational model concepts.
Effect of different stretching strategies on the kinetics of vertical jumping in female volleyball athletes

Abstract Purpose The present study aimed to examine the effect of static stretching (SS) and a sport-specific dynamic stretching (DS) session at two specific post-stretch time intervals in highly trained female athletes (age 19.90 ± 1.60 years; height 1.80 ± 0.06 m; mass 76.87 ± 9.95 kg) on kinetic parameters of peak force, time-to-takeoff, and rate of force development. Methods The data were collected over 3 days (randomized within subject design with control session). Following each stretch session (SS vs. DS vs. control) of equal duration (7 min total: 30 s per targeted muscle group) participants performed countermovement jumping on a force platform at 1 and 15 min after stretching. Results The DS session significantly improved upon kinetic variables of rate of force development, peak force, and time-to-takeoff relative to SS at 1 min after stretching. No significant effect was found at 15 min. Conclusion Together these findings suggest that when training and competing to jump quickly and maximally the female athlete should incorporate DS instead of SS as part of their pre-competition warm-up, but conduct performance within 15 min of their warm-up to elicit maximal gains.
Crystal Growth, Structure Characterization, and Schemes for Economic Transport: An Integrated Approach to the Study of Natural Gas Hydrates

: In this paper, two themes are specifically targeted for developing a cost-effective option to transport methane hydrates from distant locations. Under the first theme, data are presented on crystal growth techniques, sample preparation and neutron diffraction studies of 3.5Xe · 8CCl4· 136D2O, xCH4· 8CCl4· 136D2O, xH2S · 8CS2· 136 H2O, and 20Br2· 172D2O. Under the second theme, the GTL option is selected wherein methanol is the product of choice for transport. For GTL, the processing of aqueous CH4 by steam reforming is the preferred route to synthesis gas. Subsequent conversion of synthesis gas into methanol will require the formulation of advanced catalysts.
A Socio-Technical Framework for Collaborative Product Development

Human behavior dynamics impact technical decisions that cause societal changes, which, in turn, shape social dynamics to influence future technical decisions. This paper presents a socio-technical framework, based on the Engineering as Collaborative Negotiation paradigm. Collaborative product development is viewed as a socially mediated technical activity aiming to achieve a human purpose and modeled as a dynamic co-construction process, where stakeholders' perspectives continuously evolve to form a share reality through collaborative negotiations. The paper introduces the socio-technical framework, the socio-technical co-construction process, and its software implementation. It also reports the applications of this research in the facility planning and development domain.
Simultaneous time-domain deconvolution with application to the computation of receiver functions

SUMMARY Receiver functions are produced by deconvolving the horizontal components of a seismogram by the vertical component. Typically this is performed by spectral division of recordings of single events. Receiver functions from events with similar backazimuth and ray parameter are then stacked to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. To avoid the subjective and time-consuming method of prewhitening typically employed with spectral division, we have cast the deconvolution in the time domain. By performing the time-domain deconvolution as a regularized simultaneous inversion for a group of events that would normally have been stacked after deconvolution, we find that side lobes are reduced and resolution is improved. Furthermore, the regularized inversion allows the user to choose among a variety of objective model norms. In this paper, we present results from inversions employing the L2 norm and lower-bounded least squares.
Detecting and locating fallures in communication networks

The connectivity of a strongly connected network may be destroyed after link damage. Since many networks are connected by directed links, the reachability may be restored by altering the direction of one or more of the links and thus reconfiguring the network. The location of the failed link must first be determined. In this paper, we examine new methods to determine the location of failed links and nodes in networks. A routing test approach is proposed and the conditions under which communication networks may be tested are discussed. Finally, an adaptive algorithm and a heuristic algorithm that can locate a single failed link or a single failed node are presented.
Postprandial alteration of gustatory-parotid reflex☆

Abstract Parotid flow rates were monitored unilaterally from ten human subjects in two separate experiments. Salivary responses during ingestion of brandy were significantly lower after eating than when brandy was ingested on an empty stomach. This phenomenon was not observed for the ingestion of burgundy wine or distilled water, nor when the subjects rinsed the mouth with these beverages before vs after eating. The second experiment demonstrated that parotid flow rates evoked by ingestion of a control meal (milk-base formula), and by ingestion of brandy were reciprocally depressed following the consumption, respectively, of brandy and the control meal. The brandy stimulus negatively influenced and was significantly influenced by digestive processes, possibly via gastric and humoral feedback mechanisms.
CD1b restricts the response of human CD4-8- T lymphocytes to a microbial antigen

MOLECULES encoded by the human GDI locus on chromosome 1 (ref. 33) are recognized by selected CD4−8− T-cell clones expressing either αβ or γδ T-cell antigen receptors1,2. The known structural resemblance of GDI molecules to antigen-presenting molecules encoded by major histocompatibility complex (MHG) genes on human chromosome 6 (refs 3, 4, 34, 35), suggested that GDI may represent a family of antigen-presenting molecules separate from those encoded in the MHC1,5,6. Here we report that the proliferative and cytotoxic responses of human CD4−8− αβTCR+ T cells specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be restricted by GDlb, one of the four identified protein products of the GDI locus. The responses of these T cells to M. tuberculosis seemed not to involve MHG encoded molecules, but were absolutely dependent on the expression of GDlb by the antigen-presenting cell and involved an antigen processing requirement similar to that seen in MHC class Il-restricted antigen presentation. These results provide, to our knowledge, the first direct evidence for the proposed antigen-presenting function of GDI molecules and suggest that the GDI family plays a role in cell-mediated immunity to microbial pathogens.
The use of feedback signs to increase observed daytime seat belt use in two cities in North Carolina

Well publicized enforcement programs in North Carolina have raised seat belt use to about 80%. In an effort to find techniques to raise belt use further, signs providing feedback to drivers on belt use rates were introduced in two communities, Asheboro (population 18,000) and Greensboro (population 183,000). Feedback signs remind motorists about belt use and imply a constant and vigorous enforcement presence. The signs were prominently posted by the roadside at high volume locations; belt use information was changed weekly based on observational surveys. Observed daytime driver belt use in Asheboro increased from an average of 75% before the signs to 89% after the signs were established. At urban sites in Greensboro, driver belt use increased from 80% to 86%. Right front passenger belt use increased significantly in Asheboro but not in Greensboro. There were no changes in belt use at two interstate exit sites in Greensboro. Reasons for the differential success rates may relate to differences in initial belt use rates, community size, amount of publicity, and numbers of encounters with the signs. It is clear, however, that feedback signs can be an important supplement to belt use enforcement programs.
Development and Operation of a Pressurized Optically-Accessible Research Combustor for Simulation Validation and Fuel Variability Studies

The U.S. Department of Energy Turbines Program has established very stringent NOx emissions goals of less than 3 ppmv for future turbine power generation. These future turbine power plants may operate on hydrogen-rich fuels, such as coal-derived synthesis gas (syngas), or pure hydrogen derived from shifting the syngas. Achieving these goals is expected to require improved combustor concepts which may be dramatically different than current combustor designs. Significant and costly experimental testing is usually required to assess new combustor concepts. Ideally, new concepts could be evaluated with numeric simulations to reduce development time and cost. However, current simulation capabilities are not sufficient to reliably capture the effects of fuel variations on flame extinction, emissions levels, and dynamic stability. Furthermore, very little data with controlled boundary conditions are available to check numeric predictions at actual turbine engine conditions, or simply to assess combustor performance without ambiguous boundary conditions. This paper presents a description of the development and operation of an optically-accessible research combustor, which is designed to provide fundamental combustion data at elevated pressure and inlet air temperature, and with precisely determined thermal, acoustic, and flow boundary conditions. The effects of fuel composition variations are investigated by blending of controlled quantities of hydrogen with natural gas. Recent test results — emissions data, dynamics data, and heat losses for hydrogen addition from 0 to 40% by fuel volume at two combustor pressures — and a description of future testing are also presented. The results show that the addition of hydrogen to natural gas in percentages as low as 5% of total fuel volume can significantly decrease the lean extinction limit, and promote stable operation at lower equivalence ratios while promoting lower NOx emissions. Dynamic pressures were measured, but combustion dynamics were not present due to the combustor configuration. The effect of heat losses on flame temperature and emissions were quantified.© 2005 ASME
Polycomb and Trithorax Group Proteins Mediate the Function of a Chromatin Insulator

Chromatin boundaries or insulator elements affect the interaction between enhancers and promoters. The gypsy insulator contains two proteins, Su(Hw) and Mod(mdg4). Both proteins colocalize on several hundred sites on polytene chromosomes and are distributed in a punctated pattern in the nuclear matrix. Mutations in mod(mdg4) have properties characteristic of a trxG gene. In addition, mutations in trxG genes enhance insulator effects on adjacent enhancers, whereas mutations in Pc have the opposite result. These alterations correlate with changes in the pattern of nuclear localization of insulator components. The results suggest a model in which PcG and TrxG proteins regulate insulator function by establishing higher order domains of chromatin organization required for the assembly of functional insulators at the nuclear matrix.
Cross-country variation in the quality of consumption

Abstract The quality of consumption, formulated in terms of the luxary/necessity composition of the consumer's basket, is measured by means of an index for each of 15 countries ranging in affluence from the U.S. to India. The discussion includes the real-income, relative-price, and residual components of this index.
DEXAMETHASONE TREATMENT OF CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA IN UTERO: AN EXPERIMENTAL THERAPY OF UNPROVEN SAFETY

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a common cause of genital virilization in female infants resulting from inappropriate fetal adrenal androgen secretion. Some investigators have advocated treating pregnant women who are at risk for carrying a CAH fetus with dexamethasone to suppress fetal adrenal androgen synthesis. Experience to date shows that this treatment can be effective in ameliorating the genital virilization in female fetuses. However, the doses used are supraphysiological, the mechanism of dexamethasone action in the fetus is unclear and no long-term followup studies have been done. To be effective the treatment would need to be started by week 6 of gestation but the genetic diagnosis cannot be made until week 12. If the mother has had a previous CAH child, only 1 in 4 pregnancies will be affected and only the female fetuses stand to benefit from treatment, thus, 7 of 8 fetuses will be treated needlessly. In view of these and other concerns, the prenatal treatment of CAH remains an experimental therapy and, hence, must only be done with fully informed consent in controlled prospective trials approved by human experimentation committees at centers that see enough of these patients to collect meaningful data.
Gastrointestinal bleeding rates in recipients of nonpulsatile and pulsatile left ventricular assist devices

Objective Pulsatile and nonpulsatile left ventricular assist devices are effective in managing congestive heart failure. Despite early evidence for clinical efficacy, the long-term impact of nonpulsatile flow on end-organ function remains to be determined. Our goal was to compare rates of gastrointestinal bleeding in nonpulsatile and pulsatile device recipients. Methods In a retrospective review of 101 left ventricular assist device recipients (55 nonpulsatile, 46 pulsatile) from October 31, 2003, to June 1, 2007, at a single center, gastrointestinal bleeding was defined as guaiac-positive stool with hemoglobin drop requiring transfusion of at least 2 units of packed red blood cells. To assess bleeding risk outside the initial postoperative course, any patients with a device in place for 15 days or less was excluded. Results Twelve nonpulsatile and 3 pulsatile left ventricular assist device recipients had gastrointestinal bleeding 16 days or longer after device implantation. The event rates were 63 events/100 patient-years for nonpulsatile devices and 6.8 events/100 patient-years for pulsatile devices (P = .0004). This difference persisted for bleeding occurring 31 days or longer after device implantation, with 46.5 events/100 patient-years for nonpulsatile devices versus 4.7 events/100 patient-years for pulsatile devices (P = .0028). Mortalities were similar between groups (15% nonpulsatile vs 17% pulsatile, P = .6965). Conclusion Patients with nonpulsatile left ventricular assist devices appear to have a higher rate of gastrointestinal bleeding events than do pulsatile left ventricular assist device recipients. Further prospective evaluation is needed to determine potential etiologies and strategies for reducing gastrointestinal bleeding in this population.
The Han rhapsody : a study of the fu of Yang Hsiung, 53 B.C.-A.D. 18

An attempt at an analysis in depth of the work of Yang Hsiung (53 BC AD 18), and of the Fu or rhapsody (a mixture of rhythmical prose passages interspersed with free, rhymed verse). Yang Hsiung has figured prominently in Chinese literary history, though he is better known for his philosophical and historical writings than for his literary work. Professor Knechtges shows that Yang is important in the development of the Fu, a poetic genre popular in the Former Han dynasty (206 BC AD 8) and the mastery of which brought him recognition and honours at the imperial court. The work and development of the genre are analysed from a modern critical viewpoint. Professor Knechtges' book will be of interest to specialists in Chinese literature and to historians of the Han period.
An isoenzyme of creatine phosphokinase associated with rabbit heart mitochondria.

Abstract An isoenzyme of creatine phosphokinase associated with mitochondria from rabbit heart was separated by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes and detected by NADPH fluorescence. This procedure detected isoenzymes in samples containing activity as little as 0.1 IU/ml. Creatine phosphokinase activity of washed mitochondrial preparations was approximately 2.8 IU/mg protein. Mitochondria from liver or heart did not retain adsorbed activity after incubation with enzyme from sarcoplasm followed by vigorous washing. Electrophoretic migration of the isoenzyme associated with mitochondria was cathodal contrary to sarcoplasmic isoenzymes, even when mitochondrial membranes were first lysed with deoxycholate. Electrophoretic migration of sarcoplasmic isoenzymes was not altered by adsorption to intact mitochondria from liver. Molecular weight of the mitochondrial isoenzyme, estimated by Sephadex chromatography, was approximately 80,500, indicating that it did not represent monomer adsorbed to other mitochondrial constituents. Its pH optimum, sensitivity to urea, dinitrofluorobenzene, and heat inactivation differed from that of enzyme in supernatant fractions of heart homogenate. Creatine phosphokinase activity contributed to ADP regeneration from ATP as shown in polarographic studies of washed mitochondria and determinations of mitochondrial ATP hydrolysis with and without oligomycin, creatine, and Mg 2+ , substantiating the presence of the phosphokinase in intact mitochondria.
GABAergic neuroaxonal dystrophy and other cytopathological alterations in feline Niemann-Pick disease type C

Feline Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease which shares many of the clinical, biochemical and pathological features of the corresponding human disorder. Cytopathological alterations in distinct neuronal cell populations were investigated in this animal model to gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of brain dysfunction. Golgi and immunocytochemical methods were employed to characterize the cell architectural changes occurring in neuronal somata, dendrites and axons at different stages of disease progression. Cortical pyramidal neurons in laminae II, III, and V exhibited various degrees of meganeurite and/or swollen axon hillock formation with or without ectopic dendritogenesis. Enlarged axon hillock regions with neuritic processes and spines were recognized early in the progression of feline NPC but were less prevalent in mid to late stages of the disease. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) immunocytochemistry demonstrated immunoreactive spheroids in numerous GABAergic axons in neocortex, subcortical areas, and cerebellum. Parvalbumin-immunoreactive axonal spheroid distribution in brain closely mirrored results from the GAD studies, whereas calbindin D-28k-immunoreactive spheroids were conspicuously absent in most cortical and subcortical areas examined. Purkinje cell axonal spheroid formation progressed in a distal to proximal direction, with eventual involvement of recurrent axon collaterals. Purkinje cell death and a concomitant decrease in the numbers of spheroids in the cerebellum were observed late in the disease course. Clinical neurological signs in feline NPC occur in parallel with neuronal structural alterations and suggest that GABAergic neuroaxonal dystrophy is a contributor to brain dysfunction in this disease.
Site specificity and mechanism of human placental 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase

Abstract Kinetic analysis of the site specificity of purified human placental 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in terms of cofactor (NAD + and NADP + ) and steroid (estradiol-17β and estradiol 3-sulfate) indicate that estradiol-17β and estradiol 3-sulfate bind at a single activ-site. While NAD + and NADP + have an active site in common, a second NAD + binding site (active or allosteric) of lower binding affinity is also present. Product inhibition studies are compatible with an Ordered Bi Bi mechanism with steroid binding first or an Iso Theorell-Chance mechanism with cofactor binding first.
Iodine Intercalation in Bi2Sr2Y0.5Ca0.5Cu2O8+δ: Evidence of Hole Transfer from Iodine to Copper-Oxygen Sheets

Abstract We have successfully intercalated iodine between the Bi-O layers of the semiconducting Bi2Sr2Y0.5Ca0.5Cu2O8+δ. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the formation of a stage-1 intercalated compound, IBi2Sr2Y0.5Ca0.5Cu2O8+δ. Upon intercalation, the compound became superconducting, indicating that there is a modest transfer of holes from iodine located in Bi-O layers to Cu-O sheets.
A Note on Modelling Money Demand in Growing Economies

A prominent feature of US data is the lack of cointegration between nominal interest rates and M1 velocity. Yet, most general-equilibrium monetary models that have been used for empirical analysis have imposed cointegration between these two series. This paper presents as an alternative a money-in-the-utility function model which does not imply cointegration even though a well-defined stationary monetary equilibrium exists.
Quality control in the bacterial periplasm

Studies of the mechanisms that Gram-negative bacteria use to sense and respond to stress have led to a greater understanding of protein folding in both cytoplasmic and extracytoplasmic locations. In response to stressful conditions, bacteria induce a variety of stress response systems, examples of which are the sigma(E) and Cpx systems in Escherichia coli. Induction of these stress response systems results in upregulation of several gene targets that have been shown to be important for protein folding under normal conditions. Here we review the identification of stress response systems and their corresponding gene targets in E. coli. In addition, we discuss the apparent redundancy of the folding factors in the periplasm, and we consider the potential importance of the functional overlap that exists.
EDMOND JABÈS AND THE QUESTION OF THE BOOK

Following 'Reading Edmond Jabes', (Literature and Theology, 1995) this second article exercises a secular homiletics to examine Jabes writing on the book (ecriture) and the Book (Ecriture) as authoritative absence, the authority of the question and the blank page as desert. In his writing, remaining true to what is not (that is, God), Jabes dreams with the kabbalists of'an absolute book' of perfect readability, to the absolute absence of which poetics can only begin to allude in the sacred duty of writing. The book remains a mystery and an indefatigable deciphering of the
Adenosine and ATP-sensitive potassium channels modulate dopamine release in the anoxic turtle (Trachemys scripta) striatum

Excessive dopamine (DA) is known to cause hypoxic/ischemic damage to mammalian brain. The freshwater turtle Trachemys scripta, however, maintains basal striatal DA levels in anoxia. We investigated...
Understory Vegetation and Ponderosa Pine Abundance in Eastern Oregon

Management prescriptions for contemporary ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl.) forests often incorporate the restoration to a structure that more closely resembles pre–European contact forests. Successful restoration programs should incorporate the herbaceous understory component; however, published research specifically addressing changes in understory species composition is minimal. Ponderosa pine influence on the undercanopy environment may be an important factor in understory vegetation distribution. In this study, we addressed the relationships among ponderosa pine abundance, undercanopy environment, and understory species composition and made inferences with respect to restoration potential. Data representing vegetation, soil, and environmental attributes were measured in 28 plots in an eastern Oregon ponderosa pine forest. Relationships among the parameters measured were evaluated using cluster analysis, indicator species analysis, and ordination. Ponderosa pine occupancy was inversely related to understory perennial bunchgrass abundance and species diversity and appeared to regulate the undercanopy habitat through alterations in light intensity, nitrogen availability, and soil temperature. Light availability was the most important ponderosa pine–influenced undercanopy environmental parameter associated with understory vegetation distribution. These data suggested that degradation in the undercanopy environment associated with higher levels of ponderosa pine abundance may be temporary and that restoration practices that reduce pine occupancy should promote undercanopy conditions favorable to perennial bunchgrass growth. However, understory vegetation recovery in stands with excessive pine ingrowth may be constrained by desired understory species loss or invasion by more competitive understory vegetation.
Intraoperative skeletal muscle ischemia contributes to risk of renal dysfunction following thoracoabdominal aortic repair

Objective: Renal dysfunction is among the most commonly occurring morbidities following descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic repair. We hypothesized that myoglobin nephrotoxicity might arise from leg ischemia caused by femoral artery cannulation, which is required for distal aortic perfusion. Lacking complete historical laboratory data on myoglobinemia, we studied somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) changesintheleg(afunctionalmarkeroflegischemia),asasurrogatepredictorofacutepostoperativerenalfailure.Methods:Intraoperativeleg SSEP function and preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR — an essential covariate) were available for 299 patients. Change in SSEP was defined as 10% increase in latency or 50% decrease in amplitude. Postoperative renal dysfunction was 1 mg/dl/day increase in creatinine for 2 days, clinical diagnosis of ARF or need for dialysis postoperatively. Results: Change in SSEP in the cannulated leg occurred in 108/299 (36%) of cases intraoperatively. All recovered normal SSEP function at decannulation. Patients with SSEP changes had 41/108 (38%) postoperative renal failure compared to 49/191 (26%) without (odds ratio 1.8, p < 0.03). Modeled with GFR, aneurysm extent, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD),SSEPchanges hadan adjustedoddsratio of1.9,p < 0.03.Pre-op GFR wasalso a highlysignificantpredictorof postoperative renal failure (OR0.98/ml;p < 0.0001).Conclusion:Thisis thefirst studyto show a relationshipbetweenintraoperative legischemia and postoperative renal failure. It provides epidemiological evidence that the ischemic leg may be an important contributor to rhabdomyolysis-like renal morbidity after thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. # 2008 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Synthesis of a Library of Propargylated and PEGylated α-Hydroxy Acids Toward “Clickable” Polylactides via Hydrolysis of Cyanohydrin Derivatives

A new simple and practical protocol for scalable synthesis of a novel library of propargylated and PEGylated α-hydroxy acids toward the preparation of “clickable” polylactides was described. The overall synthesis starting from readily available propargyl alcohol, bromoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal, and OEGs or PEGs was developed as a convenient procedure with low cost and no need of column chromatographic purification. The terminal alkyne functionality survives from hydrolysis of the corresponding easily accessible cyanohydrin derivatives in methanolic sulfuric acid. Facile desymmetrization, monofunctionalization, and efficient chain-elongation coupling of OEGs further enable the incorporation of OEGs to α-hydroxy acids in a simple and efficient manner. At the end, synthesis of allyloxy lactic acid indicates that an alkene group is also compatible with the developed method.
Immersion and immersion by nonsingular feedback of a discrete-time nonlinear system into a linear system

An analytic discrete-time nonlinear system is considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions for immersion of the system into a linear system are given. Local immersion is defined by nonsingular feedback into a linear system and given necessary and sufficient conditions for this problem. It is shown that a similar approach can also be applied to continuous-time affine nonlinear systems. >
Negative Refractive Index in Left-Handed Materials

The real part of the refractive index $n(\ensuremath{\omega})$ of a nearly transparent and passive medium is usually taken to have only positive values. Through an analysis of a current source radiating into a 1D ``left-handed'' material (LHM)---where the permittivity and permeability are simultaneously less than zero---we determine the analytic structure of $n(\ensuremath{\omega})$, demonstrating frequency regions where the sign of $\mathrm{Re}[n(\ensuremath{\omega})]$ must, in fact, be negative. The regime of negative index, made relevant by a recent demonstration of an effective LHM, leads to unusual electromagnetic wave propagation and merits further exploration.
Distribution of the feline calicivirus receptor junctional adhesion molecule a in feline tissues.

Junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) is an immunoglobulin superfamily protein that plays an important role in the assembly and maintenance of tight junctions and the establishment of epithelial cell polarity. The feline JAM-A (fJAM-A) is a functional receptor for feline calicivirus (FCV). Among natural diseases associated with FCV infection, isolates that cause oral vesicular disease are detected in epithelial cells; however, isolates that cause systemic disease are detected in multiple cell types. The distribution of an FCV receptor or receptors in feline tissues is relevant to viral pathogenesis in that it should reflect the wide latitude of clinical sequelae associated with FCV infection. The authors examined the expression of feline JAM-A in the cat by using confocal immunofluorescence localization on normal tissues, with special regard to tissue targets of naturally occurring FCV. As described in the human and the mouse, fJAM-A was widely distributed in feline tissues, where it localized at cell–ce...
Generic real-time uniform K-space sampling method for high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography.

We developed a universal, real-time uniform K-space sampling (Rt-UKSS) method for high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). An external clock uniform in K-space was generated. The clock was synchronized with the zero-crossing time of an interferometric calibration signal and used as triggers for a high-speed data acquisition system in a point-by-point fashion, hence enabling uniform data sampling in K-space. Different from the numerical calibration algorithm commonly used in an SS-OCT system, the method reported here does not require over-sampling, thus greatly reducing the demand for digitization, data processing and storage speed. The Rt-UKSS method is adaptive and applicable to a generic SS-OCT system of a wide range of A-scan rates without special adjustment. We successfully implemented the Rt-UKSS method in an SS-OCT system based on a Fourier-domain mode-locked laser (FDML) of a 40-kHz scanning rate. Real-time imaging of biological tissues using such a system was demonstrated with a measured axial resolution of 9.3 μm and detection sensitivity greater than 120dB.
Application of the scattering-rate sum rule to the interplane optical conductivity of high-temperature superconductors: Pseudogap and bilayer effects

We use a recently proposed model of the interplane conductivity of high-temperature superconductors to investigate the ``scattering-rate sum rule'' introduced by Basov and co-workers. We present a derivation of the sum rule. The quantal and thermal fluctuations of the order parameter which have been argued to produce the observed pseudogap behavior are shown to increase the total integrated ``scattering rate'' but may either increase or decrease the ``quasiparticle'' contribution from frequencies greater than twice the superconducting gap.
Counterparty Risk: A Review

This review provides formal definitions of the terms credit value adjustment (CVA) and debt value adjustment (DVA). Estimating these quantities requires modeling the probabilities of default and the loss given default, recognizing the dependence structure among all these inputs. In practice, marginal distributions are used and a copula function assumed. Although it has long been known that different copula functions can produce very different price estimates, keeping marginal distributions constant, there is little empirical evidence about the appropriate form of function to use for modeling default dependence. This review discusses the use of collateral for risk mitigation and its effects on CVA. Regulators have argued that standardized contracts should be cleared through central counterparties (CCPs). However, there are arguments against CCPs.
Divisions of Domestic Work Revising and Expanding the Theoretical Explanations

Using a sample of 101 heterosexual, coresidential couples, the author evaluates four housework theories: gender ideology, relative resources, time availability, and doing gender. Unlike some tests of these theories, the author operationalizes gender ideology as an identity, and the author tests the models on the traditionally feminine chores as well as the traditionally masculine and gender-neutral chores. Using the new operationalization, the author finds that gender ideology is related to the allocation of feminine tasks but generally unrelated to the division of nonfemininechores. Wives’ and husbands’time availability also helps explain the division of feminine and, to a lesser extent, gender-neutral chores. Some socioeconomic resources are related to the allocation of each housework category although absolute and relative resources often have contrasting effects when controlling for both. Regardless of gender ideology, time availability, or resources, however, wives do a significantly greater share of...
Effect of Pelvic Tilt on Standing Posture

Low back dysfunction is associated in many cases with lumbar lordosis, and tilting the pelvis posteriorly is often recommended for therapeutic purposes. The influence of pelvic tilt on the spinal curves has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to use an objective noninvasive method to determine the effect of the pelvic tilt on the spinal curves in the sagittal plane. Thirty-two healthy subjects and 15 patients with chronic low back dysfunction (CLBD) were studied. Patients with CLBD and healthy subjects were instructed in performing active anterior and posterior pelvic tilt maneuvers, first in the supine and then in the standing position. Comparisons between the Patient Group and the Healthy Group were made for several variables representing the severity of spinal curves, pelvic orientation, hip orientation, and knee orientation. A computerized system, the Iowa Anatomical Position System, was used to obtain coordinates of external body surface landmarks from which pelvic tilt measurements were determined. The results showed that the voluntary pelvic tilt did not alter the thoracic spinal curve. For both the Healthy Group and the Patient Group, the lumbar curve was altered by the pelvic tilt: anterior tilt increased the depth of the lumbar curve and posterior tilt decreased the depth of the lumbar curve. The amount of pelvic tilt was the same whether knees were extended or flexed approximately 10 degrees. Pelvic tilt also tended to influence the orientation of the head and other parts of the body.
Risk, ambiguity, and state-preference theory

The state-preference framework for modeling choice under uncertainty, in which objects of choice are allocations of wealth or commodities across states of the world, is a natural one for modeling “smooth” ambiguity-averse preferences. It does not require reference to objective probabilities, personalistic consequences, or counterfactual acts, and it allows for state dependence of utility and unobservable background risk. The decision maker’s local revealed beliefs are encoded in her risk-neutral probabilities (her relative marginal rates of substitution between states) and her local risk preferences are encoded in the matrix of derivatives of the risk-neutral probabilities. This matrix plays a central but generally unappreciated role in the modeling of risk attitudes in the state-preference framework. It can be computed by inverting a bordered Slutsky matrix and vice versa, it generalizes the Arrow–Pratt measure for approximating local risk premia, and its structure reveals whether the decision maker’s risk preferences are ambiguity averse as well as risk-averse. Two versions of the smooth ambiguity model are analyzed—the source-dependent risk aversion model and the second-order uncertainty (KMM) model—and it is shown that in both cases, the overall premium for local uncertainty can be decomposed as the sum of a risk premium and an ambiguity premium.
The socioeconomic impact of international aid: a qualitative study of healthcare recovery in post-earthquake Haiti and implications for future disaster relief

We assessed healthcare provider perspectives of international aid four years after the Haiti Earthquake to better understand the impact of aid on the Haitian healthcare system and learn best practices for recovery in future disaster contexts. We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with the directors of local, collaborative, and aid-funded healthcare facilities in Leogane, Haiti. We coded and analysed the interviews using an iterative method based on a grounded theory approach of data analysis. Healthcare providers identified positive aspects of aid, including acute emergency relief, long-term improved healthcare access, and increased ease of referrals for low-income patients. However, they also identified negative impacts of international aid, including episodes of poor quality care, internal brain drain, competition across facilities, decrease in patient flow to local facilities, and emigration of Haitian doctors to abroad. As Haiti continues to recover, it is imperative for aid institutions and local healthcare facilities to develop a more collaborative relationship to transition acute relief to sustainable capacity building. In future disaster contexts, aid institutions should specifically utilise quality of care metrics, NGO Codes of Conduct, Master Health Facility Lists, and sliding scale payment systems to improve disaster response.
New results from lead-alpha age measurements

Improvement in the spectrochemical method for determining Pb in zircon increases the usefulness of the lead-alpha (Jarsen) age method. Good agreement is found between the lead-alpha ages and those obtained by isotope dilution analyses on twelve samples. These samples have calculated ages ranging from 400 to 1200 million years. New lead analyses and revised lead-alpha ages are presented for 19 samples previously analyzed. (auth)
Neurotransmitters and Early Embryogenesis

Substances acting as neurotransmitter agents within the adult nervous system may also have additional roles during early phases of embryonic development. These substances, including primarily acetylcholine and monoaminergic compounds, have been suggested to influence various stages of embryogenesis from the earliest cell divisions of fertilized ova, to periods of gastrulation and subsequent morphogenesis, and to the initial phases of neurogenesis and synaptogenesis in the early forming central nervous system (CNS). Discussed here is a short review of studies involving some of these developmental roles for neurotransmitter substances, with emphasis given to investigations concerning the period of morphogenesis and organogenesis. Detailed reviews occur elsewhere concerning neurotransmitters in relation to early cleavage divisions (1), neurogenesis (2) and growth cone motility and synaptogenesis (3).