cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ascending thoracic aneurysms are associated with decreased systemic atherosclerosis.

Study objectives We noted clinically that patients with aortic root aneurysms and dissections seemed to have little systemic atherosclerosis. It is our objective to determine whether there is a negative association between ascending thoracic aneurysms and systemic atherosclerosis. Design Atherosclerosis was quantified by evaluating noncontrast CT images of the chest and scoring the degree of calcifications as a marker for atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries and aorta. Patients The degree of calcification was compared in 64 patients with aortic root aneurysm (annuloaortic ectasia, 31 patients; type A dissection, 33 patients) vs 86 control subjects. Multivariable analysis was applied to test for an association between aortic root aneurysms and systemic calcification independent of risk factors for atherosclerosis. Results Multivariable analysis revealed that patients with ascending aortic aneurysms of the annuloaortic ectasia type and patients with type A dissections had significantly lower overall calcification scores in their arterial vessels compared to patients in the control group (p = 0.03 and p Conclusions Aortic root pathology (annuloaortic ectasia or type A dissection) is associated with decreased systemic atherosclerosis. It is possible that a mechanism exists whereby the same genetic mutations predisposing patients to ascending aortic aneurysms also exert a protective effect against systemic atherosclerosis.
High-Frequency Electrical Stimulation of Cardiac Cells and Application to Artifact Reduction

A novel modality for the electrical stimulation of cardiac cells is described. The technique is based on HF stimulation-burst of HF (1-25 kHz) biphasic square waves-to depolarize the cells and trigger action potentials (APs). HF stimulation was demonstrated in HL-1 cardiomyocyte cultures using microelectrode arrays, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated using single-cell model simulations. Current thresholds for HF stimulation increased at higher frequencies or shorter burst durations, and were typically higher than thresholds for single biphasic pulses. Nonetheless, owing to the decreasing impedance of metal electrodes with increasing frequencies, HF bursts resulted in reduced electrode voltages (up to four fold). Such lowered potentials might be beneficial in reducing the probability of irreversible electrochemical reactions and tissue damage, especially for long-term stimulation. More significantly, stimulation at frequencies higher than the upper limit of the AP power spectrum allows effective artifact reduction by low-pass filtering. Shaping of the burst envelope provides further reduction of the remaining artifact. This ability to decouple extracellular stimulation and recording in the frequency domain allowed detection of APs during stimulation-something previously not achievable to the best of our knowledge.
Methodology of Impact Fees Emphasizing Vehicle Miles Traveled

This paper provides a working concept and methodology for application of a mobility fee in Florida. The mobility fee has many characteristics of an impact fee modified for sensitivity to vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Policy and practical implications of implementing such a fee are addressed, along with the fee methodology and illustration of the approach through hypothetical testing in Alachua County, Florida. The primary concept for the mobility fee is a modified impact fee assessed on new development. The approach presented anticipates regional cooperation in the development and adoption of a mobility plan that includes all transportation modes. Through sensitivity to VMT, the modified impact fee may help to discourage urban sprawl and reward mixed-use development and other development near or within existing activity centers. The hypothetical test results reveal that the two approaches—the average rate and the location-based rate—produce very different fees for new development. The paper reports on res...
The Electrocardiogram of the Normal and Hypertensive Rat

Electrocardiograms of normal rats and those rendered hypertensive by potassium deficiency have been compared. The unipolar chest leads were found to be useful in the recognition of spurious patterns among normal animals as well as in evaluating the severity of the hypertension. Backward orientation of the spatial QRS vector in the horizontal phane was the single most consistent finding in the hypertensive animals.
Tort liability versus other approaches for deterring careless driving

A main justification for tort liability is that it deters injuries.’ Yet empirical evidence on deterrence is quite limited.’ If tort liability does not achieve appropriate levels of deterrence, its rationale is largely undercut since there are clearly less expensive ways to compensate injury victims, such as first-party insurance. For several reasons, motor vehicle fatalities represent an interesting outcome measure for analysis of effects of tort liability versus other methods for decreasing accident costs. First, a very large percentage of tort cases involve automobile accidents. Thus, a strong test of the impact of tort law is to determine whether such law reduces automobile accidents. Second, there is evidence that drivers’ precaution levels are at least as important as road conditions and other external factors in the determination of traffic accident rates (Evans, 1991; Zlatoper, 1989). Third, there are sufficient differences across states and over time with respect to rules affecting tort liability that statistically reliable results can be obtained. Fourth, a question that is often ignored
All-pole modeling of degraded speech

This paper considers the estimation of speech parameters in an all-pole model when the speech has been degraded by additive background noise. The procedure, based on maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation techniques is first developed in the absence of noise and related to linear prediction analysis of speech. The modification in the presence of background noise is shown to be nonlinear. Two suboptimal procedures are suggested which have linear iterative implementations. A preliminary illustration and discussion based both on a synthetic example and real speech data are given.
Stability of Rectangular Plates in Subsonic Flow with Various Boundary Conditions

The aeroelastic stability of rectangular plates in subsonic flow is well documented in literature. For example, the stability of a cantilever plate with a clamped edge parallel to the flow is well understood due to the similarity of this system to an aircraft wing. However, an ongoing push for lighter aerospace structures and novel designs requires advancing the understanding of the aeroelastic stability of plates with nonconventional boundary condition combinations. This paper summarizes the aeroelastic theory and experimental results on the flutter and/or divergence mechanisms of a rectangular plate with different sets of structural boundary conditions. The theory combines a linear plate structural model with a three-dimensional vortex lattice aerodynamic mode to create a high-fidelity frequency domain aeroelastic model. The paper also discusses the development of a modular experimental test bed to test the different boundary conditions. A pair of well-understood boundary condition configurations acts a...
Oxidation-Cope elimination: A REM-resin cleavage protocol for the solid-phase synthesis of hydroxylamines

Abstract We have established that using an oxidation-Cope elimination cleavage protocol allows for the synthesis of N , N -disubstituted hydroxylamines from REM resin (polymer-bound benzyl acrylate). Michael addition of a secondary amine or addition of a primary amine followed by reductive alkylation provides polymer-bound tertiary amines. Oxidation of these resin-bound tertiary amines with MCPBA is followed by concomitant Cope elimination to regenerate the polymer-bound acrylate and provide the cleaved hydroxylamines.
Multilayer transducer transfer matrix formalism

A complete formulation of direct and inverse 4 /spl times/ 4 transfer matrices for parallel and series, electrically connected, mechanically stacked, 1-D thickness mode multilayer piezoelectric transducers is presented. Complex coefficients account for the mechanical, dielectric, and piezoelectric losses. The direct or inverse 4 /spl times/ 4 transfer matrix transfers quantities at the top surface into their values at the bottom surface or vice versa, respectively. The 4 /spl times/ 4 transfer matrices derive from the 3 /spl times/ 3 transfer matrices, which follow from the 3 /spl times/ 3 matrix for the general three-port. For both parallel and series connections, the 3 /spl times/ 3 and 4 /spl times/ 4 direct and inverse transfer matrices are interrelated through transformation symmetries; also, the inverse matrix can be obtained from the direct matrix by changing the sign of both the piezoelectric coefficient and the explicitly occurring complex variable, j. For the electrically parallel connected case, explicit voltage orientation reversals occur at successive piezoelectric layers. Cascading the 4 /spl times/ 4 matrices yields the sum of the currents through the piezoelectric layers for the electrically parallel-connected case and the sum of the voltage differences across the layers for the electrically series-connected case. The resultant matrices are calculated for the cascading of n identical piezoelectric layers connected in parallel and series.
Pushing the Paradigm: Locating Scholarship on the Siddis and Kaffirs

This study locates the scholarship on the Siddis of India and the Kaffirs of Sri Lanka—two Africana communities in the Indian Ocean. Using Afrocentric theories and concepts, this study interrogates...
Student Reports of Peer Bullying Victimization in a Rural School

Three rural schools located in Appalachia, United States, were the site for this research study that examined the prevalence of bullying among children. A convenience sample of students in grades 3 through 8 completed the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Results found that of the 192 students included in this study, 158 children (82.3%) reported experiencing some form of bullying at least once in the past three months. This prevalence rate is substantially higher than the figures reported in other U.S. studies. Such a significant finding may confirm that school bullying is a bigger problem in rural communities than in urban areas. Given variations in the definition of bullying and measures of frequency, comparisons to other studies should be made cautiously. Instead, this finding should be viewed as a validation for further research rather than as a definitive conclusion.
Effects of Repeated-Stand Entries on Terrestrial Salamanders and their Habitat

In recent years, silivicultural methods have shifted away from clearcut harvesting towards greater retention of overstory trees through part or all of a rotation. However, little is known about the effects of partial harvesting on wildlife populations. Thus, we examined effects of high-leave shelterwood management on terrestrial salamanders prior to and after an initial harvest and a subsequent overstory removal harvest (ORH) 13 years later. On an experimental research site in southwestern Virginia, we compared changes in salamander captures in this plot to a clearcut and control plot 1994–1996 and 2007–2009. Compared to contemporaneous estimates from an unharvested control, salamander captures were lower on shelterwood and clearcut plots 2-years after the initial harvest (1996) and lower on the shelterwood plot 1- and 2-years after the ORH (2008, 2009). Captures of the most common species, Plethodon cinereus (Eastern Red-backed Salamanders), followed similar trends with fewer captures in both harvested plots 2-years after the initial harvest (1996), but only the ORH differed from the control 2-years after the second partial harvest (2009). Abundance of woody debris was greater in the shelterwood following the ORH but was more decayed in the control plot. The regenerating clearcut (14 years post-harvest) had deeper leaf litter and denser understory vegetation than the ORH. These data are some of the first available describing effects of multiple harvest entries on terrestrial salamanders and suggest cumulative negative impacts on salamanders may occur from partial harvesting systems. More long-term monitoring of salamander populations is justified in silvicultural systems with multiple entries within a rotation.
REST and stress resistance in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease

Human neurons are functional over an entire lifetime, yet the mechanisms that preserve function and protect against neurodegeneration during ageing are unknown. Here we show that induction of the repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor (REST; also known as neuron-restrictive silencer factor, NRSF) is a universal feature of normal ageing in human cortical and hippocampal neurons. REST is lost, however, in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Chromatin immunoprecipitation with deep sequencing and expression analysis show that REST represses genes that promote cell death and Alzheimer’s disease pathology, and induces the expression of stress response genes. Moreover, REST potently protects neurons from oxidative stress and amyloid β-protein toxicity, and conditional deletion of REST in the mouse brain leads to age-related neurodegeneration. A functional orthologue of REST, Caenorhabditis elegans SPR-4, also protects against oxidative stress and amyloid β-protein toxicity. During normal ageing, REST is induced in part by cell non-autonomous Wnt signalling. However, in Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, REST is lost from the nucleus and appears in autophagosomes together with pathological misfolded proteins. Finally, REST levels during ageing are closely correlated with cognitive preservation and longevity. Thus, the activation state of REST may distinguish neuroprotection from neurodegeneration in the ageing brain. REST, a developmental regulator, is markedly induced in human neurons during ageing but is lost in Alzheimer’s disease; REST represses genes that promote neurodegeneration, is neuroprotective in animal models, and is associated with cognitive preservation and longevity in humans. Age is the biggest risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. But why do some age with cognitive function intact, yet others decline and develop Alzheimer's disease? Here Bruce Yankner and colleagues show that during ageing, a protein known as REST (repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor, also called NRSF) is increasingly expressed in human cortical and hippocampal neurons. REST levels are strongly correlated with cognitive preservation and longevity. REST represses genes that promote cell death and Alzheimer's disease pathology and induces those that mediate the stress response. Moreover, REST protects neurons from oxidative stress and amyloid β-protein toxicity. Deleting REST from the mouse brain results in age-related neuronal cell death. And, in humans with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease, REST is excluded from the nucleus in neurons, and this exclusion is associated with autophagy and misfolded proteins. This work suggests that the activation state of REST may distinguish neuroprotection from neurodegeneration in the ageing brain.
Moving and deforming finite‐element simulation of two‐dimensional Stefan problems

A new moving/deforming FEM analysis of two-dimensional phase change problems is presented. The region occupied by the solid phase is divided into a non-moving element region and a moving region consisting of the finite elements next to the freezing interface. A transfinite mapping method is used to generate new finite-element meshes and motion in the liquid phase during simulations. Several two-dimensional Stefan problems are analysed and discussed in relation to analytical solutions and other numerical techniques.
Redox reactions of dehydroepiandrosterone and its metabolites in differentiating 3T3-L1 adipocytes: A liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric study.

Abstract Dehydroepiandrosterone is known to depress fatty acid formation in differentiating 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone and four of its natural metabolites in differentiating adipocytes was studied by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Adipocytes rapidly converted dehydroepiandrosterone to androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol. 7α-Hydroxy-DHEA was interconverted with 7-oxo-DHEA and 7β-hydroxy-DHEA and the corresponding 17β reduced products. Dehydroepiandrosterone and its derivatives were detected only in the culture medium suggesting that dehydroepiandrosterone is metabolized via enzymes located in close proximity to, or that are integral parts of the cell membrane. Alternatively, there may be efficient mechanisms at play for extrusion of the steroids to the aqueous media rather than being retained in the lipid-rich cell. An interesting aspect of the study was finding androstenediol as the major metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone. Androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol has been implicated in prostate cancer. The contribution of adipose cells to the circulating supply of androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol may therefore be considered in managing prostate cancer.
Müller cell production of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins in vitro: modulation with phenotype and growth factor stimulation

Purpose Muller cells are present in diabetic fibrocontractive ocular tissues and generate tractional forces in response to insulin-like growth factors. Recent studies indicate that diabetes-associated increases in vitreous insulin-like growth factor activity are, in part, attributable to changes in insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs). The objectives of this study were to evaluate Muller cells as a source of IGFBPs and characterize changes associated with cell phenotype and growth factor stimuli known to be present in diabetic vitreous. Methods Muller cells isolated from normal porcine retina were maintained in culture for 1 and 5 weeks, yielding phenotypes described as proliferative and myofibroblastic. RNA preparations from porcine liver, retina, and Muller cell cultures were evaluated by RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis. IGFBP production was verified by Western ligand and Western blot analysis of Muller-cell-conditioned media and detergent-extracted proteins. Results Molecular biological analyses of RNA from normal retina and from proliferative and myofibroblastic Muller cells did not detect message for IGFBP-1, but revealed progressive increases in message abundance for IGFBP-2, -3, -4, and -6. IGFBP-5 message was detected in all samples, but was least abundant in myofibroblastic Muller cells. Stimulation of myofibroblastic Muller cells by IGF-I and -II, but not PDGF, further increased message abundance and production of IGFBP-2, -4, -5, and -6, but not IGFBP-3. Conclusions Muller cell production of IGFBPs changes with phenotype and, in most cases, is highest in the cells most likely to participate in fibrocontractive retinal disease. IGFBP production by these cells is further increased by IGF-I and -II, growth factors known to be present and active in proliferative vitreoretinal disorders, suggesting that Muller cells represent a potential source of vitreous IGFBPs in disorders involving this cell type.
A tunable diode laser absorption system for long path atmospheric transmission and high energy laser applications

An open-path Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) system composed of narrow band (~300 kHz) diodes fiber coupled to a 12" Ritchey-Chretien transmit telescope has been developed to study atmospheric transmission of key High Energy Laser wavelengths. The ruggedized system has been field deployed and tested for propagation distances of greater than 1 km. Initial experiments were performed in the vicinity of molecular oxygen X 3 Σ- g to b 1 Σ+ g electronic transition lines near 760 nm. The potassium version of the Diode Pumped Alkali Laser (DPAL) operates in between two of the sharp oxygen rotational features in the PP and the PQ branches. By scanning across many laser free spectral ranges and monitoring the laser frequency with a very precise wavemeter, the full structure of the oxygen molecular feature is observed. The device can also be used to observe rotational temperatures, oxygen concentrations, and total atmospheric pressure.
On Some Special Classes of Sequential Dynamical Systems

Sequential Dynamical Systems (SDSs) are mathematical models for analyzing simulation systems. We investigate phase space properties of some special classes of SDSs obtained by restricting the local transition functions used at the nodes. We show that any SDS over the Boolean domain with symmetric Boolean local transition functions can be efficiently simulated by another SDS which uses only simple threshold and simple inverted threshold functions, where the same threshold value is used at each node and the underlying graph is d-regular for some integer d. We establish tight or nearly tight upper and lower bounds on the number of steps needed for SDSs over the Boolean domain with 1-, 2- or 3-threshold functions at each of the nodes to reach a fixed point. When the domain is a unitary semiring and each node computes a linear combination of its inputs, we present a polynomial time algorithm to determine whether such an SDS reaches a fixed point. We also show (through an explicit construction) that there are Boolean SDSs with the NOR function at each node such that their phase spaces contain directed cycles whose length is exponential in the number of nodes of the underlying graph of the SDS.
Accelerating the dynamics of infrequent events: Combining hyperdynamics and parallel replica dynamics to treat epitaxial layer growth

During the growth of a surface, morphology-controlling diffusion events occur over time scales that far exceed those accessible to molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Kinetic Monte Carlo offers a way to reach much longer times, but suffers from the fact that the dynamics are correct only if all possible diffusion events are specified in advance. This is difficult due to the concerted nature of many of the recently discovered surface diffusion mechanisms and the complex configurations that arise during real growth. Here we describe two new approaches for this type of problem. The first, hyperdynamics, is an accelerated MD method, in which the trajectory is run on a modified potential energy surface and time is accumulated as a statistical property. Relative to regular MD, hyperdynamics can give computational gains of more than 102. The second method offers a way to parallelize the dynamics efficiently for systems too small for conventional parallel MD algorithms. Both methods exploit the infrequent-event nature of the diffusion process. After an introductory description of these methods, we present preliminary results from simulations combining the two approaches to reach near-millisecond time scales on systems relevant to epitaxial metal growth.
Examining H1N1 Through Its Information Entropy [In the Spotlight]

In this article, we discuss how signal processing techniques can be used to analyze the information content of H1N1 genomic sequences, which could help in understanding this and future flu outbreaks. We first explain how the genetic code is used by the influenza virus to encode the information that is essential to viral function. Next, we demonstrate how the digital signal processing tools of decimation, periodicity, and integration are used to reveal the patterns of entropic uncertainty of that information. We propose that analysis of these patterns changing over time and space can give insight into mechanisms of regional influenza epidemics and global influenza pandemics that may help provide a basis for design of counter measures.
Limitations of record-based information models

Record structures are generally efficient, familiar, and easy to use for most current data processing applications. But they are not complete in their ability to represent information, nor are they fully self-describing.
Abdominal pain endpoints currently recommended by the FDA and EMA for adult patients with irritable bowel syndrome may not be reliable in children.

Background The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended ≥30% decrease on patient-reported outcomes for pain be considered clinically significant in clinical trials for adults with irritable bowel syndrome. This percent change approach may not be appropriate for children. We compared three alternate approaches to determining clinically significant reductions in pain among children. Methods 80 children with functional abdominal pain participated in a study of the efficacy of amitriptyline. Endpoints included patient-reported estimates of feeling better, and pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The minimum clinically important difference in pain report was calculated as (i) mean change in VAS score for children reporting being ‘better’; (ii) percent changes in pain (≥30% and ≥50%) on the VAS; and (iii) statistically reliable changes on the VAS for 68% and 95% confidence intervals. Key Results There was poor agreement between the three approaches. 43.6% of the children who met the FDA ≥30% criterion for clinically significant change did not achieve a reliable level of improvement (95% confidence interval). Conclusions & Inferences Children's self-reported ratings of being better may not be statistically reliable. A combined approach in which children must report improvement as better and achieve a statistically significant change may be more appropriate for outcomes in clinical trials.
Effects of Climate History and Environmental Grain on Species’ Distributions in Africa and South America

Climate changes during the Pleistocene produced shifts, reductions, and expansions of biomes that, in turn, have been hypothesized to have driven speciation and extinction and shaped patterns of biodiversity. Here, we explore effects of Late Pleistocene climatic changes on environmentally and geographically cohesive areas mimicking species’ distributions. We analyzed persistence of these ‘species’ over the transition from the warm Last Interglacial period to the cool Last Glacial Maximum period to warm present-day conditions, for four levels of environmental restriction (5, 10, 15 and 20% of overall variation; akin to niche breadths). African environments were overall much less conserved over these periods than those of South America, matching diversity contrasts between the two continents. Results thus indicate that biodiversity patterns relate closely to historical patterns of environmental grain and their stability through time; this view is a step toward an integral understanding of the role of environmental and geographic factors in the process of biological diversification.
Rectification of nonlinearity in pre-amplifier and A/D converter of biomedical instruments

Nonlinear distortions are always introduced to biomedical signals during the acquisition stage, which consequently fail the traditional linear independent component analysis (ICA) methods for further signal processing. This paper investigates the non-linearity system function in the pre-amplifier and A/D converter of the biomedical instruments. A polynomial general model structure with adjustable parameters to approximate the nonlinear relation is proposed for medical instruments. Model parameters are validated using a typical electrocardiograph (ECG) acquisition system with sinusoids of varying frequency and amplitude. Thus the inverse nonlinear transform is applied to acquired data to cancel the nonlinear distortions. The ICA method is then applied to the originally linear mixed data, non-rectified data and also rectified data and the results are favorably compared in the designed experiment using both clinical ECGs and the simulated data from cardiac simulators.
Transfer of the maize transposable element MU1 into Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract The maize transposable element Mu1 was transferred to Arabidopsis thaliana by Ti plasmid-mediated transformation and a fertile line containing Mu1 was regenerated. Southern analysis of transformed tissue indicated that the Mu1 DNA remained entirely within a segment of T-DNA during three sexual generations. The results of a search for spontaneous mutations in a large number of Mu1-containing seedlings suggests that the presence of Mu1 did not cause a major increase in the spontaneous mutation frequency.
Photoelastic analysis of stress patterns on teeth and bone with attachment retainers for removable partial dentures

This investigation was designed to evaluate the forces developed in supporting structures by removable partial dentures with attachment retainers. The attachments tested were the (1) Sterngold type 7, (2) Dalbo MK, and (3) Thompson dowel. The study utilized a photoelastic model with stress areas recorded photographically. The results showed that: 1. Splinted abutments are indicated when using the tested attachment retainers. 2. With single abutments, the attachment retainers induced distal force on the teeth which resulted in unfavorable horizontal bone forces. 3. The Dalbo MK attachments produced the most force on the edentulous regions and the least force on the abutment teeth. 4. The Thompson dowel and Sterngold type 7 attachment retainers induced similar stress patterns on single abutments and both produced distal abutment forces. 5. The Thompson dowel induced more favorable stress patterns when the abutments were splinted.
Bimetallic Reactivity. Oxo Transfer Reactions with a Heterobimetallic Complex of Iron(II) and Vanadium(III)

Several mono- and bimetallic complexes of Fe(II) and V(III) with binucleating macrocyclic systems have been prepared. Electrochemical studies of complexes containing Fe(II) in the 6-coordinate site have shown that the Fe(II/III) potential is affected by the length of the diamine chelate in this site and by the occupancy of the open site. Oxidation of the FeII−VIII complex, A, with 2,4,6-trimethyliodosobenzene produced the FeII−VIV complex, B. Both A and B have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry, and infrared and electronic spectroscopy. The origins of deactivation of two-metal oxidation in bimetallic complexes are discussed primarily in terms of the ligand reorganizational energy, which is called mechanical coupling.
String theory on group manifolds

Abstract A number of issues concerning affine Lie algebras and string propagation on group manifolds are addressed. We show that a 1 + 1 dimensional quantum field theory which gives a realization of current algebra (for any non-abelian Lie group G) will always give rise to an “integrable” representation. It is known that string propagation on the group manifold can give rise to a realization of current algebra for any G and any k, but precisely which representations occur for given k has not been determined previously. We do this here by studying modular invariance and by making a semiclassical study for large k. These results permit a complete description of the operator product algebra. Some examples based on SO(3) and SU(3)/Z3 are worked out in detail.
Selection of restriction endonucleases using artificial cells.

We describe in this article an in vitro system for the selection of restriction endonucleases using artificial cells. The artificial cells are generated in the form of a water-in-oil emulsion by in vitro compartmentalization. Each aqueous compartment contains a reconstituted transcription/translation mix along with the dispersed DNA templates. In the compartments containing endonuclease genes, an endonuclease expressed in vitro cleaves its own DNA template adjacent to the gene, leaving a sticky end. The pooled DNA templates are then ligated to an adaptor with a compatible end. The endonuclease genes are then enriched by adaptor-specific PCR on the ligation mix. We demonstrate that the system can achieve at least 100-fold enrichment in a single round of selection. It is sensitive enough to enrich an active endonuclease gene from a 1:105 model library in 2–3 rounds of selection. Finally, we describe experiments where we selected endonuclease genes directly from a bacterial genomic DNA source in three rounds of selections: the known PstI gene from Providencia stuartii and the new TspMI gene from Thermus sp. manalii. This method provides a unique tool for cloning restriction endonuclease genes and has many other potential applications.
225: Effect of Glycemic Control on Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agent Requirement in Diabetic Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

EFFECT OF GLYCEMIC CONTROL ON ERYTHROPOIESIS STIMULATING AGENT REQUIREMENT IN DIABETIC MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS Lon Sadowsky, S. Subramanian, D. Chewaproug, S. Aure, I. Dissanayake, R. Raja Albert Einstein Medical CenterPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania Anemia management is an important aspect of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) therapy. It has been reported that diabetics have lower serum erythropoietin concentration than non-diabetics while maintaining similar hemoglobin levels. This may be to an effect of angiotensin II on erythropoiesis. Diabetic associated hyperglycemia reflected as high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), has been found to increase angiotensin II production. A large study has reported lower recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) requirement in diabetic MHD patients. To our knowledge there is no data on the influence of glycemic control on rHu-Epo requirements. This study was performed to determine if glycemic control affected rHu-Epo requirement in diabetic MHD patients. A retrospective analysis of MHD patients from two large urban hemodialysis units was performed. Patients were included if they carried the diagnosis of diabetes and on MHD for over 3 months. Exclusion criteria included active infection, evidence of active blood loss, and recent hospitalization within the month prior to data collection. Patients were divided into two groups, low (<6.5%) and high (≥ 6.5%) HbA1c. Data from a total of 149 patients were analyzed, and of them 92 diabetic patients included. We found patients with HgA1c of < 6.5% (n=49) required a significantly higher dose of rHuEpo when compared to those in the elevated HbA1c group (11,553 ± 10,306 units/HD vs. 6,147 ± 7585 units/ HD, p= 0.006) to maintain the same level of hemoglobin. There was no statistical difference in markers of iron adequacy and inflammation. There was a significant negative correlation of HbA1c with rHu-Epo dose (-0.289, p=0.006). These data suggest that glycemic control may play a role in rHu-Epo responsiveness. There was a decreased rHu-Epo requirement in diabetic patients with high HbA1c levels. This counterintuitive response may reflect an effect of hyperglycemia through angiotensin II mediated erythropoiesis. The clinical significance and mechanism of these findings need to be further elucidated.
Elliptical Donor Stereoscopically Assisted Micrografting as an Approach to Further Refinement in Hair Transplantation

background. Multiple surgical methods are currently used for hair transplantation. Each method has a specific technique, morbidity, and relatively predictable cosmetic result. objective. To describe a methodology that combines elliptical excision of donor tissue and dissection under stereoscopic magnification into small grafts to obtain an improved final cosmetic result. For the purposes of this paper, any graft small enough to be easily inserted into a 16-, 18-, or 20-gauge needle tunnel will be referred to as a micrograft. method. Three hundred thirty patients underwent transplantation by this method over a 6-year period. All patients were photographed before, during, and upon completion to monitor results. results. Cosmetic results as documented by examination and photography represent a further refinement due to the large number and small size of grafts placed. conclusion. The author considers the method described as a viable alternative technique in hair transplantation for both limited and extensive androgenetic alopecia.
Effect of Nonuniform Cooling on Moisture, Salt, and pH Distribution in 290-Kilogram Blocks of Stirred-Curd Cheddar Cheese

Abstract Cheese samples representing six positions in each of 12 290-kg stirred curd Cheddar cheese blocks in stainless steel hoops were analyzed for salt, pH, and moisture after the blocks had been held at 6 or 22°C for 7 d after pressing. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences between vats, filling sequences, cooling treatments, and positions within cheese blocks. Temperature during cooling had a significant effect on pH, salt, and moisture distribution within the cheese. Mean differences between the centers and sides of all cheese blocks cooled at 5°C were .1% salt, .12 pH units, and 5.73% moisture. Differences between the centers and sides of cheese blocks cooled at 22°C were 0% salt, .03 pH units, and .96% moisture. After filling the hoops, moisture transferred from high temperature to low temperature areas in the cheese. Moisture differences in large cheese blocks were minimized when temperature differences within blocks were reduced.
Wired-FM, a novel distributed digital single-wire field bus

Widely-used busses such as I2C, SPI, CAN, and others use time division for medium access. In this paper, we explore a novel bus technique, which we call Wired-FM. Wired-FM is an all-digital bus that uses a single wire an implied ground for signalling. In the rest state the bus is pulled high and nodes signal by pulling the bus low through a Wired-NOR connection. Wired-FM allows for concurrent transmissions between multiple pairs of nodes. Traditional busses aim for error free transmission, but in Wired-FM, concurrent transmitters can/will interfere. Wired-FM has similarities with traditional FM, but since the NOR operation is highly non-linear, traditional FM-style detection performs poorly. In the manuscript we present an effective detection algorithm for Wired-FM. The algorithm allows for error-free concurrent transmissions. We used extensive simulations to validate the concept and demonstrate that an alldigital, low data rate, fully distributed bus protocol which operates on single wire, and allows for concurrent transmissions, is possible using Wired-FM.
Guidance Scheme for a Mach 3 Staged Gliding Booster

One of the promising launch concepts that could replace the current Space Shuttle launch system is a twostage, winged, vertical-takeoff, parallel-burn, fully reusable launch vehicle comprised of a manned orbiter and an unmanned booster. During the boost phase of ascent, the booster provides propellant for the orbiter engines through a cross-feed system. When the vehicle reaches Mach 3, the booster propellants are depleted and the booster is staged and glides to a horizontal landing at a launch site runway. One of the major design issues for this class of vehicle is the unpowered glide back of the booster after the staging maneuver is completed. A guidance algorithm was developed for the glide-back maneuver and verified using a three-degree-of-freedom trajectory simulation that included static trim in pitch. The guidance algorithm was tested using off-nominal atmospheric, staging, and booster aerodynamic characteristics.
Retrotransposons at Drosophila telomeres: host domestication of a selfish element for the maintenance of genome integrity

Telomere serves two essential functions for the cell. It prevents the recognition of natural chromosome ends as DNA breaks (the end capping function). It counteracts incomplete end replication by adding DNA to the ends of chromosomes (the end elongation function). In most organisms studied, telomerase fulfills the end elongation function. In Drosophila, however, telomere specific retrotransposons have been coerced into performing this essential function for the host. In this review, we focus our discussion on transposition mechanisms and transcriptional regulation of these transposable elements, and present provocative models for the purpose of spurring new interests in the field. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chromatin in time and space.
The effect of stimulus person valence on divergent self-other attributions for success and failure

Abstract Two experiments investigated self-other attributions for success and failure. In Experiment 1, high and low achievers completed a modified IAR scale either for themselves or another. Regardless of achievement motives, more personal attribution for failure was assigned to oneself than to a neutral other. In Experiment 2, additional scales for liked and disliked others were administered and scale item importance was varied. On global and individual causal measures, neutral and liked others were credited more and disliked others less for success than oneself, and liked others were blamed less and disliked others more for failure than oneself and neutral others. Item importance produced few effects. Results were interpreted in terms of informational considerations in self-other attribution.
Pathophysiology of aortic cross-clamping and unclamping

Abstract Aortic surgery is associated with a high incidence of perioperative complications, affecting virtually every organ system. The development of these complications is influenced by several factors, including whether surgery was emergent or elective, the location and duration of aortic cross-clamping, and the presence of coexisting disease states. The occurrence of end-organ damage reflects two main processes which are set in motion by aortic cross-clamping. The haemodynamic response refers to the changes produced in preload, afterload, and myocardial contractility. The humoral response refers to the formation and release of a series of mediators that both reflect and cause an ischaemia–reperfusion injury process. A clear understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in these processes will aid the clinician in adopting a rational approach to the care of patients undergoing aortic surgery.
Office routine: The automated pink collar: Secretaries and clerks are often enthusiastic about new technologies, until they discover that shortsighted managers use the new tools to isoiate them further

Electronic aids are changing work routines in office, but not all changes may be for the better. Studies show that people's work lives must be considered in relation to the new equipment. Otherwise workers can become more disgruntled, even though their initial expectations for the new equipment may have been high.
THE VARIABLE EFFECTS OF CHALLENGER SPENDING IN U.S. HOUSE ELECTIONS

This paper extends the work on challenger spending in congressional elections to allow for the possibility that such spending has varying effects, depending upon circumstances. Using data from the 1988 and 1990 U.S. House elections, it begins with a baseline model for the incumbent's margin. Pairs of dummy variables and interaction terms were then added to test several hypotheses. The results provide some evidence to suggest that challenger spending is less effective if the challenger faced a toughprimary. Contrary to previous work, an advantage was found for repeat challengers. Also contrary to previous work, the results do not suggest that high-quality challengers spend their money more efficiently than do other challengers.
Atherosclerosis imaging in drug development

Increasing use of established medical therapies presents a major challenge for the assessment of experimental antiatherosclerotic agents. The requirement to perform clinical trials with increasing numbers of subjects, followed for longer periods of time, creates a scenario that is largely prohibitive for the development of most new agents. Technologic advances in arterial wall imaging provide the opportunity to evaluate the impact of therapies on the natural history of atherosclerosis. The design and implementation of clinical trials that employ serial imaging of the arterial wall has become increasingly used in the development of new therapies to target atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
A technique for the detection of variable electrophoretic patterns of hair proteins

A reproducible isoelectic focusing method has been developed which displays the structural proteins of hair. By staining with the photochemically derived stain, hair protein variability was observed. On a limited number of individuals, five different isoelectric focusing patterns were detected. In addition, polychromatic differences of proteins with similar isoelectric points were found.
Indentation of titanium processed by equal channel angular pressing

Commercially pure titanium rods were processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) to obtain an ultrafine-grained microstructure. The titanium rods were extruded for 2 passes at 623 K, using three different bending angles of 90°, 120° and 150°. For the bending angle of 90°, the titanium rods were extruded for 4 and 8 passes in addition to 2 passes. The microstructure of the ECAP-processed titanium was evaluated using the TEM technique. The bending angle had a strong effect on the grain refinement, while the number of pressing passes did not have a noteworthy effect on the evolution of the microstructure. Microindentations were conducted with the indentation load in the range 100–2000 mN. The indentation hardness decreased slightly with the increase in the indentation load. The titanium processed by the die with a bending angle of 90° had the highest indentation hardness. The energy ratio of the plastic energy to the total energy was found to be proportional to the ratio of the residual indentation depth to the maximum indentation depth.
An oversampled A/D converter with on-chip reinforcement learning

The quality and stability of noise shaping is a concern in the design of higher-order delta-sigma modulators for high-resolution, high-speed oversampled analog-to-digital conversion. We reformulate noise-shaping modulation alternatively as a nonlinear optimal control problem, where the objective is to find the binary modulation sequence that minimizes signal swing in a cascade of integrators operating on the difference between the input signal and the modulation sequence. We use reinforcement learning to adaptively optimize an on-line nonlinear neural classifier which outputs modulation bits from the values of the input signal and integration state variables. Analogous to the classical pole balancing control problem, a punishment signal triggers learning whenever any of the integrators saturate. We train a simple classifier consisting of locally tuned, binary address-encoded neurons to produce noise shaping modulation of order one and two, and present experimental learning results obtained from an analog VLSI modulator containing an array of 64 neurons for on-chip classification and learning.