cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for endometriosis

Objective To evaluate whether microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with endometriosis are detectable in the circulation and could serve as potential noninvasive biomarkers for endometriosis. Design Case-control study. Setting University hospital. Patient(s) Twenty-four women with endometriosis and 24 women without the disease (controls). Intervention(s) Serum samples collected from women undergoing laparoscopy for endometriosis and other benign gynecologic disease. Main Outcome Measure(s) Total RNA extracted from serum and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to determine levels of miRNA let-7a–f and miR-135a,b. Result(s) The levels of circulating let-7b and miR-135a were statistically significantly decreased in women with endometriosis compared with controls, and let-7d and 7f showed a trend toward down-regulation. Let-7b expression strongly correlated with serum CA-125 levels and showed the highest area under the curve of 0.691. When the patients were analyzed according to phase of the menstrual cycle, the expression of let-7b, 7c, 7d, and 7e was statistically significantly lower in the women with endometriosis during the proliferative phase. Using a logistic regression model, we evaluated the diagnostic power of differently expressed miRNAs; the combination of let-7b, let-7d, and let-7f during the proliferative phase yielded the highest area under the curve value of 0.929 in discriminating endometriosis from controls. Conclusion(s) Several circulating miRNAs are differentially expressed in the sera of women with endometriosis compared with controls. The combination of serum let-7b, 7d, and 7f levels during the proliferative phase may serve as a diagnostic marker for endometriosis.
Modulation of endothelial SK3 channel activity by Ca2+-dependent caveolar trafficking

Small- and intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (SK3/Kcnn3 and IK1/Kcnn4) are expressed in vascular endothelium. Their activities play important roles in regulating vascular tone through their modulation of intracellular concentration ([Ca2+]i) required for the production of endothelium-derived vasoactive agents. Activation of endothelial IK1 or SK3 channels hyperpolarizes endothelial cell membrane potential, increases Ca2+ influx, and leads to the release of vasoactive factors, thereby impacting blood pressure. To examine the distinct roles of IK1 and SK3 channels, we used electrophysiological recordings to investigate IK1 and SK3 channel trafficking in acutely dissociated endothelial cells from mouse aorta. The results show that SK3 channels undergo Ca2+-dependent cycling between the plasma membrane and intracellular organelles; disrupting Ca2+-dependent endothelial caveolae cycling abolishes SK3 channel trafficking. Moreover, transmitter-induced changes in SK3 channel activity and surface expression modulate endothelial membrane potential. In contrast, IK1 channels do not undergo rapid trafficking and their activity remains unchanged when either exo- or endocytosis is block. Thus modulation of SK3 surface expression may play an important role in regulating endothelial membrane potential in a Ca2+-dependent manner.
Characterization and performance of the Prototype HyspIRI-TIR (PHyTIR) Sensor

The Prototype Hyspiri-TIR (PHyTIR) instrument was developed under NASA’s instrument incubator program and is now operational in the laboratory. The scan head uses state-of-the-art focal plane technology to rapidly acquire data from an eight inch telescope focused at infinite, reflective relay and continuously rotating scan mirror. A series of narrowband interference filters are placed in close proximity to the focal plane. Arrays of 256×16 Mercury Cadmium detectors are under each filter. The detectors have their long wave cutoff at 13.2μm. The filters serve to block out unwanted radiation from other spectral channels, hence forming a high performance multi-band imager with the use of the scanning mirror.
Chronic unexplained diarrhea in human immunodeficiency virus infection: Determination of the best diagnostic approach

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Chronic unexplained diarrhea is a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus infection, although the best diagnostic approach is unknown. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the clinical use of endoscopy for the evaluation of this problem. METHODS: Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus with chronic unexplained diarrhea underwent upper endoscopy to the jejunum followed by colonoscopy. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were evaluated. A potential cause of diarrhea was found in 21 patients (44%; 95% confidence interval, 30%-58%). Colonoscopy with biopsy identified an etiology in 13 patients, including cytomegalovirus colitis alone in 9. In all but 1 patient with colonic disease, the diagnosis was made by biopsy of the rectosigmoid colon. Upper endoscopy with biopsy identified microsporidiosis in 7 patients and cryptosporidiosis in 2 patients. Logistic regression analysis identified weight loss and duration of diarrhea (P 100/mm3 had a diagnosis established. Of the 25 patients without a diagnosis in whom long-term follow-up was available, improvement or spontaneous resolution of diarrhea occurred in 9 (38%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical parameters are helpful in predicting which patients may benefit from endoscopic examination. (Gastroenterology 1996 Jan;110(1):30-7)
Optimization of 1.3-um etched-well surface-emitting laser design

A self-consistent analytical thermal-electrical model is developed to simulate thermal properties of etched-well InGaAsP/InP buried-heterostructure VCSELs with dielectric mirrors. The model is then used to investigate the influence of various design parameters on device performance. In particular, we examine the effects of varying the P-cladding doping level, active-region-, mirror-, and well-diameters, solder material, and mirror materials. We find that the dielectric mirrors are the most critical elements of the device. To increase the output power/operation temperature of the device, both mirrors must have high thermal conductivity and minimal scattering loss.
SEQUENCE DEPENDENT DEAMIDATION RATES FOR MODEL PEPTIDES OF CYTOCHROME C

The rates of deamidation in pH 7.5, 0.15 M, 37.0°C phosphate buffer of pentapeptide models of the sequences found near asparaginyl and glutaminyl residues in cytochrome c were measured. These rates were used to calculate a sequence-determined half-life for non-deamidated cytochrome c. The sequence-determined deamidation rates of the pentapeptide models were compared with the in vivo and in vitro deamidation rates of cytochrome c and the in vivo turnover rate of cytochrome c. Deamidation of the peptides during synthesis and purification was also measured. The implications of these measurements for deamidation as a biological molecular timer and deamidation during peptide synthesis are discussed.
Identification and Removal of Software Security Vulnerabilities using Source Code Analysis: A Case Study on a Java File Writer Program with Password Validation Features

We illustrate the use of source code analysis to identify and remove the following software security vulnerabilities: (i) Hardcoded Password, (ii) Empty Password Initialization, (iii) Denial of Service, (iv) System Information Leak, (v) Unreleased Resource and (vi) Path Manipulation. We propose one or more solution approaches to remove or at least mitigate each of these vulnerabilities that have the potential to significantly impact the security of software programs if they are left unattended. In this context, we conduct an exhaustive source code analysis of a file writer program, developed in Java, embedded with features for password validation in order to illustrate the Hardcoded password and Empty password initialization vulnerabilities. We also illustrate the occurrence of one or more new vulnerabilities as a result of incorporating a patch (code) to remove an existing vulnerability. Our solution approaches to remove the above vulnerabilities can also be adapted to other high-level programming languages like C/C++. We use the Fortify Source Code Analyzer (SCA) software to conduct the automated source code analysis of the file writer program to test for software security, including both identification and removal of the vulnerabilities.
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation With an Uncertain Muscle Contraction Model

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a technique that is widely used as a tool for rehabilitation and restoration of basic functions for people suffering from upper motor neuron lesion (UMNL). Closed-loop methods have shown a potential for improving the effectiveness of NMES. In this paper, uncertainties in the muscle contraction dynamics are taken into consideration when compensating for the muscle contraction dynamics. Accounting for the muscle contraction dynamics is a challenge because of uncertainty, nonlinearity and the fact that the contraction states are not measurable. A neural-network (NN)-based controller together with a dynamic NN-based identifier is designed to enable semi-global uniformly ultimately bounded tracking of a desired limb trajectory and on-line estimation of the limb acceleration. The overall stability of the identifier-controller system is analyzed through Lyapunov methods. Simulation results are provided to illustrate the controller performance.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Application of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling to investigate the toxicological interaction between chlorpyrifos and parathion in the rat.

Abstract Environmental exposure is usually due to the presence of multiple chemicals. In most cases, these chemicals interact with each other at both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic toxicity mechanisms. In the absence of data, joint toxicity assessment of a mixture is based on default dose or response additivity. Although, the concept of additivity is mostly accepted at low dose levels, these levels need to be determined quantitatively to validate the use of additivity as an absence of any possible synergistic or antagonistic interactions at low environmental exposure levels. The doses at which interaction becomes significant define the interaction threshold. In most cases, estimation of these low-dose interaction thresholds experimentally is economically costly and challenging because of the need to use a large number of laboratory animals. Computational toxicology methods provide a feasible alternative to establish interaction thresholds. For example, a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to estimate an interaction threshold for the joint toxicity between chlorpyrifos and parathion in the rat. Initially, PBPK models were developed for each chemical to estimate the blood concentrations of their respective metabolite. The metabolite concentrations in blood out-put was then linked to acetylcholinesterase kinetics submodel. The resulting overall PBPK model described interactions between these pesticides at two levels in the organism: (a) the P450 enzymatic bioactivation site, and (b) acetylcholinesterase binding sites. Using the overall model, a response surface was constructed at various dose levels of each chemical to investigate the mechanism of interaction and to calculate interaction threshold doses. The overall model simulations indicated that additivity is obtained at oral dose levels below 0.08 mg/kg of each chemical. At higher doses, antagonism by enzymatic competitive inhibition is the mode of interaction.
A New Mechanism for High-Tc: Electron Scattering from Interacting Tunneling Units

A theoretical model for high-Tc superconductivity is presented based on electron pairing due to their interaction with two-level or multi-level tunneling units (TU's) present in high-Tc materials. TU's were found experimentally in YBa2Cu3O7-δ, Bi2CaSr2Cu2O8, Tl2CaBa2Cu2O8 and in Tl2CaBa2CuO6. The TU's have specific directions of orientation with respect to the crystal axis and hence cause a strongly anisotropic scattering of the conduction electrons and a strongly anisotropic gap function Δ(k) with wave vector k. For the weak coupling case we obtain, (i) an analytically derived Δ(k) which has a linear combination of s-wave and dx2-y2-wave symmetry with nodes in Δ(k), (ii) a high-Tc determined by the elastic interaction potential between the TU's, (iii) an isotope effect consistent with experiment, (iv) a large uniaxial pressure p dependence of Tc for YBa2Cu3O7-δ close to optimal oxygen doping and (dTc/dpa) ≈ -(dTc/dpb) where Pa and Pb are the pressures in the a and b directions, (v) a quantitative agreement with experiment for dTc/dPi (i = a, b) when we use the elastic constant. The recently observed d ± s wave pairing in twinned YBa2Cu3O7-δ, with a reversal of the sign of s-wave component across the twin boundary, is also in agreement with our model.
Determination of temperature field around a rapidly moving crack-tip in an elastic-plastic solid

Abstract The problem of local heating and temperature rise induced by dynamic crack growth in elastic-plastic solids is studied numerically. Heat generation caused by plastic work dissipation is estimated from crack-tip stress and deformation fields obtained separately by two of the authors. The temperature field in an Eulerian description is shown to be governed by a convection-dominated flow equation with a singular source term that is distributed over an irregular crack-tip region, the active plastic zone. The peak value and spatial distribution of the temperature increase are determined using two independent computer codes, which are developed by the authors based on an integral representation of the temperature field and on an upwind finite element formulation. The accuracy and reliability of the numerical methods and their solutions are studied carefully against exact, closed-form solutions for several specially designed boundary value problems. These methods are used to simulate dynamic fracture tests on AISI 4340 steel specimens, and the predicted temperature contours and maximum values are found to be in good agreement with those measured and estimated experimentally.
Impacts of market-based climate change policies on the US pulp and paper industry

Abstract Much of the policy debates on climate issues have centered on the optimal level and timing of policy interventions that cost-effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We briefly review the range of policy issues in our paper and assess the impact that climate-change policies may have on energy use and carbon emissions in the US pulp and paper industry. We then present results from time series-based analyses of changes in technologies and fuel mix, and compare the results with engineering-based technology analyses of US pulp and paper production (for a copy of the model and software send e-mail to mruth@bu.edu.). Projections, based on information for eight paper and paperboard categories, are presented for the years 1995–2020. The findings indicate that, under a wide range of specifications and policy assumptions, carbon emissions from fossil fuel use per ton of product are likely to decline. When combined with investment incentives, an additional cost-effective reduction in carbon emissions per ton of product will be realized. However, expected increases in output from the industry are likely to be higher than the reductions in energy and carbon intensities. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.
A Test of Pre-Main-Sequence Evolutionary Models across the Stellar/Substellar Boundary Based on Spectra of the Young Quadruple GG Tauri*

We present spatially separated optical spectra of the components of the young hierarchical quadruple GG Tau. Spectra of GG Tau Aa and Ab (separation 025 ~ 35 AU) were obtained with the Faint Object Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Spectra of GG Tau Ba and Bb (separation 148 ~ 207 AU) were obtained with both the HIRES and the LRIS spectrographs on the W. M. Keck telescopes. The components of this minicluster, which span a wide range in spectral type (K7-M7), are used to test both evolutionary models and the temperature scale for very young, low-mass stars under the assumption of coeval formation. Of the evolutionary models tested, those of Baraffe et al. yield the most consistent ages when combined with a temperature scale intermediate between that of dwarfs and giants. The version of the Baraffe et al. models computed with a mixing length nearly twice the pressure scale height is of particular interest, as it predicts masses for GG Tau Aa and Ab that are in agreement with their dynamical mass estimate. Using this evolutionary model and a coeval (at 1.5 Myr) temperature scale, we find that the coldest component of the GG Tau system, GG Tau Bb, is substellar with a mass of 0.044 ± 0.006 M☉. This brown dwarf companion is especially intriguing as it shows signatures of accretion, although this accretion is not likely to alter its mass significantly. GG Tau Bb is currently the lowest mass, spectroscopically confirmed companion to a T Tauri star, and is one of the coldest, lowest mass T Tauri objects in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region.
DNA bending by Cro protein in specific and nonspecific complexes: implications for protein site recognition and specificity

Scanning force microscopy was used to resolve lambda Cro protein when bound as a single dimer or multiple dimers to its three operator (OR) sites. The bend angles induced by binding of Cro to specific and nonspecific sites were determined and are 69 degrees +/- 11 degrees for specific and 62 degrees +/- 23 degrees for nonspecific complexes. Bending of the nonspecific sites is advantageous for a protein such as Cro that bends its specific site, because it increases the binding specificity of the protein and it can be used by the protein to sample contacts required for the recognition of its target sequence. It is proposed here that bending of nonspecific DNA may be a general property among DNA binding proteins that bend their specific sites.
Beam-Attenuation Measurement Error Due to Small-Angle Scattering Acceptance

Abstract Transmissometers always accept a certain portion of the forward-scattered light. The error in the beam-attenuation coefficient c(λ) due to this acceptance varies with the small-angle scattering function, single-scattering albedo, and instrumental design. This paper details methods to model error in measurements of c(λ) obtained with cylindrically limited and collimated-beam transmissometers. These models are used with real examples of beam attenuation and small-angle scattering function data to test how this measurement error varies.
Hyperspectral image assessment of oil‐contaminated wetland

In exploring the nature of hyperspectral data, this study has focused on one of its most challenging applications—oil spill detection—in order to uncover the potential limits of such data. The classification performance of conventional techniques can be improved by testing the accuracy of the existing classifiers using a ground data image as a reference. Moreover, a created prototype demonstrates how hyperspectral data can supplement information on environmental deterioration due to oil pollution, specifically the Patuxent River wetland at the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. The data allow an assessment of the current state of wetland losses and habitat changes due to oil pollution of local waters and associated wetlands. Airborne Imaging Spectro‐Radiometer for Applications (AISA) hyperspectral imagery was used for this study and the results were derived using the Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI) software. The use of different classifiers showed low accuracy and class overlap for many classes. Theref...
Static Charging and Its Effects on Avionic Systems

Static electrification of the airframe can often cause electromagnetic interference on aircraft radios. This paper reviews the causes and possible effects of this phenomenon. Sources of static electrification include frictional charging by precipitation particles, engine exhaust non-neutrality (at low altitudes), and exogenous electric fields (between oppositely charged cloud regions). The potential of an aircraft increases until a threshold is reached at which electrical discharges occur, generating electromagnetic noise that interferes with both navigation and communications. Noise-producing discharge mechanisms include 1) corona-discharge breakdown of the air, 2) streamer discharges across insulating dielectric surfaces to the metal airframe, 3) sparks between inadvertently unbonded adjacent metal sections of the aircraft, and 4) the passage of charged particles past an antenna. Corona discharges and streamer discharges are discussed for both narrowband and broadband systems. The electromagnetic fields generated by discharges raise the local equivalent noise field above the atmospheric noise level, causing interference in narrowband systems. Pulse discharges can be misinterpreted on broadband digital systems as operating signals. Aircraft charging parameters have been measured over time (after takeoff) and altitude for several aircraft types, including a jet fighter, a 707, a Titan III rocket, and a helicopter.
Direct Covalent Grafting of Polyoxometalates onto Si Surfaces

A diazonium salt-derived organoimido hexamolybdate was synthesized and directly covalently immobilized on Si surfaces using diazonium chemistry to form both monolayers and multilayers. These monolayers and multilayers were characterized by ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical analysis. The results of electrochemical analysis have shown a strong electronic interaction between the surface-confined clusters and the Si substrate through the organic conjugated bridge.
Identification of b, c, and d cytochromes in the membrane of Vitreoscilla.

Cytochromes b, c, d, and o were identified by spectroscopic analysis of respiratory membrane fragments from Vitreoscilla sp., strain C1. Carbon monoxide difference spectra of the reduced membranes had absorption maxima at 416, 534, and 571 nm (ascribed to cytochrome o) and 632 nm (cytochrome d). Derivative spectra of the pyridine hemochromogen spectra of the membranes identified the presence of b- and c-type cytochromes in Vitreoscilla. The cyanide binding curve of the membranes was biphasic with dissociation constants of 2.14 mM and 10.7 mM which were assigned to cytochrome o and cytochrome d, respectively. Membranes bound carbon monoxide with dissociation constant 3.9 μM, which was assigned to cytochrome o. Cytochrome c556 and a NADH-p-iodonitrotetrazolium violet reductase component were partially purified from Vitreoscilla membranes.
A methodology for mapping scores to probabilities

Describes the derivation of probability of correctness from scores assigned by most recognizers. Derivation of probability values puts the output of different recognizers on the same scale; this makes comparison across recognizers trivial. The authors draw on examples from handwritten word recognition to illustrate their point.
Mastering Academic Language: Organization and Stance in the Persuasive Writing of High School Students

Beyond mechanics and spelling conventions, academic writing requires progressive mastery of advanced language forms and functions. Pedagogically useful tools to assess such language features in adolescents’ writing, however, are not yet available. This study examines language predictors of writing quality in 51 persuasive essays produced by high school students attending a linguistically and ethnically diverse inner-city school in the Northeastern United States. Essays were scored for writing quality by a group of teachers, transcribed and analyzed to generate automated lexical and grammatical measures, and coded for discourse-level elements by researchers who were blind to essays’ writing quality scores. Regression analyses revealed that beyond the contribution of length and lexico-grammatical intricacy, the frequency of organizational markers and one particular type of epistemic stance marker (i.e., epistemic hedges) significantly predicted persuasive essays’ writing quality. Findings shed light on disc...
Support constraints for M-band alias-free filter banks

A new formulation of the system equations that describe the behavior of the one-dimensional M-band maximally decimated analysis/synthesis filter bank system is presented. The development incorporates the effects of the shift-varying nature of the upsampling and downsampling operations. By explicitly including the filter regions of support, one is able to derive a more general expression for the relationships that must exist between the analysis and synthesis filters in order to cancel all interband aliasing. From this expression one can find (1) the M/sup M-1/ distinct sets of analysis and synthesis filters from which an M-band alias-free filter bank can be constructed, and (2) the constraints on how these filters, once designed, can be shifted without destroying their aliasing cancellation properties. >
Properties of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon-Germanium Alloys Deposited by Dual Target Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium alloy thin films (a-Si1−xGex:H) were deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering. Dual targets of silicon and germanium were sputtered in an argon + hydrogen atmosphere using rf excitation. Films with x = 0.4 were deposited as a function of substrate temperature and hydrogen partial pressure, and were evaluated by dark and photoconductivity, infrared absorption, and optical transmission. Photosensitivity reached a maximum value of about 5000 between 150 and 200 °C. Using the stretching modes in the region of 2000 cm−1, the hydrogen bonding was characterized in terms of the preferential attachment ratio (PA), which represents the ratio of H bonded to silicon to that bonded to germanium. The PA shows a systematic increase with increasing temperature, independent of hydrogen partial pressure. The interplay between thermodynamic and kinetics effects in determining PA and film quality will be discussed.
Cell Wall Composition and Decreased Autolytic Activity and Lysostaphin Susceptibility of Glycopeptide-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus

The cell wall composition and autolytic properties of passage-selected glycopeptide-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (GISA) isolates and their parent strains were studied in order to investigate the mechanism of decreased vancomycin susceptibility. GISA had relatively modest changes in peptidoglycan composition involving peptidoglycan interpeptide bridges and somewhat decreased cross-linking compared to that of parent strains. The cell wall phosphorus content of GISA strains was lower than that of susceptible parent strains, indicating somewhat lower wall teichoic acid levels in the GISA strains. Similar to whole cells, isolated crude cell walls retaining autolytic activity of GISA had drastically reduced autolytic activity compared to that of parent strains, and this arose early in the development of the GISA phenotype. This was due to an alteration in the autolytic enzymes of GISA as revealed by normal susceptibility of GISA-purified cell walls to parental strain autolysin extract and lower activity and altered peptidoglycan hydrolase activity profiles in GISA autolysin extracts compared to those of parent strains. Northern blot analysis indicated that expression of atl, the major autolysin gene, was significantly downregulated in a GISA strain compared to that of its parent strain. In contrast to whole cells, which showed decreased lysostaphin susceptibility, purified cell walls of GISA showed increased susceptibility to lysostaphin. We suggest that in our GISA strains, decreased autolytic activity is involved in the tolerance of vancomycin and the activities of endogenous autolysins are important in conferring sensitivity to lysostaphin on whole cells.
Binding modules alter the activity of chimeric cellulases: Effects of biomass pretreatment and enzyme source

Improving the catalytic activity of cellulases requires screening variants against solid substrates. Expressing cellulases in microbial hosts is time-consuming, can be cellulase specific, and often leads to inactive forms and/or low yields. These limitations have been obstacles for improving cellulases in a high-throughput manner. We have developed a cell-free expression system and used it to express 54 chimeric bacterial and archaeal endoglucanases (EGs), with and without cellulose binding modules (CBMs) at either the N- or C-terminus, in active enzyme yields of 100-350 µg/mL. The platform was employed to systematically study the role of CBMs in cellulose hydrolysis toward a variety of natural and pretreated solid substrates, including ionic-liquid pretreated Miscanthus and AFEX-pretreated corn stover. Adding a CBM generally increased activity against crystalline Avicel, whereas for pretreated substrates the effect of CBM addition depended on the source of cellulase. The cell-free expression platform can thus provide insights into cellulase structure-function relationships for any substrate, and constitutes a powerful discovery tool for evaluating or engineering cellulolytic enzymes for biofuels production.
Employing Cluster Analysis to Detect Significant Cloud 3D RT Effect Indicators

Three-dimensional cloud field morphology contributes to scene-averaged cloud reflectivity, but climate models do not currently incorporate methods of identifying situations where this contribution is substantial. This work represents an effort to identify atmospheric conditions conducive to the formation of cloud field configurations that significantly affect shortwave radiative fluxes. Once identified, these characteristics may form the basis of a parameterization that accounts for radiative impact of complex cloud fields. A k-means clustering algorithm is applied to observed cloud properties taken from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program tropical western Pacific sites to identify specific cloud regimes. Results from a stand-alone stochastic model, which statistically represents shortwave radiative transfer through broken cloud fields, are compared with those of a plane-parallel model. The aggregate scenes in each regime are examined to measure the bias in shortwave flux calculations due to neglected cloud field morphology. The results from the model comparison and cluster analysis suggest that cloud fraction, vertical wind shear, and spacing between cloudy layers are all important indicators of complex cloud field geometry and that these criteria are most often met in cloud regimes characterized by moderate to strong convection. The cluster criteria are applied to output from the Community Climate System Model (version 3.0) and it is found that the presence of persistent high cirrus cloud in model simulations inhibits identification of specific cloud regimes.
Enzymatic formation of tetrahydro-beta-carboline from tryptamine and 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid in rat brain fractions: regional and subcellular distribution.

—In rat brain extract tryptamine is converted to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline (THβJC) and N-methyltryptamine to 2-methyl-THβC in the presence of 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid. We believe this occurs through enzymatic conversion of 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid to formaldehyde and tetrahydrofolic acid, followed by spontaneous condensation of the radioactive formaldehyde with the substrate tryptamine (Donaldson & Keresztesy, 1961). The final products of the reactions have been identified by both thin layer chromatography and mass spectrophotometry. Subcellular fractionation shows more than 90 per cent of the formaldehyde-forming enzyme activity to be in the cytosol. Specific activities in fractions from 16 discrete regions of the brain and CNS range from 210·2 ± pmol of THβC/mg protein/h in corpus striatum to 62·9 ± 3·6 pmol of THβC/mg protein/h in corpus callosum.
The use of PCR to monitor the population abundance of six human intestinal bacterial species in an in vitro semicontinuous culture system

Six PCR primer sets complementary to the 16S rDNAs (rRNA genes) were developed and shown to be specific for the following anaerobic bacteria: Clostridium clostridiiforme, C. perfringens, C. leptum, Bacteroides vulgatus, B. distasonis, and B. thetaiotaomicron, respectively. These primers were used for PCR to detect and monitor the bacteria in a semicontinuous culture system designed to mimic intestinal microflora in the human gastrointestinal tract. Except for C. perfringens, the five species of Bacteroides and Clostridia present in the in vitro culture system were detected by the PCR, and the titers varied from 10−2 to 10−6 dilutions. The role of azo dye reduction by these bacterial species in the system was examined and discussed.
Robust pupil center detection using a curvature algorithm

Determining the pupil center is fundamental for calculating eye orientation in video-based systems. Existing techniques are error prone and not robust because eyelids, eyelashes, corneal reflections or shadows in many instances occlude the pupil. We have developed a new algorithm which utilizes curvature characteristics of the pupil boundary to eliminate these artifacts. Pupil center is computed based solely on points related to the pupil boundary. For each boundary point, a curvature value is computed. Occlusion of the boundary induces characteristic peaks in the curvature function. Curvature values for normal pupil sizes were determined and a threshold was found which together with heuristics discriminated normal from abnormal curvature. Remaining boundary points were fit with an ellipse using a least squares error criterion. The center of the ellipse is an estimate of the pupil center. This technique is robust and accurately estimates pupil center with less than 40% of the pupil boundary points visible.
Flight Determination of Partial-Span-Flap Parasite Drag with Flap Deflection

Level-flightperformancetestswereconductedonatypicallightgeneralaviationsingle-engineretractableaircraft with partially and fully extended partial-span single-slotted flaps in both gear-up and gear-extended configurations. A parabolic variation in the aircraft equivalent parasite drag area with flap deflection was observed for both configurations.Alinearrelationwasdiscovered betweentheaircraft equivalentparasitedragareaandthesquareof the flapdeflection anglefor both configurations.This result suggests thatlevel-flight performance tests in thestowed and fully extended flap configurations will yield adequate data for estimating performance for intermediate flap deflections. A similar linear relation was confirmed for an NACA 23012 airfoil equipped with a single-slotted flat using classical NACA wind-tunnel data. The flight tests showed that the aircraft equivalent parasite drag area increased by a factor of 1.16 at 10, by 1.81 at 20, and by 3.14 at a full flap deflection of 32 in the gear-up configuration. With the gear extended, the equivalent parasite drag area increased by a factor of 1.14 at 10, by 1.29 at 20, and by 1.67 at the 32 full flap deflection. The results are expected to be typical for similar aircraft.
A general representation formula for boundary voltage perturbations caused by internal conductivity inhomogeneities of low volume fraction

We establish an asymptotic representation formula for the steady state voltage perturba- tions caused by low volume fraction internal conductivity inhomogeneities. This formula generalizes and unifies earlier formulas derived for special geometries and distributions of inhomogeneities.
The Parent–Peer Interface Does Inductive Parenting Reduce the Criminogenic Effect of Delinquent Peers?

The purpose of this study was to determine whether inductive parenting is capable of reducing delinquent peer influence. This hypothesis was tested using the first four waves (1976–1979) and all 1,...
The college years as a mini-life cycle: developmental tasks and adaptive options.

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the four years of an undergraduate college experience in terms of discrete developmental tasks which are optimally addressed in an ordered temporal sequence. The central developmental tasks for each period of the college life cycle are characterized as: 1) divestment (of childhood ties) and investment (in college life) during the freshman transition from home to college; 2) consolidation (of the separation task) and choice (of interests and goals) during the sophomore year; 3) mastery of and commitment to work during the junior year; and 4) anticipation of the future during the senior transition. Adaptive responses to these tasks are identified and typical maladaptive task-avoidant defenses employed by college students who seek counseling are described. It is suggested that by formulating a college student's developmental tasks in terms of the concrete issues posed by the student's social reality, a more precise understanding of his developmental conflicts can b...
ATR signalling: more than meeting at the fork

Preservation of genome integrity via the DNA-damage response is critical to prevent disease. ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related) is essential for life and functions as a master regulator of the DNA-damage response, especially during DNA replication. ATR controls and co-ordinates DNA replication origin firing, replication fork stability, cell cycle checkpoints and DNA repair. Since its identification 15 years ago, a model of ATR activation and signalling has emerged that involves localization to sites of DNA damage and activation through protein-protein interactions. Recent research has added an increasingly detailed understanding of the canonical ATR pathway, and an appreciation that the canonical model does not fully capture the complexity of ATR regulation. In the present article, we review the ATR signalling process, focusing on mechanistic findings garnered from the identification of new ATR-interacting proteins and substrates. We discuss how to incorporate these new insights into a model of ATR regulation and point out the significant gaps in our understanding of this essential genome-maintenance pathway.
Materazzi effect and the strategic use of anger in competitive interactions.

We propose that individuals use anger strategically in interactions. We first show that in some environments angering people makes them more effective in competitions, whereas in others, anger makes them less effective. We then show that individuals anticipate these effects and strategically use the option to anger their opponents. In particular, they are more likely to anger their opponents when anger negatively affects the opponents’ performances. This finding suggests people understand the effects of emotions on behavior and exploit them to their advantage.
Response to GH treatment in adult GH deficiency is predicted by gender, age, and IGF1 SDS but not by stimulated GH-peak

Objective: We studied whether the severity of GH deficiency (GHD) defined as i) GH-peak on stimulation tests (insulin tolerance test (ITT), arginine, and glucagon), ii) number of additional pituitary deficits, or iii) baseline IGF1 SDS could impact the response to GH treatment. We further explored whether iv) IGF1 SDS after 24 months of GH replacement or v) DIGF1 SDS from baseline to 24 months was related to the phenotypic response to GH treatment. Design, patients, and measurements: The patient cohort (n=1752; 50% women) was obtained from KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database). The patients were divided into three groups of approximately equal size (tertiles) according to the stimulated GH-peak values and baseline IGF1 SDS and were studied at baseline, 12, and 24 months of GH therapy. Results: Lower baseline IGF1 SDS predicted better response in weight, BMI, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, while IGF1 SDS after 24 months was associated with reduction in waist/hip ratio, total cholesterol, and improved quality of life (QoL). Age-correlated negatively with the response in body weight, BMI, waist, IGF1 SDS, and total and LDL-cholesterol. Response in weight and BMI was greater in men than in women, whereas women showed greater improvement in QoL than men. Patients with more severe GHD as assessed by lower GH-peaks and more pituitary hormone deficiencies had a greater increase in IGF1 SDS. The increase in IGF1 SDS was associated with a reduction in waist/hip ratio and an increase in weight, BMI, and triglycerides. There was no correlation with other lipids, blood pressure, or glucose. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that baseline and 24 months, IGF1 and its degree of increase during GH replacement were more important than stimulated peak GH to predict the phenotypic response. © 2013 European Society of Endocrinology.
2‐Methylene‐1,3‐Dithiolane

2-Methylene-1,3-dithiolane intermediate: 2-chloromethyl-1,3-dithiolane product: 2-methylene-1,3-dithiolane Keywords: acetal (and thioacetal) formation; annulation, heterocyclic-[5]; cyclization, condensation; elimination, dehydrohalogenation; 1,2-ethanedithiol, stench
The psychoanalytic theory of addiction: a reevaluation by use of a statistical model.

The theories and methods of psychoanalysis have had a profound influence on the other human sciences. 1-3 However, movement in the other direction--from other human sciences to psychoanalysis--has normally been met with resistance. As Szasz has observed, this resistance may be attributed to the success of psychoanalysis in disseminating its theory and method to other sciences. 4 In a struggle to retain their distinctiveness, psychoanalysts have refined their clinical techniques and defined them as the psychoanalytic method. This methodological resistance has had a negative effect on the development and evaluation of psychoanalytic theory. Thus, Sears can write (p. 133):
A region-based mathematical model of the urine concentrating mechanism in the rat outer medulla. I. Formulation and base-case results

We have developed a highly detailed mathematical model for the urine concentrating mechanism (UCM) of the rat kidney outer medulla (OM). The model simulates preferential interactions among tubules ...
Operationalizing Family Resilience as Process: Proposed Methodological Strategies

The notion that some families are able to function well, and even thrive, in the face of considerable stress has been the subject of considerable theoretical discussion as well as empirical study (Baldwin, Baldwin, & Cole, 1990; McCubbin, 1995; Walsh, 2006). Although the construct of family resilience holds much promise, there has not been universal agreement on how to conceptualize or assess this intriguing area of study. Previously, we explored conceptual and definitional issues relating to the notion of family resilience, paying particular attention to the idea that family resilience represents adaptive paths that a family exhibits both in the present and over time (Hawley & DeHaan, 1996). Such a process-focused approach necessitates a methodological framework to match these conceptual ideas. In this chapter we examine research design and analysis strategies, focusing on quantitative methods for measuring pathways of family resilience. We then examine the efficacy of our proposed method, with a sample test case of parents coping with the normative stressor of the birth of their first child. We believe that this proposed method, identifying differing trajectories of resilience, may play an important role in discovering factors instrumental in shaping adaptive pathways for families and may assist clinicians in both their research and practice. Our method is argued to align more closely with how family resilience is used clinically, that is, as a process, rather than as a trait.
The effects of media, self-esteem, and BMI on youth's unhealthy weight control behaviors

Abstract Purpose Youth engage in a variety of methods to manage their weight, including unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs). The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with youth's engagement in UWCBs, including media influence, youth's BMI z-score and self-esteem. Methods Participants were 179 youth, aged 10–17, attending a primary care clinic appointment. Youth completed questionnaires assessing frequency of UWCBs, global self-worth, and perception of media influence to lose weight. BMI z-score was calculated based on height and weight measurements obtained from medical charts. The SPSS macro, PROCESS, was used to conduct moderation analyses. Results Over 40% of youth endorsed using at least one UWCB in the past year. Girls reported using more UWCBs and engaging in UWCBs more frequently than boys. For boys, media influence to lose weight was only related to UWCB frequency for those with a BMI z-score of 1.23 and above. For girls, media influence was only related to UWCB frequency for those with low to average levels of global self-worth. Conclusions Girls' and boys' use of UWCBs is impacted by different factors. Prevention efforts should consider targeting factors, such as weight status and self-esteem, which are uniquely associated with gender.
Effects of compartmental fluid repletion on heat-induced limb vasodilation in dehydrated baboons.

Dehydration attenuates the increase in hindlimb blood flow produced by environmental heating (EH) in baboons. This study explored whether intravascular volume repletion alone was sufficient to remove this dehydration-induced attenuation. In six unanesthetized, chronically instrumented baboons, the increases in hindlimb blood flow during EH were measured under these conditions: euhydrated, dehydrated (64-68 h of water deprivation) without fluid replenishment, and dehydrated with intravenous fluid replenishment by either 6% high-molecular-weight dextran solution (to replenish vascular volume) or hyperosmotic saline (to replenish vascular and interstitial fluid volumes). EH consisted of acute exposure to ambient temperatures of 38-42 degrees C until core temperature (Tc) reached 39.5 degrees C. During dehydration without fluid replenishment the increments in mean iliac artery blood flow (MIBF) and iliac vascular conductance (IVC) produced by EH (i.e., value at Tc = 39.5 degrees C - pre-EH value) were reduced by 39 and 44%, respectively. After infusion of a volume of dextran solution equal to blood volume lost during dehydration, the increment in MIBF during EH was partially restored to the euhydrated level, but the increment in IVC remained at the dehydrated level. Infusion of hyperosmotic saline during dehydration completely restored the increases in MIBF and IVC during EH to euhydrated levels. Thus restoration of normal blood volume alone in dehydrated baboons does not completely restore normal hindlimb vasodilation during EH.
Factors influencing the utilisation of antenatal care content in Uganda.

Background Uganda records an inadequate utilisation of antenatal care programmes. The study set out to investigate the factors associated with the use of antenatal care content to inform policy makers of the pertinent factors that need to be influenced by policy.
Collaboration for program enrichment: Exploring JSTOR and nursing

Summary This paper describes a collaborative project funded by a grant through Project JSTOR and the Bush and Mellon Foundation. The project was designed to increase the depth of content in the Registered Nurse Upward Mobility Program at South Dakota State University, which recently completed its first year of online delivery. Through evaluation and assessment strategies, two goals were identified to increase the richness and depth of content in this curriculum. The first goal was to identify and include scholarly, research based, electronic resources in the six courses of this program. The second goal was to establish a uniform framework for insuring that students in the program attain the information literacy competencies outlined by the Association of College and Research Libraries. Collaboration between an experienced instructor in the RN Upward Mobility Program and the Distance/Interlibrary Loan Librarian at South Dakota State University was necessary to assist faculty to achieve these goals and to d...