cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding fold motif is a poly(ADP-ribose)-binding domain that mediates DNA damage response

Oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding (OB) fold is a ssDNA or RNA binding motif in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Unexpectedly, we found that the OB fold of human ssDNA-binding protein 1 (hSSB1) is a poly(ADP ribose) (PAR) binding domain. hSSB1 exhibits high-affinity binding to PAR and recognizes iso-ADP ribose (ADPR), the linkage between two ADPR units. This interaction between PAR and hSSB1 mediates the early recruitment of hSSB1 to the sites of DNA damage. Mutations in the OB fold of hSSB1 that disrupt PAR binding abolish the relocation of hSSB1 to the sites of DNA damage. Moreover, PAR-mediated recruitment of hSSB1 is important for early DNA damage repair. We have screened other OB folds and found that several other OB folds also recognize PAR. Taken together, our study reveals a PAR-binding domain that mediates DNA damage repair.
Magnetic investigation of the effect of small additions of cobalt and manganese on the martensite reversal in an Fe-Ni alloy

Data on the temperature and composition dependence of the magnetic moment and Curie temperature of several Fe-Ni-Co and Fe-Ni-Mn alloys have been obtained. The temperature dependence of the magnetization was obtained for each alloy from 298 to 873 K, following the magnetization change through the transformation from martensite to austenite. The effect of cobalt and manganese additions to an Fe-29.9 at. pct Ni alloy on the reverse transition temperature,A s , the Curie temperature,T c , and the saturation magnetization at absolute zero, ρso, has been determined, Values forA s , T c , and ρso were obtained by fitting a Brillouin function to the respective contributions of austenite and martensite to the total magnetization. This technique represents a very sensitive method of obtaining transition temperatures and the respective amounts of each phase present in the alloys. A theoretical prediction of ρso andT c was in agreement with the experimentally determined values.
Posttrial effects of presenting vs. omitting expected shock USs in the conditioned suppression procedure: Concurrent measurement of barpress suppression and freezing

Barpress suppression in a 1-min interval following CS trials was investigated using 16 rats in a conditioned suppression procedure with a two-stage design. For one group, each CS co-terminated with a brief shock US in Stage 1; then, in Stage 2, only half the CSs ended with a shock, which in turn was followed 1 min later by a second shock. For a second group, the two stages were reversed. When CSs were followed by single shocks in Stage 1, posttrial suppression weakened across trials; but when, in Stage 2, double shocks followed half the CSs, posttrial suppression grew stronger. When half the trials were followed by double shocks in Stage 1, posttrial suppression was maintained at initial levels but weakened in Stage 2 when single shocks followed each trial. In both stages, posttrial suppression was stronger on nonreinforced than on reinforced trials. Two factors were hypothesized to control posttrial suppression. First, posttrial suppression weakens with training under the single-shock procedure because post-shock temporal stimuli come to inhibit fear unless themselves paired with shock. Second, posttrial suppression is stronger on nonreinforced trials than on reinforced trials because freezing behaviors initiated during the CS are not disrupted by a US and so persist into the posttrial interval.
Cognitive and environmental interventions for gay males: Addressing stigma and its consequences

In order to maximize the effectiveness of their interactions with gay males, social workers must assess and address the impacts of stigmatization on their clients’ mental health. Furthermore, they ...
Approximation of generalized Stokes problems using dual-mixed finite elements without enrichment

In this work a finite element method for a dual-mixed approximation of generalized Stokes problems in two or three space dimensions is studied. A variational formulation of the generalized Stokes problems is accomplished through the introduction of the pseudostress and the trace-free velocity gradient as unknowns, yielding a twofold saddle point problem. The method avoids the explicit computation of the pressure, which can be recovered through a simple post-processing technique. Compared with an existing approach for the same problem, the method presented here reduces the global number of degrees of freedom by up to one-third in two space dimensions. The method presented here also represents a connection between existing dual-mixed and pseudostress methods for Stokes problems. Existence, uniqueness, and error results for the generalized Stokes problems are given, and numerical experiments that illustrate the theoretical results are presented. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanism of concentrating defect in hypercalcemia. Role of polydipsia and prostaglandins.

Mechanism of concentrating defect in hypercalcemia. Role of polydipsia and prostaglandins. This study investigates the mechanism of the renal concentrating defect in a model of chronic hypercalcemia in the rat (serum calcium 12.4 ± 0.2mg %). Maximal urinary osmolality was 1669 ± 76 mOsm/kg H 2 O in hypercalcemic rats as compared to 2609 ± 61 mOsm/kg H 2 O in pair-fed controls, P 2 excretion was increased markedly in both ad lib water and pair-watered hypercalcemic rats as compared to controls, the role of prostaglandin E 2 in the renal concentrating defect was investigated by determining the maximal urinary concentration following prostaglandin inhibition achieved by administration of indomethacin. Prostaglandin inhibition failed to improve the renal concentrating defect in hypercalcemic rats. Our study therefore demonstrates that chronic hypercalcemia causes renal concentrating defect of nephrogenic origin that is partially dependent on the associated polydipsia and polyuria. The polyuria-polydipsia independent component of the defect is associated with decreased inner medullary tissue solute content. Despite very high prostaglandin E 2 excretion rates, the renal concentrating defect appears to be prostaglandin independent. Mecanisme du defaut de concentration dans l'hypercalcemie. Role de la polydipsie et des prostaglandines. Ce travail etudie le mecanisme du defaut de concentration renale dans un modele d'hypercalcemie chronique chez le rat (calcemies 12,4 ± 0,2mg %). L'osmolalite urinaire maximale etait de 1669 ± 76 mOsm/kg H 2 O chez les rats hypercalcemiques par rapport a 2609 ± 61 mOsm/kg H 2 O chez des controles nourris de facon appariee, P 2 etait augmentee de facon marquee chez les rats hypercalcemiques recevant de l'eau ad libitum ou de facon appariee par rapport aux controles, le role de la prostaglandine E 2 dans le defaut de concentration renale a ete etudie en determinant la concentration urinaire maximale apres inhibition des prostaglandines par administration d'indomethacine. L'inhibition des prostaglandines n'a pas permis d'ameliorer le defaut de concentration renale chez les rats hypercalcemiques. Notre etude demontre donc que l'hypercalcemie chronique entraine un defaut de concentration renale d'origine nephrogene. Ce defaut de concentration renale est partiellement dependant de la polydipsie et de la polyurie associees. La composante independante de la polyurie et de la polydipsie de ce defaut est associee avec une diminution du contenu en solutes tissulaires medullaires internes. Malgre des debits d'excretion de prostaglandines E 2 tres eleves, le defaut de concentration renale semble etre independant des prostaglandines.
The use of Hypnosis for Airplane Phobia With an Obsessive Character: a Case Study

This is a single-case study of a middle-aged woman with specific phobia and panic symptoms associated with airplanes. Treatment was brief and supportive in nature, using hypnosis for both exposure ...
Deuterium labeling of methyl 1,1,1 ,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether

Trideuteromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether was synthesized by the reductive dechlorinalion of trichloromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-Isopropyl ether. This reaction was performed by zinc/zinc chloride catalyzed reduction in acetic acid-D. This reaction yielded 80% methyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether consisting of approximately 70% trideuteromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl ether and 26% dideuteromethyl 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-isopropyl ether.
Acoustic stimulation of human medial olivocochlear efferents reduces stimulus-frequency and click-evoked otoacoustic emission delays: Implications for cochlear filter bandwidths.

Abstract Filter theory indicates that changes in cochlear filter bandwidths are accompanied by changes in cochlear response latencies. Previous reports indicate that otoacoustic emission (OAE) delays are reduced by exciting medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents with contralateral broad-band noise (CBBN). These delay reductions are consistent with MOC-induced widening of cochlear filters. We quantified the MOC-induced changes in human cochlear filter-related delays using stimulus-frequency and click-evoked OAEs (SFOAE and CEOAEs), recorded with and without MOC activity elicited by 60 dB SPL CBBN. MOC-induced delay changes were measured from the slopes of SFOAE phase functions and from cross-correlation of 500 Hz-wide CEOAE frequency-band waveform magnitudes. The delay changes measured from CEOAEs and SFOAEs were statistically indistinguishable. Both showed greater delay reductions at lower frequencies (a 5% decrease in the 0.5–2 kHz frequency region). These data indicate that cochlear filters are widened 5% by the MOC activity from moderate-level CBBN. Psychophysically, the large changes in cochlear response latencies, implied by the 0.5 ms change in OAE delay at low frequencies, would have a profound effect on binaural localization if they were not balanced in the central nervous system, or by the MOC system producing similar changes in both ears.
A novel method of genomic DNA extraction for Cactaceae

Premise of the study: Genetic studies of Cactaceae can at times be impeded by difficult sampling logistics and/or high mucilage content in tissues. Simplifying sampling and DNA isolation through the use of cactus spines has not previously been investigated. Methods and Results: Several protocols for extracting DNA from spines were tested and modified to maximize yield, amplification, and sequencing. Sampling of and extraction from spines resulted in a simplified protocol overall and complete avoidance of mucilage as compared to typical tissue extractions. Sequences from one nuclear and three plastid regions were obtained across eight genera and 20 species of cacti using DNA extracted from spines. Conclusions: Genomic DNA useful for amplification and sequencing can be obtained from cactus spines. The protocols described here are valuable for any cactus species, but are particularly useful for investigators interested in sampling living collections, extensive field sampling, and/or conservation genetic studies.
Cognition in a Patient with Very Mild Right-sided Hemiparkinsonism

Non-demented patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), especially if they are high functioning and early in the course of their disease, usually exhibit mild deficits in anterograde recall memory for verbal and non-verbal material, visuospatial reasoning, visuomotor construction, temporal ordering and sequencing. Impairments in problem solving and verbal fluency tests may also occur. PD patients with predominantly right-sided symptoms usually exhibit more severe difficulties with verbal than with non-verbal tasks. We report a case of a highly educated right-handed man with very mild right-sided hemiparkinsonism who never received anti-Parkinsonian or other psychoactive medication. Our patient showed anterograde and retrograde amnesia for faces and spatial locations and difficulties on complex visuospatial tasks that required manual responses, but normal to above average performance on all other cognitive tests. The specific pattern of cognitive loss early in PD may depend on which spatial, facial or verbal ...
Central life interests of American middle managers and specialists

Abstract Work as a central life interest was measured among American middle managers and management specialists. For a majority of respondents work was not a central life interest. The work milieu had least centrality for informal social relations and most centrality for behaviors relevant to formal organizational processes and technological performances. Comparisons are drawn with data from industrial workers and implications for attachment to work are suggested.
Study of Metal Catalysts by Temperature Programmed Desorption. III Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange on Platinum

Abstract In the preceding paper in this series (Part II) four different chemisorbed species of hydrogen on platinum surface were detected by the temperature programmed desorption technique (TPD). In the present paper, hydrogen-deuterium surface exchange was investigated at low temperatures (−76 ° to −195 °C) between D 2 (or H 2 ) preadsorbed on the platinum surface and H 2 (or D 2 ) in the gas phase. Various types of chemisorbed hydrogen were prepared by the temperature programmed desorption technique as described in Part II and their participation in the exchange reaction was examined. One of the four types of chemisorbed hydrogen, presumed to be present on the surface in the form of hydrogen atoms chemisorbed on top of platinum atoms, was found to undergo readily surface exchange at −100 °C or at higher temperatures with hydrogen molecules in the gas phase. It was found also that isotopic equilibration of gaseous mixtures of H 2 and D 2 occurred much faster than the surface exchange reaction; the former reaction occurred even at −195 °C while the latter was immeasurably slow. The results suggest that another type of chemisorbed hydrogen, presumably hydrogen molecules chemisorbed in linear form, may take part in isotopic exchange. Isotopic equilibration at −195 °C is believed to involve chemisorbed hydrogen molecules of this type.
RESHAPING US FOREIGN AID POLICY: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

The end of the Cold War and accompanying changes in the global geopolitical order created a vastly different context for US foreign aid. Since American aid was mostly given for geopolitical reasons, foreign aid required a new rationale. These changes in the global environment coincided with waning domestic support for foreign aid and a new tendency to ‘put America first’, as well as mounting criticism of the institutions dealing with US aid and the legislative framework. A clear response to these new demands first materialized in 1994 with the introduction of important new legislation, and the revocation of the Foreign Aid Act of 1961. In writing, the new legislation attempts to honor demands from various constituencies. These include calls for more business oriented aid, for environmentally responsible aid, for a return to true development aid, and for aid that helps promote new security interests of the United States. In practice, there are some notable shifts in aid flows. The most important are those from former strategic allies in the Cold War to the former communist states in East Europe. One of the conclusions is that, despite continued disagreement among constituencies in the United States, geopolitical motives still prevail in US foreign aid policy: it is only the regional contexts that change.
Intramuscular myxoma presenting as a rare posterior neck mass in a young child: case report and literature review.

Intramuscular myxoma (IMM) is an uncommon benign tumor that presents as a slow-growing, deep-seated mass confined to the skeletal muscle. Histologically, these lesions most resemble umbilical cord tissue. They are generally found in the proximal thigh, gluteal region, or shoulder girdle and are exceedingly rare neck masses in the pediatric population. These tumors most often present as painless, deep-seated intramuscular masses that may exhibit symptoms of compression of surrounding structures.I report a case of a 22-month-old girl with an IMM in the posterior cervical triangle.
A conceptual approach to the dilemma of particles and waves of light and matter in something or nothing

Abstract It is assumed that all space is filled with extremely small anisotropic particles under subatomic pressure. It is further assumed that the presence of particles of charge, mass, or moving charge cause an orientation distortion of the particles of the medium which respectively constitute electric fields, gravity and magnetic fields. The photoelectric effect is explained on the basis of waves. Negative results of the M ichelson —M orley experiment are explained by the expansion of the interferometer arm perpendicular to movement of the medium. The expansion of the arm is caused by the magnetic fields of adjacent unlike charges moving through space. Thus light can be a real wave in a real medium and any corpuscular properties it has can be explained by it being absorbed and radiated by corpuscular electrons.
Initiator Selectivity During Free Radical Copolymerizations of Styrene and Methyl Methacrylate Initiated by Anaerobic Copper(II) Oxidation of Carbon-13 Labeled Acetophenone

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the 13C-labeled chain ends of polystyrene, polyMMA, and styrene-MMA copolymers prepared by polymerizations initiated using 13C-labeled-phenacyl radicals were investigated. The phenacyl radicals were generated by anaerobic oxidation of acetophenone-methyl-13C using a Cu(II) octanoate-pyridine complex in the presence of triethylamine and triphenylphosphine. NMR analysis of the 13C-labeled chain ends of these polymers afforded insight into the initiation mechanism. In copolymerization experiments using 13C-labeled acetophenone initiator, the NMR spectra provided evidence that the phenacyl radical reacts 2.7 times faster with styrene than with MMA. The resonances of the labeled phenacyl carbons also showed that the sequence and stereosequence distributions of monomer units at the chain ends are nearly the same as those that prevail along the polymer chains. Styrene–styrene, styrene–MMA, and MMA–styrene enchainments at the chain ends are equally likely to have meso (erythro) or racemic(threo) configurations but the ratio of meso to racemic MMA-MMA enchainments is ∼ 3/7. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2347–2356, 2008
Saturation of Superconvergence Relations and Current-Algebra Sum Rules for Forward Amplitudes

We use the algebra of charges and their time derivatives, partially conserved axial-vector currents, and Regge high-energy behavior to derive sum rules for strong-interaction forward amplitudes. The saturation of all sum rules by a finite number of states is self-consistent and leads to relations among coupling constants and masses. Saturating all sum rules for $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\rho}$ scattering by $\ensuremath{\pi}$, $\ensuremath{\omega}$, and ${A}_{1}$, we predict ${m}_{{A}_{1}}=1100$ MeV, ${m}_{\ensuremath{\omega}}={m}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}$, ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{{A}_{1}}=120$ MeV, ${g}_{\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\pi}}=21$ Be${\mathrm{V}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, in good agreement with experiment.
“Who will be left to tell the tale?” Recordkeeping and international criminal jurisprudence

The article sets out to pose the question ‘Is it possible for an archive to aid the process of reconciliation?’ Is the scale of a given event, in some cases, insurmountable in terms of reconciling the parties? The graphic nature of the archives and the issue of psychological impact of an archive on the archivist is explored. It is contended that through outreach and dissemination of the contents of the archive, it is possible to provide to the affected communities the information of what the international community has done in terms of judicial redress. Archives can also fulfil-dual roles and this issue is touched upon in that the purpose and organization of the archive is changing from an active records center or a tool of repression to suit a future audience of researchers or to aid reconciliation.
Semileptonic decays of heavy Λ's into excited baryons☆

Abstract We use the heavy quark effective theory to investigate the form factors that describe the semileptonic decays Λb → Λc∗ and Λc+ → Λ∗, both to leading order and to order 1/mc in the effective lagrangian. In leading order, we find that a single form factor is needed in the former case, and that two are needed for each heavy → light transition. We also investigate these transitions to order 1/mc in the heavy quark lagrangian, and find that the results to this order are also quite simple, although the number of form factors needed increases. We briefly discuss the relationship between our form factors and the recently developed Bjorken-Dunietz-Taron sum rules for inclusive semileptonic decays of heavy baryons.
Transfers between the Earth–Moon and Sun–Earth systems using manifolds and transit orbits

Abstract The L 1 and L 2 libration points have been proposed as gateways granting inexpensive access to interplanetary space. The lunar libration points, in conjunction with the collinear libration points in the Sun–Earth system, may also become primary hubs for future human activities in the Earth's neighborhood. The associated manifold tubes have been introduced by a number of researchers as the basis for design strategies to produce trajectories that shift between different systems. Intersections may ultimately be sought between many tubes from many different libration point orbits in each system; the complexity forces a new look at the computations. Individual transfers between three-body systems have been the focus of some recent investigations. This paper presents an approach to solve the general problem for transfers between the Earth–Moon system (lunar orbits and/or lunar libration point orbits) and Sun–Earth/Moon L 2 libration point orbits. The solutions are transitioned to the full ephemeris models with additional perturbations and the transfers can be determined for various lunar phases. The solution process also seeks the particular Lissajous trajectory in each system to accomplish the transfer at a low cost. Some results are presented for various types of transfer problems.
A CALCINEURIN-B-ENCODING GENE EXPRESSED DURING DIFFERENTIATION OF THE AMOEBOFLAGELLATE NAEGLERIA GRUBERI CONTAINS TWO INTRONS

One of two similar genes in the unicellular eukaryote Naegleria gruberi is shown to encode calcineurin B (CnB), the regulatory subunit of calcium-calmodulin-regulated protein phosphatase 2B. Over a span of 156 amino acids, excluding divergent N-termini, the encoded sequence shows 62% identity with vertebrate CnB, and also shows sequence elements specific, among calcium-binding proteins, to CnB. In contrast, the sequence shows only 23% identity with N. gruberi flagellar calmodulin. CNB mRNA is readily detected in amoebae; its abundance increases fourfold during differentiation to flagellates, reaches a peak at 50-70 min, when flagella are forming, and then declines. A genomic clone matches an expressed cDNA, except that it is interrupted by two phase I introns. The position of one intron, which separates the divergent N-terminal domain from the four calcium-binding domains (EF hands), is shared with a yeast CNB gene; the other is located in the central helix between the two pairs of calcium-binding loops; features that support an ancient origin. These introns, the first found in protein-coding genes of Naegleria, are flanked by characteristic splice junction sequences. N. gruberi CnB also shares similarities with recoverins. The finding in a protist of a CNB gene that contains two introns separating functional domains, shares similarities to recoverins and shows increased expression during differentiation is provocative. If the phylogeny of major groups derived from ribosomal RNA is accepted, Naegleria is among the earliest branching eukaryotes known to contain canonical pre-mRNA introns.
Effect of Total Digestible Nutrient Intake from Birth to Four Years of Age on Growth and Reproductive Development and Performance of Dairy Bulls

Summary Neonatal Holstein bull calves were assigned to four levels of energy intake representing 70, 100, 115, and 130% of the National Research Council recommended TDN allowances for growing dairy calves. The groups were designated L, N, M, and H, respectively. Two additional groups were on a changeover at 104 wk. of age–LH changed from 70 to 130% and HL from 130 to 70%. Data were collected on growth (body weight, height at withers, and heart girth), onset of semen production, and semen quantity and quality until the bulls reached 208 wk. of age. The average age at the onset of semen production was 61, 45, 41, and 44 wk., respectively, for the L, N, M, and H groups. Comparable figures for body weight at the onset of semen production were 523, 643, 675, and 784lb. At 80 wk. of age, the average motile sperm output per ejaculate was 1.15 billion for the L group; this was about 50% of that for the H group. After 112 wk. of age there was no difference in output of motile sperm per ejaculate associated with level of energy intake. Between 156 and 208 wk. of age, the H bulls became much slower in sexual reaction time than bulls in other groups. During this period weaknesses of the feet and legs also became evident in the H bulls. Depletion trials at 4 yr. of age confirmed the relatively low sexual responses of the H bulls and also showed that M as well as H bulls were deficient in their ability to recover response after satiation to a stimulus animal. Sperm output and extra-gonadal sperm reserves were similar among bull groups. Limited fertility data collected on the L, N, and H groups showed no marked difference in fertility attributable to the level of TDN intake.
A List of Books About a Parent in Prison

Brisson, Pat. Mama Loves Me From Away. Laurie Caple, illustrator. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2004. 32 pp., $15.95. Ages 7 years and up. Sugar misses her mother and the stories her mother would share with her. She misses her mother so much that it makes her grandmother’s stories less compelling. Sugar shares her mother’s birthday and makes her a card to take when she and her grandmother make their weekly trip to visit. Sugar is surprised when her mother presents her a handmade book of seven stories with illustrations, one for each day. She tells Sugar to read every night at 8 and she will think of Sugar then so that they can to be ‘‘together.’’
The effects of abundant plasma protein depletion on global glycan profiling using nanoLC FT-ICR mass spectrometry

We report the results of abundant plasma protein depletion on the analysis of underivatized N-linked glycans derived from plasma proteins by nanoLC Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. N-linked glycan profiles were compared between plasma samples where the six most abundant plasma proteins were depleted (n = 3) through a solid-phase immunoaffinity column and undepleted plasma samples (n = 3). Three exogenous glycan standards were spiked into all samples which allowed for normalization of the N-glycan abundances. The abundances of 20 glycans varying in type, structure, composition, and molecular weight (1,200-3,700 Da) were compared between the two sets of samples. Small fucosylated non-sialylated complex glycans were found to decrease in abundance in the depleted samples (greater than or equal to tenfold) relative to the undepleted samples. Protein depletion was found to marginally effect (less than threefold) the abundance of high mannose, hybrid, and large highly sialylated complex species. The significance of these findings in terms of future biomarker discovery experiments via global glycan profiling is discussed.
Transient solute effects in shaped crystal growth of silicon

The redistribution of solutes during shaped crystal growth is discussed with special reference to the transient stage that occurs before the steady state is reached. A semi-quantitative analysis shows that the usual assumption for processes such as EFG, that keff = 1, is invalid for solutes of low k0 until substantial lengths, of the order of some meters, have been grown at constant speed. This applies whether the liquid adjacent to the interface is isolated from the bulk liquid by a capillary, as in EFG, or can mix with the bulk liquid as in the dendritic web process. The case in which the solid-liquid interface is substantially inclined to the growth directions is also discussed.
Joint analysis of repeatedly observed continuous and ordinal measures of disease severity

In biomedical studies often multiple measures of disease severity are recorded over time. Although correlated, such measures are frequently analysed separately of one another. Joint analysis of the outcomes variables has several potential advantages over separate analyses. However, models for response variables of different types (discrete and continuous) are challenging to define and to fit. Herein we propose correlated probit models for joint analysis of repeated measurements on ordinal and continuous variables measuring the same underlying disease severity over time. We demonstrate how to rewrite the models so that maximum-likelihood estimation and inference can be performed with standard software. Simulation studies are performed to assess efficiency gains in fitting the responses together rather than separately and to guide response variable selection for future studies. Data from a depression clinical trial are used for illustration.
Differential pulse polarographic determination of sulfuric acid

Abstract Acetonitrile is used as a solvent for the determination of micromolar amounts of sulfuric acid by differential pulse polarography. Contaminants in the supporting electrolyte and solvent present the biggest problems to the accurate determination of sulfuric acid. The detection limit is 2 × 10-7 M. Nitric acid. bromide, soluble sulfates, and ammonium hydrogensulfate interfere under certain conditions.
Adding privacy and currency to social networking

Social networking and e-commerce sites have many mechanisms with which they encourage generation of user content, represent user trust and reputation relationships, and control access to desirable digital resources. Using anonymous electronic cash (or scrip), the proposed system RepScrip provides the preceding three features and adds optional (to the user) anonymity and a certain level of commodification and interoperability with similarly-configured sites. With an electronic cash protocol like that described by Chaum [1], we show how online services can issue scrip to users as a representation of positive value in their dealings with those users. Like cash in a bank account, this currency may be withdrawn and exchanged with a third party. By holding the currency of that issuer, this third party (who may not have had any previous contact with the issuer) may now access resources with whichever privileges are afforded to those holding the issuer's scrip.
Keck long-wavelength spectrometer

UCSD's IR astronomy group is building an imaging mid-IR spectrometer for the Keck Telescope. This instrument, the Long-Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS), is built around a 96 X 96 element, Si:As impurity band conduction array built by GenCorp Aerojet Electronics Systems Division. The LWS has low and moderate spectroscopy modes with nominal spectral resolutions of R (equals (lambda) /(Delta) (lambda) ) equals 100 and 1400 respectively, operating in the 10 micrometers (second order) and 20 micrometers (first order) ground- based atmospheric spectral windows. The LWS is also capable of direct imaging from 5 micrometers to 27 micrometers through a selection of 16 filters. For each of the spectroscopic modes and the direct imaging mode, the plate scale is 0.12 arcsec/pixel, which Nyquist samples the telescope's diffraction pattern at 10 micrometers . Because of the large light gathering power of the Keck Telescope and it's small diffraction pattern, the LWS will have unparalleled point source sensitivity, making it the premiere instrument for extragalactic and general faint-source mid-IR spectroscopy.
Effect of a magnetic field on the luminescent lifetime of Cu + in alkali halide host crystals

We have measured the change in the triplet emission lifetime of the ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+}$ impurity in various alkali halide hosts at 4.2 K as a function of applied magnetic field. Pedrini [Phys. Status Solidi B 87, 273 (1978)] has proposed that the $^{3}E_{g}$ emitting state is split into ${T}_{1g}$ and ${T}_{2g}$ spin-orbit components and has found that the emission lifetime depends sensitively on the splitting. We have utilized an external magnetic field to mix these spin-orbit levels. This produced a measurable decrease in the emission lifetime which we explained with Pedrini's model. We also diagonalized the ${d}^{9}s$ excited-state matrix to calculate independently the ${T}_{1g}$,${T}_{2g}$ spin-orbit splitting and obtained reasonable agreement with our experimental results.
Substructure in Clusters of Galaxies

Rich galaxy clusters containing multiple condensations are common. This subclustering affects many cluster properties and provides insight into cluster evolution.
Mammalian Meiotic Recombination Hot Spots

Our understanding of the details of mammalian meiotic recombination has recently advanced significantly. Sperm typing technologies, linkage studies, and computational inferences from population genetic data have together provided information in unprecedented detail about the location and activity of the sites of crossing-over in mice and humans. The results show that the vast majority of meiotic recombination events are localized to narrow DNA regions (hot spots) that constitute only a small fraction of the genome. The data also suggest that the molecular basis of hot spot activity is unlikely to be strictly determined by specific DNA sequence motifs in cis. Further molecular studies are needed to understand how hot spots originate, function and evolve.
Peyer's patch germinal centers: the elusive switch site for IgA.

The paper by Butcher et al. ([1][1]) presented here is one of my favorites because of its importance to the field of mucosal immunology. One may ask how a paper with a somewhat restricted aim, which used a lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA) that others had already shown to bind Peyer’s patch germinal
Radiofrequency Ablation for the Fast Pathway of Atrioventricular Node Reentry: Evidence for Partial Damage to the Fast and Lower Common Pathways

Radiofrequency ablation was attempted in a 30-year-old woman with atrioventricular (AV) node reentry of the common variety. Energy was delivered to ablate a fast pathway. After energy delivery, the atrio-His interval prolonged following transient AV node block. Retrograde conduction was no longer present. However, dual AV nodal physiology and AV node reentry with similar retrograde atrial activation sequence could be shown post-ablation. These observations suggest that both fast and lower common pathways were partially damaged by ablation.
Differential trajectories of well-being in older adult women: The role of optimism

Background: Well-being is important to healthy aging. The present study examined the trajectories and determinants of well-being in older women (n = 248) over a 39-month period. Methods: Participants completed measures of optimism, pessimism, functional limitations, physical activity, and self-efficacy. Well-being, operationalised as life satisfaction, was assessed at baseline, 12, 24, and 39 months. Latent growth and class analyses examined trajectories of well-being and antecedents of change. Results: The overall model testing a linear growth pattern fit the data well [χ2(df = 5) = 7.77, p = .17, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .05], revealing an overall significant, but modest decline in well-being. Three latent classes were further revealed; one class (n = 34, 13.3%) began with moderate levels of well-being (Mi = 25.4, p < .001), which decreased across time (Ms = −3.12, p < .001). A second class (n = 54, 21.8%) began with lower well-being (Mi = 17.1, p < .001) that remained low (Ms = .702, p = .378). The third class (n = 161, 64.9%) started with high levels of well-being (Mi = 28.4, p < .001) which were maintained (Ms = −.027, p = .841). Higher optimism and lower pessimism differentiated between declining well-being and maintaining well-being across time. Conclusions: Optimism and pessimism appear to differentiate patterns of well-being in community-dwelling older women. Promoting optimism-inducing strategies may be useful for maintaining well-being in older adulthood.
A Methodology to Improve the Mobile Diffusion Forecasting: the Case of Greece

Accurate forecasting is extremely important for managers and technology planners in a rapidly evolving global environment. In this paper we apply the Gompertz model to Telecommunications growth in different countries. We conclude that although most of the European countries converge to approximately the same saturation level, using traditional diffusion models could artificially force convergence based on the historical data leading to over estimate or under-estimate of saturation level. The question for planners is how to improve these forecasts. One approach is to select the saturation level carefully based on other information available to the planner. We will show that analogy and interpolation using observed trends from other countries with similar characteristics could also produce good forecasts. The paper uses Greece and Italy to illustrate this approach.
The European Association for the Study of Diabetes

At the meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Munich, Germany, on 5–9 September 2004, a number of important topics were addressed related to the causes and complications of diabetes. Norbert Lameire (Gent, Belgium) discussed the concept of “integrated renal care” of persons with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), noting the need for nephrology referral long before dialysis is required. At the time of referral to his unit, the mean creatinine clearance is 29 ml/min and few patients have good glucose or blood pressure control. He suggested calculation of creatinine clearance from serum creatinine and patient age and body size measurements {e.g., Cockcroft-Gault equation: (140 − age) × weight/([Cr] × 72) or Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study Group equation: 170 × [Cr]−0.999 × age−0.176 × sex × race × [BUN]−0.170 × [albumin]0.318}, with referral when the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is <40–50 ml/min. When renal replacement treatment is required, he suggested that peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation should be seen as all being components of care to be utilized when appropriate for the individual patient (1). Thus, with the ultimate plan being to “transplant when you can,” there is evidence of better survival during the initial 2 years of ESRD with peritoneal dialysis. Subsequent survival may improve with hemodialysis, so that after 10 years hemodialysis provides either better (2) or equivalent (3) outcome. A synthesis is the recommendation that peritoneal dialysis be the initial modality, with subsequent shift to hemodialysis, an approach that may be particularly useful for persons with diabetes, who may have greater peritoneal membrane vascular surface area than those without diabetes. Over several years of treatment with peritoneal dialysis, the ultrafiltration capacity of the peritoneal membrane decreases from peritoneal inflammation as well as from frank infection, …
A DRM System Protecting Consumer Privacy

Digital rights management (DRM) is widely used to protect intellectual property for content owners but consumer privacy is sacrificed. A user's playing statistics can be collected by the client DRM module and the license server. In this paper, we propose a DRM system in which the license server can generate the content decryption key for a user to play an encrypted content object without gaining any information to link to the specific content object encrypted by the content encryption key. This is achieved by applying a (partially) blind signature primitive in the license acquisition protocol and by adopting a key scheme that a content encryption key depends on the information retrieved from the content object and a secret that only the license server knows. By requesting that the client DRM module does not send any information about a user's playing statistics and all the messages the client DRM module sends out are in plain text for easy checking by a user if the client DRM module abides by this rule, consumer privacy is fully protected in our DRM system.
PHOTODESTRUCTION OF BACTERIORHODOPSIN

— Suspensions of purple membrane fragments showed obvious signs of degradation after illumination with intense pulses of light from 10 ns frequency doubled Nd: YAG laser at 532 nm with intensity densities in excess of 1 MW/cm2. Using controlled illumination, a small fraction of the bacteriorhodopsin protein molecules were randomly destroyed in samples with a low salt concentration (12.5 mM) and pH = 7.9. Calculations using information from the changes in the optical absorbance spectrum and transient changes in the optical absorbance spectrum during the photocycle support a model where one protein molecule of the bacteriorhodopsin trimer is photodestroyed, the other two protein molecules switch to a blue state. In the blue state, the protein molecules have a red shifted absorption, with a peak near 600 nm. The blue state molecules show transient absorption changes at 656 nm that are similar to the native bacteriorhodopsin, except the O state is missing or altered. Additionally, the changes in curvature of the purple membrane fragments that occur during the photocycle of intact protein molecules are severely depressed. The addition of salts to the photodestroyed suspension can change the blue state molecules back to a state with an absorption maximum at 568 nm. The salt ions probably shield the other members of the trimer from the photodestroyed protein. In these reconstituted samples, the O state is observed at 656 nm; however, the membrane bending is not observed.
Individual Differences in the Fan Effect and Working Memory Capacity.

In opposition to conceptualizing working memory (WM) in terms of a general capacity, we present four experiments that favor the view that individual differences in WM depend on attentional control. High- and low-WM participants, as assessed by the operation span task, learned unrelated sentences for which the subject and predicate of the sentences shared concepts (fan). Sentences were learned in sets organized by subjects (Experiments 1A and 1B) or predicates (Experiments 2A and 2B). WM predicted accuracy and reaction times on a subsequent speeded verification task, but not learning. In Experiments 1A and 2A, low-WM participants had a steeper, positively sloped fan effect for reaction times to studied items than high-WM participants. In Experiments 1B and 2B, fan was eliminated across but not within memory sets, which eliminated individual differences but not slope to the fan effect. These effects suggest the crux of WM is attentional control, and competition across sets causes individual differences.
Relationships Among Life Stress, Perceived Family Environment, and the Psychological Distress of Spina Bifida Adolescents

Fifty-three teen-agers with spina bifida participated in a mail survey and completed measures of recent life events, perceived family environment, and psychological distress. Low levels of perceived family conflict and control served as life stress buffers in the prediction of distress, whereas a high level of perceived independence served as a life stress exacerbator. These interaction effects differ from those obtained for a normal sample of adolescents in the lone previous study (Burt, Cohen, & Bjorck, 1988) that reported comparable analyses. The results suggest that the process by which family environments moderate stress adjustment differs for able-bodied vs. spina bifida adolescents.
A stencil compiler for short-vector SIMD architectures

Stencil computations are an integral component of applications in a number of scientific computing domains. Short-vector SIMD instruction sets are ubiquitous on modern processors and can be used to significantly increase the performance of stencil computations. Traditional approaches to optimizing stencils on these platforms have focused on either short-vector SIMD or data locality optimizations. In this paper, we propose a domain specific language and compiler for stencil computations that allows specification of stencils in a concise manner and automates both locality and short-vector SIMD optimizations, along with effective utilization of multi-core parallelism. Loop transformations to enhance data locality and enable load-balanced parallelism are combined with a data layout transformation to effectively increase the performance of stencil computations. Performance increases are demonstrated for a number of stencils on several modern SIMD architectures.
Improved Attribution of Climate Forcing to Emissions

Evaluating multicomponent climate change mitigation strategies requires knowledge of the diverse direct and indirect effects of emissions. Methane, ozone, and aerosols are linked through atmospheric chemistry so that emissions of a single pollutant can affect several species. We calculated atmospheric composition changes, historical radiative forcing, and forcing per unit of emission due to aerosol and tropospheric ozone precursor emissions in a coupled composition-climate model. We found that gas-aerosol interactions substantially alter the relative importance of the various emissions. In particular, methane emissions have a larger impact than that used in current carbon-trading schemes or in the Kyoto Protocol. Thus, assessments of multigas mitigation policies, as well as any separate efforts to mitigate warming from short-lived pollutants, should include gas-aerosol interactions.
Ecological and evolutionary determinants of species richness and phylogenetic diversity for island snakes

Aim Island biogeography predicts positive relationships between area and species richness resulting from the ecological processes of colonization in smaller areas and the evolutionary process of in situ diversification in larger areas. However, the relative contribution of these ecological and evolutionary processes to diversity on islands over time is unclear without associated measures of phylogenetic diversity (PD), which account for the evolutionary distinctiveness of component taxa. Location Global. Methods We assemble a global dataset of island richness for snakes, along with a phylogeny for the group, to examine the origins of species richness and PD on islands. Results Ecological models driven by colonization explain a majority of species richness in island snake faunas, while in situ diversification is rare, restricted to a few large islands and rarely contributing significantly to island richness. Similarly, PD on islands is tied to variables that affect colonization probability such as isolation and climate, but not area, indicating that in situ diversification does not exert a significant influence on island richness. Main conclusions Even large islands with high in situ diversification do not produce phylogenetically distinct faunas, but are instead dependent on colonization of new lineages from the continent, as predicted by ecological theory. Evolutionary processes such as in situ diversification are relatively insignificant drivers of both species richness and PD compared with colonization from regional species pools, even over evolutionary time-scales on large islands.