cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zinc and thrombin increase phorbol ester binding to platelet membranes by a mechanism not involving translocation

Abstract Addition of zinc to human platelets increases the binding of phorbol esters, and this was postulated to be the result of protein kinase C translocation. To test this hypothesis, washed rat platelets were treated with either a combination of 20 μmol/L zinc and 20 μmol/L pyrithione (a zinc ionophore), or 0.1 U/mL of thrombin before determination of phorbol dibutyrate binding to subcellular fractions. As described previously, phorbol ester binding to intact platelets was increased by treatment with zinc and pyrithione. To obtain cytosol and mixed membranes, platelets were sonicated in a buffer containing either no chelators or a combination of 1 mmol/L EDTA and 2.5 mmol/L EGTA. In the absence of chelators, both zinc and thrombin treatment increased specific binding to membranes approximately 12% but had no effect on cytosol binding. In their presence, most binding sites were in the cytosol. Both agonists increased membrane binding by 35% and decreased cytosol binding by 21%. The results suggested an increased affinity or stability of the phorbol ester binding sites associated with protein kinase C in membranes rather than the translocation of protein kinase C from cytosol to the membranes. To confirm that translocation was not responsible for the increase, membranes were treated with the agonists and phorbol dibutyrate binding measured after washing with and without chelators. Binding to the washed membranes was increased approximately 20% in all cases and was generally decreased by chelator treatment. Thus, both zinc and thrombin increased binding to platelet membranes by a process that did not involve translocation.
HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS IN JOB CHANGING AMONG U.S. COAL MINERS

Concerns over health and safety are important reasons for leaving the mining industry. Yet pull factors such as better hours and shifts may be even more important. A study of 1,384 US male coal miners from 1977 to 1982 is reported. In 1977, 86 left mining and changed jobs by 1982 to other coal mining jobs or jobs outside the industry. Neither push nor pull factors were more important for within‐industry as compared to inter‐industry job changing. Further work is needed to understand the inter‐relations between health, safety and labour force mobility. More emphasis on health as a predictor of intermediate social outcomes is needed.
Pulsed dehydration and garnet growth during subduction revealed by zoned garnet geochronology and thermodynamic modeling, Sifnos, Greece

Abstract We use coupled zoned geochronology and thermodynamic modeling of garnet to elucidate the nature and scale of metamorphic dehydration during Eocene subduction of a quartzofeldspathic lithology from Sifnos, Greece. Two large garnet porphyroblasts were microdrilled to sample concentric growth zones, and these were dated using Sm–Nd geochronology. To put results in a geodynamic context and reveal the causes and consequences of garnet growth, we constructed thermodynamic forward models for a series of prescribed pressure–temperature ( P – T ) paths. Our data reveal three distinct phases of garnet growth: initial growth at 53.4 ± 2.6 Ma (∼0.8 GPa and ∼300 °C), followed by a period of very limited growth until a second phase, at 47.22 ± 0.36 Ma , and then a major pulse of growth, responsible for the majority of the final garnet volume, at 44.96 ± 0.53 Ma (2.06–2.19 GPa and 490–550 °C). This suggests a >2 order of magnitude acceleration in volumetric growth rate from crystal core to rim, with the final growth pulse occurring rapidly ( 75 °C/My. This final pulse was accompanied by net bulk rock dehydration of ∼0.5 wt.%. Rapid heating during early stages of exhumation in the subduction channel, or by sharp thermal gradients related to slab-mantle coupling could be causes for this pulsed metamorphism and dehydration. The garnet data thus record a concentrated pulse of dehydration and heating during the otherwise slow and continuous process of subduction.
Results of a "GWAS plus:" general cognitive ability is substantially heritable and massively polygenic.

We carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for general cognitive ability (GCA) plus three other analyses of GWAS data that aggregate the effects of multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various ways. Our multigenerational sample comprised 7,100 Caucasian participants, drawn from two longitudinal family studies, who had been assessed with an age-appropriate IQ test and had provided DNA samples passing quality screens. We conducted the GWAS across ∼2.5 million SNPs (both typed and imputed), using a generalized least-squares method appropriate for the different family structures present in our sample, and subsequently conducted gene-based association tests. We also conducted polygenic prediction analyses under five-fold cross-validation, using two different schemes of weighting SNPs. Using parametric bootstrapping, we assessed the performance of this prediction procedure under the null. Finally, we estimated the proportion of variance attributable to all genotyped SNPs as random effects with software GCTA. The study is limited chiefly by its power to detect realistic single-SNP or single-gene effects, none of which reached genome-wide significance, though some genomic inflation was evident from the GWAS. Unit SNP weights performed about as well as least-squares regression weights under cross-validation, but the performance of both increased as more SNPs were included in calculating the polygenic score. Estimates from GCTA were 35% of phenotypic variance at the recommended biological-relatedness ceiling. Taken together, our results concur with other recent studies: they support a substantial heritability of GCA, arising from a very large number of causal SNPs, each of very small effect. We place our study in the context of the literature–both contemporary and historical–and provide accessible explication of our statistical methods.
A comb transducer model for guided wave NDE

Abstract A countless number of guided wave modes at particular frequencies could be selected for a particular NDE problem, each point producing special sensitivities by way of wave structure across the thickness of the component being studied and also specific penetration powers as a result of interface and surface displacement values and subsequent energy leakage into neighboring media. The mode and frequency choice has a strong influence on NDE and flaw detection, classification and sizing potential as well as an ability to propagate guided waves over long distances, despite the presence of coatings and other surrounding media. The approach to mode and frequency selection is therefore crucial, which can ultimately be based on theoretical and/or experimental means. One aspect of a theoretical approach beyond dispersion curve analysis includes theory of elasticity computations of displacement distributions across a structure. Focus can be on achieving in-plane or out-of-plane optimal values on a surface or at a specific location inside a structure in an attempt at flaw analysis or improved penetration power. From an experimental point of view, an angle beam transducer at a specific angle can be used to achieve a particular phase velocity value. Unfortunately, the presence of a phase velocity spectrum due to a transducer source influence, size and velocity pattern, as well as the frequency spectrum itself, often limits the ability to specifically achieve the particular mode and frequency of choice. Multiple modes can be obtained. An alternate transducer choice to the angle beam transducer can be a multiple element array or comb based on various design choices of element size, spacing and pulsing schedules to produce specific modes and frequencies. The purpose of this paper is to present a model and subsequent solution to a boundary value problem that can evaluate the source influence as a function of the comb transducer design parameters. Advantages of the comb transducer, the mathematical model and analysis, and sample experimental results are all presented in the paper along with an insight into future directions.
Alternative definitions of high risk for impaired driving: the overlap of high volume, frequent heavy drinking and alcohol dependence.

This paper examines the distributions of past-year volume of ethanol intake, frequency of drinking 5+ drinks and alcohol dependence in a representative sample of 18,352 U.S. current drinkers aged 18 years or over. Within categories defined by these three partially overlapping domains, it presents rates of self-perceived impaired driving, i.e. driving after having had too much to drink, in the year preceding interview. High volume drinkers, those with an average daily ethanol intake of 1 ounce or more, composed 19.7% of current drinkers and accounted for 66.5% of all reported ethanol consumption, 72.6% of all heavy drinking days, 49.2% of all alcohol dependence and 62.8% of all impaired driving incidents. Frequent heavy drinkers, those who drank 5+ drinks at least once a week, composed 12.3% of current drinkers and accounted for 42.9% of all reported ethanol consumption, 81.9% of all heavy drinking days, 40% of all alcohol dependence and 57% of all impaired driving incidents. Drinkers with DSM-IV alcohol dependence composed 9.9% of current drinkers and accounted for 28.9% of all reported ethanol consumption, 37% of all heavy drinking days and 56.9% of all impaired driving incidents. The overlap of these three high risk groups, each of which had a probability of at least one impaired driving incident per year, was far from complete. Of individuals who met any of these criteria for high risk drinking (i.e. high volume, frequent heavy drinking or dependence), more than half met only one criterion and only one in seven met all three. The group that did meet all three criteria had such a high rate of impaired driving incidents, an average of 5.14/year, that it accounted for 36.4% of all such incidents despite making up only 3.8% of all current drinkers. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for targeting prevention and intervention efforts, e.g. whether targeting one problematic aspect of drinking behavior will reach drinkers with other types of problem behaviors as well.
Changing the Rules: Education for Creative Thinking

Many countries are increasing the priority schools assign to creative thinking. This departure from expectations of the past is considered a way to enhance productivity and improve mental health. But, efforts to replace customary education practices are often met with resistance, a loss of harmony, and challenges which are unforeseen. This presentation describes ways schools and families could provide greater support for creative behavior. The rules guiding instruction at all levels of education should be revised. Some recommended changes implicate teacher training, methods for the evaluation of learning, use of technology tools, expectations of students, and adult willingness to take into account student impressions about how to improve schools.
Mutation analysis of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase: Does the structurally conserved glutamine amidotransferase triad act as a functional dyad?

Evolutionarily conserved triad glutamine amidotransferase (GAT) domains catalyze the cleavage of glutamine to yield ammonia and sequester the ammonia in a tunnel until delivery to a variety of acceptor substrates in synthetase domains of variable structure. Whereas a conserved hydrolytic triad (Cys/His/Glu) is observed in the solved GAT structures, the specificity pocket for glutamine is not apparent, presumably because its formation is dependent on the conformational change that couples acceptor availability to a greatly increased rate of glutamine cleavage. In Escherichia coli carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (eCPS), one of the best characterized triad GAT members, the Cys269 and His353 triad residues are essential for glutamine hydrolysis, whereas Glu355 is not critical for eCPS activity. To further define the glutamine-binding pocket and possibly identify an alternative member of the catalytic triad that is situated for this role in the coupled conformation, we have analyzed mutations at Gln310, Asn311, Asp334, and Gln351, four conserved, but not yet analyzed residues that might potentially function as the third triad member. Alanine substitution of Gln351, Asn311, and Gln310 yielded respective Km increases of 145, 27, and 15, suggesting that Gln351 plays a key role in glutamine binding in the coupled conformation, and that Asn311 and Gln310 make less significant contributions. None of the mutant k cat values varied significantly from those for wild-type eCPS. Combined with previously reported data on other conserved eCPS residues, these results strongly suggest that Cys269 and His353 function as a catalytic dyad in the GAT site of eCPS.
Proximal deletion of the long arm of chromosome 1: [del(1)(q23-q25)]

Abstract A patient with bilateral complete cleft of the lip and palate (CLP) had a proximal deletion of the long arm of chromosome 1 (1q). This rare chromosomal abnormality was characterized by pre- and postnatal growth retardation, psychomotor retardation, and specific craniofacial and other systemic anomalies. There is a high incidence of CLP in proximal 1q deletion syndrome, especially bilateral CLP. Twelve other cases reported in the literature having this deletion and associated anomalies were reviewed.
Factor Structure for Autism Spectrum Disorders with Toddlers Using DSM-IV and DSM-5 Criteria

With the publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition, autism spectrum disorders are defined by two symptom clusters (social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors) instead of the current three clusters. The current study examined the structure of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT). First, an exploratory factor analysis was replicated whose results were largely comparable to the previous findings. Then, confirmatory factor analyses compared a two and three factor structure for the BISCUIT. Measures of model fit supported both the two and three factor models relatively well. When directly compared, the three factor model was found to be preferred over the two factor model. Implications are discussed.
The right to look: A counterhistory of visuality

by Nicholas Mirzoeff Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2011, 385 pages ISBN: 978-0-8223-4918-1 (paperback) Price $26.95 Reviewed by Judith R. Halasz, State University of New York at New Paltz In T...
Cortical adaptation and tactile perception

Cortical neurons reduce spiking responses to repetitive sensory stimulation, but the perceptual impact of this adaptation has been difficult to assess. Work now shows that it has profound consequences for tactile perception.
Topically applied growth factors change skin cytoplasmic creatine kinase activity and distribution and produce abnormal keratinocyte differentiation in murine skin.

Background/purpose: The skin has a functional and active phosphocreatine (PCR)/creatine kinase (CPK) system that regenerates adenosine triphosphate energy reserves during periods of ischemia. The objective of this study was to evaluate how topically applied growth factors affect CPK activity and distribution, and what histological changes growth factors induce in murine skin. Methods: Epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor α (TGF-α) and suramin (growth factor inhibitor) were applied to murine skin for nine days before mice were sacrificed and CPK level and distributions were measured. Results: TGF-α considerably increased CPK activity. Both EGF and TGF-α induced a CPK MM to CPK BB transition and histologically induced abnormal differentiation of keratinocytes. Conclusion: The skin PCR/CPK system is affected by growth factors. Furthermore, this system appears to play an important role, both in the normal physiology of skin and pathophysiological conditions such as psoriasis and carcinogenesis.
Evaluation of a Suicide Diary: A Content and Situational Analysis

Discourse or content analysis of a diary is employed to evaluate the ideation and attitude of a middle-aged female committer. Starting with a rational basis for establishing the suicidal act, assessment of the journal content suggests the writer may have responded to a variety of socio-psychological conditions and emotions during the planned course of action leading to her death.
Identifying Leader Social Cognitions: Integrating the Causal Reasoning Perspective into Social Cognitive Theory:

In this paper we propose a leadership model that combines Bandura's (1997) social cognitive theory with the causal reasoning perspective (Martinko, 2002). The model suggests that leader causal reas...
Characteristics of the splenic suppressor cell-target cell interaction in experimental African trypanosomiasis☆

Abstract We have examined further the relationship between immunosuppression and suppressor cell activity in experimental African trypanosomiasis. In the present study we describe the nature of the interaction between splenic suppressor macrophages from Trypanosoma rhodesiense -infected C57BL/6 mice and target effector cells in the primary in vitro PFC response to SRBC. Suppressor cell potential was expressed only when cell-cell contact of a noncytolytic nature was established between infected spleen cells and normal splenic responder cells. Isolation of suppressor cells from responder cells by a cell-impermeable membrane completely abrogated suppression. Similarly, supernatant fluids from infected spleen cell cultures could not passively transfer suppression. Suppressor cells did not act via prostaglandin synthesis in that indomethacin failed to restore responsiveness to infected spleen cells or to passively suppressed normal cultures. Inhibition of DNA synthesis by irradiation of mitomycin C treatment did not block suppressor cell function, but suppressor cell effects were inhibited by exposure of infected spleen cells to silica particles or to heat treatment. We conclude that suppressor cell effects in experimental African trypanosomiasis are consistent with a suppressor macrophage acting via a noncytolytic cell-cell interaction with responder target cells.
Benefits and risks of catheter ablation in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background The benefits of catheter ablation for elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with respect to mortality and stroke reductions remain unclear. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy, including long-term outcomes, of catheter ablation for maintaining normal sinus rhythm (NSR) in elderly patients with AF. Methods We evaluated 587 elderly patients (age ≥75 years) with AF. Of the 324 who were eligible for ablation, 261 (group 1) underwent ablation guided by complex fractionated atrial electrogram. The remaining 63 patients (group 2) either declined or were not suitable for ablation. The end-points were NSR, stroke, death, and major bleeding. Results Two hundred sixteen patients (83%) remained in NSR compared to only 14 group 2 patients (22%; mean follow-up 3 ± 2.5 years, P Conclusion Elderly patients with AF benefit from AF ablation, which is safe and effective in maintaining sinus rhythm and is associated with lower mortality and stroke risks.
Self-reference and incompleteness in a non-monotonic setting

Le premier theoreme d'incompletude de Godel etablit que pour toute theorie axiomatique T, d'un type assez normal, il y a des propositions indecidables dans T. L'A. se demande si ce resultat peut etre generalise, et dans quelles conditions, a des analogues de ces theories axiomatiques comme celle qu'il nomme «structure non-monotone», et qui inclut des inferences non-deductives
Prostatic ductal system in rats: changes in regional distribution of extracellular matrix proteins during castration-induced regression.

BACKGROUND. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an intricate network composed of an array of molecules that play an integral role in the regulation of cell function, differentiation, and tissue-specific gene expression in various epithelia. In the present study, we examined the distribution of collagen type IV and laminin along the rat ventral prostatic duct before and after castration. METHODS. Mature Sprague-Dawley rats were castrated and their prostates processed for immunocytochemistry of ECM proteins, laminin, and collagen type IV. Tissue sections were also processed for apoptosis staining, using the 3' end-labeling technique. To examine the effect of ECM proteins on epithelial growth, rat ventral epithelial cells were cultured on ECM-coated surfaces. RESULTS. In the intact rat, laminin was localized in the basement membrane along all regions of the ventral prostate ductal system. Collagen type IV was found to be distributed evenly in the basement membrane of the distal and intermediate regions but was absent or poorly organized in the proximal region, where apoptosis in the epithelium occurs at a high rate. In the regressing prostate after castration, there was a shift in apoptosis from the proximal region to the distal intermediate regions of the prostatic duct. Associated with the shift was a remodeling of basement membrane proteins due to the specific loss of collagen type IV in the distal and intermediate regions. Collagen type IV reappeared underneath the epithelium 7 days after castration, when apoptosis in the epithelium stopped. In vitro, collagen type IV enhanced the growth of ventral prostatic epithelial cells, as assessed by cell number. CONCLUSIONS. Collagen basement membrane type IV mediates growth of rat ventral prostate epithelium, and its loss during tissue remodeling after castration is associated with cell death.
Management of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in the endovascular era

Objectives Our institution treats about 30 patients per year with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA). Between 2002 and 2007, our 30-day mortality averaged 58%. In July 2007, we implemented an algorithm to promote endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) when feasible. This report describes the outcome with this approach. Methods Data on patients presenting with rAAA between July 1, 2002, and June 30, 2007, were reviewed and used for comparison to prospectively collected data. Data on patients presenting between July 1, 2007, and April 30, 2009, were collected on all patients after implementation of a structured protocol. The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and a log-rank test were performed to compare survival times for three groups (pre-protocol, post-protocol with open surgery, and post-protocol with EVAR). Results During the study period, 187 patients with rAAA presented to our institution. Before implementation of the algorithm, 131 patients with rAAA presented and 128 were treated. The 30-day mortality rate was 57.8%. After implementation of the protocol, 56 patients with rAAA were managed. Twenty-seven patients (48%) underwent successful EVAR, and 24 patients (43%) underwent open repair. Five patients (9%) underwent comfort care only. In the post-protocol period, 5 patients in the EVAR group (18.5%) and 13 patients in the open group (54.2%) died during the follow-up period for an overall 30-day mortality rate of 35.3% (P = .008 vs 57.8% pre-protocol). After implementation of a structured protocol for managing rAAA, there was a relative risk reduction in 30-day mortality of 35% compared to the time before implementation of the protocol (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%-51%) corresponding to an absolute risk reduction of 22.5% (95% CI, 6.8%-38.2%) and an odds ratio of 0.40 (95% CI, 0.20-0.78; P = .007). After adjusting for key factors predicting mortality, the odds ratio is 0.25 (95% CI, 0.10-0.57; P = .001). Conclusion Use of an algorithm favoring endovascular repair resulted in a highly significant reduction in rAAA mortality in our urban hospital. Thirty-day mortality for open repair was no different between pre- and post-protocol eras. With modern techniques of resuscitation and surgical management, a majority of patients presenting with rAAA can survive.
Relativistic scattering coherence

Wave propagation through inhomogeneous, turbulent media is investigated for the case where the signal and inhomogeneities move relativistically. Although in classical treatments the mean-square angular deviations grow as the path length, this is found not to be true relativistically. Special attention is given to the problem of light propagating through a cosmological background of gravitational waves.
Cardiovascular Disease Posttransplant

Renal transplantation is currently the preferred treatment modality for virtually all suitable candidates with end-stage renal disease. Compared with dialysis, kidney transplantation improves both patient survival and quality of life. Nonetheless, posttransplant cardiac complications are associated with increased morbidity and mortality after renal transplantation. When compared with the general population, cardiovascular mortality in transplant recipients is increased by nearly 10-fold among patients within the age range of 35 and 44 and at least doubled among those between the ages of 55 and 64. Although renal transplantation ameliorates cardiovascular disease risk factors by restoring renal function, it introduces new cardiovascular risks derived, in part, from immunosuppressive medications. We provide an overview of the literature on conventional and unconventional cardiovascular disease risk factors after renal transplantation, and discuss an approach to their medical management.
CULTURE AND LAW IN WEIMAR JEWISH MEDIEVALISM: LEO STRAUSS'S CRITIQUE OF JULIUS GUTTMANN

The German Jewish historian of political philosophy Leo Strauss is best known for mature works in which he proposed the existence of an esoteric tradition in political philosophy, attacked the liberal tradition of political thought, and defended a classical approach to natural right against its modern counterparts. This essay demonstrates that in his youth, beginning during a scholarly apprenticeship at the Berlin Akademie fur die Wissenschaft des Judentums, Strauss championed “medievals” (rather than ancients) against “moderns,” and did so through a sparring match with his postdoctoral supervisor Julius Guttmann, whom he cast in the role of representative “modern.” While for Guttmann the stakes were scholarly, for Strauss they were political. Strauss's Weimar Jewish “medievalism” was a deliberate rejection of the tradition of modern Jewish thought Strauss associated with Guttmann's teacher Hermann Cohen, whom Strauss accused of neglecting the political distinctiveness of Jewish thought. While the conflict between Strauss and Guttmann has been neglected in much of the literature on Strauss, it served as the crucible in which many of his mature views, including his famous exoteric (sometimes called “esoteric”) writing thesis, began to take shape.
Quality Measurement in Professional Services Firms

The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of the association between service quality as perceived by consumers and its determinants. In particular, the SERVQUAL instrument is discussed and then it is demonstrated how it can be adapted 1.0 fit the needs of small professional services firms using a CPA firm as an example. The entire analysis can be performed with a spreadsheet package and the results are easy to interpret. The results are presented and the managerial implications are discussed.
Sesquiterpene lactone aglycones and glycosides and inositol derivatives from Hymenoxys biennis

Abstract The dichloromethane extract of the leaves and flowers of Hymenoxys biennis afforded an adduct of the modified pseudoguaianolide hymenoxon and a guaianolide as well as three guaianolide glucosides, seven sesquiterpene lactone aglycones, two inositol derivatives and an aliphatic lactone. Structures of all compounds were established by spectroscopy.
Socio-cultural predictors of injuries: life-course experience of hospitalised injuries during the past century in the Velestino study

Retrospective reviews provide unique opportunity to assess changing approaches to trauma in recent history and identify modifiable behaviours through the lessons of the past. The objective of this paper is to depict the nearly one-century long, life-course injury experience of seniors residing in Velestino, an agricultural Greek town, and comment on neglected determinants and transitional patterns following historical and socio-cultural events in the area. The life-course experience of non-fatal injuries, requiring hospitalisation, has been reported by N = 643 study participants, aged 65-102 years. Injuries were grouped and assessed in three ways: chronologically, by body part and by type. Overall, 124 injuries have been recorded over the past 70 years; the majority sustained by men (58.6%), and the highest number of injuries occurred during the recent decades, 1980s-1990s. For the age groups 26-45 and 46-65 years old, traffic (37.5% and 22.2%) and occupational (25.0% and 22.2%) events have been the commonest cause of injury, whereas injuries occurring at home were primary hazard (25.8%) for the elderly. Moreover, meaningful historical connections with warfare and migration movements were made. In retrospect, socio-cultural factors emerge as important predictors of certain injuries, pointing to the number of factors that should be taken into account when designing injury-prevention programmes.
Direct Role for Smooth Muscle Cell Mineralocorticoid Receptors in Vascular Remodeling: Novel Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is a key regulator of blood pressure. MR antagonist drugs are used to treat hypertension and heart failure, resulting in decreased mortality by mechanisms that are not completely understood. In addition to the kidney, MR is also expressed in the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the vasculature, where it is activated by the hormone aldosterone and affects the expression of genes involved in vascular function at the cellular and systemic levels. Following vascular injury due to mechanical or physiological stresses, vessels undergo remodeling resulting in SMC hypertrophy, migration, and proliferation, as well as vessel fibrosis. Exuberant vascular remodeling is associated with poor outcomes in cardiovascular patients. This review compiles recent findings on the specific role of SMC-MR in the vascular remodeling process. The development and characterization of a SMC-specific MR-knockout mouse has demonstrated a direct role for SMC-MR in vascular remodeling. Additionally, several novel mechanisms contributing to SMC-MR-mediated vascular remodeling have been identified and are reviewed here, including Rho-kinase signaling, placental growth factor signaling through vascular endothelial growth factor type 1 receptor, and galectin signaling.
Fluid Power System Design for Super-GasTM Fueling Stations

The Composite Fuels Laboratory at the University of Oklahoma has designed and built two new fueling stations to produce and provide an alternative fuel, trademark Super-GasTM to be used for vehicle propulsion. Two fluid power systems have been designed and adapted to accomplish these requirements. Both the fluid power system and the automatic controller control the processes to produce Super-GasTM in a safety and reliable way. This paper will present the fluid power circuits and controller designs for the particular fueling stations. This design system has the capability to either produce the fuel on board the vehicle (BOB) or transfer it to the vehicle tank as a common fueling station. Super-GasTM is a liquid fuel mixture composed of a light hydrocarbon and compressed natural gas and it has somecharacteristics that make it behave as a hydraulic fluid.Super-GasTM made using the bubbling on board type design (BOB) produces 10 Gallon of the mixture in approximately 8 minutes on board the vehicle. A diaphragm pump was used to transfer the light hydrocarbon (LPG). The fast fuel design (FFS) has shown to produce the same amount of fuel in a time range from 5 to 7 minutes, but at any vehicle tank pressure, without reduction in the volumetric efficiency as long the circuit controls the flashing issue. It uses a basic concept of a drive piston pump.The paper will discuss technical hurdles that remain for improving the designs.
A survey of biochemical variants found in groundfish stocks from the North Pacific and Bering Sea

Summary This report provides information on biochemical variants found in 17 species. These variants may be useful in answering some of the questions facing fisheries agencies concerning stock separation, hybridization, and life histories. Further studies should provide useful information in the areas of population biology of fishes in Alaskan waters.
You Can't Hack It Little Girl: A Discussion of the Covert Psychological Agenda of Modern Combat Training

The psychological experiences of combat training may be understood as having three interlocking components: the acceptance of psychological control, the equation of masculine identity with military performance, and the equation of the entire military mission with raw agression. These processes produce individuals with a well-honed emotional edge. The consequences both immediate and delayed of placing such individuals in a situation as ambiguous and frustrating as the Vietnam War are cause for grave concern.
EFFECTS OF AWARENESS OF INDIVIDUAL GROUP MEMBERSHIP ON GROUP PROBLEM-SOLVING UNDER CONSTRAINED COMMUNICATION

This study investigated the influence of group awareness among individual members engaged in group problem-solving in an environment of constrained communication. A total of 243 graduate students in business were organized into groups of three based upon numerical ability and personality characteristics. An analysis of variance indicated that groups of individuals with high-group awareness tended to be less successful in problem-solving in an ad hoc problem-solving environment than groups of individuals with low-group awareness.
Personnel Roles in the AAC Assessment Process

Completing an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment is a complex process that involves many stakeholders and professionals. To help clarify professional roles and provide assessment guidelines, an AAC Assessment Personnel Framework was developed. This framework was adapted from the work of Beukelman, Ball, and Fager in 2008, which focused on general AAC needs (not just assessment) and concentrated specifically on adults. In contrast, the present model examines the assessment process for all individuals who require AAC. The following AAC assessment personnel are discussed: AAC finders, general practice SLPs, AAC clinical specialists, facilitators and communication partners, collaborating professionals, AAC research and policy specialists, manufacturers and vendors, funding agencies and personnel, and AAC/assistive technology agencies and personnel. Current barriers for successful assessment outcomes are discussed, and suggestions for addressing personnel-related barriers are explored.
Benign Thoracic Disease in the Elderly

The spectrum of noncancerous diseases of the chest in elderly patients includes both diseases that affect younger patients, as well as processes exacerbated by the underlying physiological changes of aging. Structural alterations, immunological changes, decreases in physiologic reserve, and comorbid disease processes all affect the presentation and response to disease in the elderly. Benign disorders of the thorax in the elderly include diseases of the chest wall and pleura, thoracic spine deformities which affect pulmonary function, benign masses, rheumatological disorders, infectious processes such as pneumonia and emypema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. When caring for elderly patients, clinicians must be aware of signs and symptoms of these disorders, options for management, and potential complications in this population.
A Review of reference group data from normal children for the halstead-reitan neuropsychological test battery for older children

Abstract This article reviews data gathered from samples of normal children who were assessed with the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery for Older Children (HRB-OC), ages 9–14 years. Graphic comparisons by age group indicate clear developmental trends for all measures except TPT-memory, TPT-localization, and Seashore Rhythm Test. Methods used to analyze variability of the measures suggested that the following may be unreliable: Tactual Performance Test, all timed measures, memory and localization tasks; Trail Making Test, Part B among younger children; Speech-Sounds Perception Test; and Seashore Rhythm Test. These results are consistent with published reliability data from a study of referred children. The HRB-OC remains a powerful tool when combined with multiple methods of assessment and clinical expertise.
Understanding and Managing Conflict in Transportation Project Public Involvement

The purpose of this project is to understand why public involvement in transportation project planning sometimes fails to reach a resolution that is acceptable to both the agency and the public and to determine how the process could be modified to reduce the likelihood of this outcome. A case study of a very complex and ultimately unsuccessful public involvement effort is described. This is used as the primary data source for development of a prototype of a general model of conflict management. It is concluded that there are a small number of independent dimensions around which conflict can arise and that some projects by their nature have a higher level of potential for conflict around one or more of these dimensions. The conclusion is that each of these dimensions needs to be analyzed and the likely level of conflict identified before the public involvement process begins and that the process should be explicitly structured to focus on addressing and resolving the high-conflict areas first. How public involvement efforts can be modified to better manage specific types of conflict and achieve mutually acceptable results is also described.
Arcadia Becomes Jerusalem: Angelic Caverns and Shrine Conversion at Monte Gargano

L'article est consacre au Mont Gargano et a sa grotte rendus celebres par l'ouvrage hagiographique Liber de apparitione Sancti Michaelis in Monte Gargano qui raconte l'apparition de l'archange vers l'an 500. L'A. relie les raisons de ce pelerinage chretien a une «rhetorique du paysage» et a des descriptions traditionnelles de paysage sacre tirees de l'Eneide de Virgile. Son etude comparee de la signification du vol du betail et des aspects du paysage dans leurs contextes pre-chretien et chretien met en lumiere le processus par lequel un sanctuaire antique a correspondu a la «christianisation».
Seedless Velocimetry Measurements by Schlieren Image Velocimetry

Schlieren optical systems have been used to perform velocity measurements in refractive turbulent flows using particle image velocimetry algorithms. This schlieren image velocimetry (schlieren "particle image velocimetry") technique makes use of naturally occurring refractive turbulent eddies in a flow as virtual "seed particles" upon which velocimetry is performed. Current experiments are performed in a supersonic wind tunnel to measure the Mach 3 turbulent boundary-layer mean velocity profile. Results from schlieren, shadowgraph, and focusing schlieren image velocimetry are compared with the boundary-layer velocity profile derived from a pitot-pressure survey. Focusing schlieren optics allow the visualization of refractive disturbances within a limited depth of focus, resulting in seedless velocimetry within a narrower depth of field. The natural intermittency of the turbulent boundary layer complicates schlieren image velocimetry, but useful measurements are still possible. The velocity profile in a subsonic turbulent boundary layer is also measured using this technique through thermal seeding of the boundary layer to provide refractive turbulent structures for velocimetry. An important improvement in schlieren image velocimetry, the use of a pulsed light-emitting-diode light source in place of the twin pulsed lasers required for traditional particle image velocimetry measurements, is introduced. This comparatively inexpensive white-light source eliminates traditional problems of coherent laser illumination in schlieren imaging and improves the overall results.
The Turbulent Network Dynamics of Microbial Evolution and the Statistical Tree of Life.

The wide spread and high rate of gene exchange and loss in the prokaryotic world translate into “network genomics”. The rates of gene gain and loss are comparable with the rate of point mutations but are substantially greater than the duplication rate. Thus, evolution of prokaryotes is primarily shaped by gene gain and loss. These processes are essential to prevent mutational meltdown of microbial populations by stopping Muller’s ratchet and appear to trigger emergence of major novel clades by opening up new ecological niches. At least some bacteria and archaea seem to have evolved dedicated devices for gene transfer. Despite the dominance of gene gain and loss, evolution of genes is intrinsically tree-like. The significant coherence between the topologies of numerous gene trees, particularly those for (nearly) universal genes, is compatible with the concept of a statistical tree of life, which forms the framework for reconstruction of the evolutionary processes in the prokaryotic world.
Association of Race and Ethnicity With Withdrawal Symptoms, Attrition, Opioid Use, and Side-Effects During Buprenorphine Therapy

Some studies report differences in opioid withdrawal between racial/ethnic groups. However, it is not known if these differences are reflected in differential treatment response. Data from National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network-003 were used to examine racial/ethnic differences before and during stabilization with buprenorphine. At induction, non-Hispanic Caucasians had higher objective and subjective withdrawal scores and greater opioid craving than minority participants. No significant between-group differences were observed on these scales following buprenorphine. Non-Hispanic Caucasians and Hispanics reported more adverse events than African Americans. Although ethnic and racial differences were observed prior to buprenorphine treatment, scores following buprenorphine treatment were similar between groups.
Micropolar and dipolar fluids

Abstract The theories of micropolar and dipolar fluids have been reviewed briefly and application of these theories to the problem of Poiseuille flow in a circular channel is discussed.
A VSV mutant synthesizes a large excess of functional mRNA but produces less viral protein than its wild-type parent

Abstract A spontaneous small plaque mutant of VSV, S2VSV, exhibits an unbalanced pattern of RNA synthesis in which transcription is increased and replication is decreased compared to the wild-type virus. A two- to threefold excess of messenger RNA (mRNA) is synthesized in the mutant-infected cells. Analysis of protein synthesis revealed that despite the production of a two- to threefold excess of mRNA, less than half of the amount of viral protein is synthesized in mutant as compared to wild type-infected cells. The study of S2VSV-directed protein synthesis also showed a 6% decrease in the relative electrophoretic mobility of the S2VSV NS protein and a 2% decrease in the relative migration of the mutant G protein. These alterations in mobility were not associated with a measurable change in the phosphorylation of NS or the glycosylation of G. Analysis of the structure and function of the S2VSV mRNAs indicated that the reduction of viral protein synthesis in S2VSV-infected cells is not due to the synthesis of defective mRNA. The mutant mRNAs are equivalent to wild-type VSV mRNAs with respect to size, length, and frequency of 3′-terminal poly(A) sequences, extent of capping of the 5′-termini, and efficiency of translation in vitro. The analysis of polysome distributions in wild-type VSV- and mutant-infected cells revealed however, that fewer S2VSV mRNAs are associated with polyribosomes and these mRNAs are translated on smaller polysomes than wild-type VSV proteins. A decrease in the rate of initiation of translation on S,VSV mRNAs is indicated as the cause of the abnormal S2VSV polysome profile.
Erratum to: The Impact of Supervision Training on Genetic Counselor Supervisory Identity Development

After the acceptance and publication of the above paper, the authors identified an error had been made in the calculation of the original PSDS scores. One of the 18 items on the PSDS was accidently duplicated and one item was missing in the original survey. Once this error was recognized, the PSDS scores were recalculated based on the 17 unique questions and analyses were redone. To determine the impact of the duplicated question, we created a scaled PSDS score (PSDS*18/17). The resulting scaled mean PSDS score (96.8, Range=63-119, SD=10.45) was nearly identical to the mean PSDS score reported. Importantly, therewere no changes in the relationships between PSDS score, training, supervisory experience, and clinical experience. Since all items on the PSDS are similarly weighted, there is no reason to believe the missing item would bias the results in any way. Therefore, despite the missing item, the study conclusions are unchanged.
Integrated diagnosis using information-gain-weighted radial basis function neural networks

A new approach, the information-gain-weighted radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), has been proposed for machinery diagnosis in a manufacturing environment. This approach is based on the composite neural network, in which a series of RBFNNs are integrated together to perform the task of classification. Each RBFNN has only one output node and is treated as a sub-network. Unlike the conventional RBFNNs, in which only the outputs of hidden nodes are weighted, the information-gain-weighted RBFNN uses a weighting vector also in its input layer. In addition, the weighting vector is obtained according to the information gain of each input index to the process of diagnosis. In the diagnosis strategy, one sub-net is responsible for diagnosing one specific fault, while the composite network as a whole can diagnose different kinds of faults. By this approach, classification among known faults can be made and a novel fault, if any, can also be identified. This approach has been tested in the diagnosis of an internal thread tapping process. The results showed that the information-gain-weighted RBFNN can produce better distinction between conditions and the scheme of a composite neural network is indeed an improved structure for machinery diagnosis in the manufacturing environment.
Expected Utility and the Truncated Normal Distribution

This article demonstrates that: 1 When a normally distributed decision variable is combined with an analytic utility function one with derivatives of all orders and a power series expansion involving those derivatives, the expected utility can be expressed in powers of µ and I2. 2 In the case of the normal model, when the tails of the distribution do not reflect reality in the mind of a decision-maker, a truncated normal model is a possible alternative. 3 If the appropriate model is the truncated normal distribution, then the expected utility is approximately a linear function of µ and I for several important classes of risk averse utility functions. 4 The negative exponential is an especially useful utility function since it has a simple closed form for both the truncated and nontruncated models, and since it gives an ordering similar to those of the log, arctangent or power utility functions.
The Influence of Thermionic Emission Velocities on the Cut-off Characteristic of a Cylindrical Magnetron†

ABSTRACT It is shown that under normal operating conditions the effect of initial electron velocities is too small to account for observed deviations from the predictions of the Hull theory.