cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interrelationships of egg size, chick size, posthatching growth and hatchability

Several interrelationships are apparent between egg weight, chick weight, chick growth and other parameters. The hatchability of intermediate size eggs is better than that of very large or very sma...
Analysis of mass spectrometry data of cerebral stroke samples: an evolutionary computation approach to resolve and quantify peptide peaks

A preliminary investigation of cerebral stroke samples injected into a mass spectrometer is performed from an evolutionary computation perspective. The detection and resolution of peptide peaks is pursued for the purpose of automatically and accurately determining unlabeled peptide quantities. A theoretical peptide peak model is proposed and a series of experiments are then pursued (most within a distributed computing environment) along with a data preprocessing strategy that includes (i) a deisotoping step followed by (ii) a peak picking procedure, followed by (iii) a series of evolutionary computation experiments oriented towards the investigation of their capability for achieving the aforementioned goal. Results from four different genetic algorithms (GA) and one differential evolution (DE) algorithm are reported with respect to their ability to find solutions that fit within the framework of the presented theoretical peptide peak model. Both unconstrained and constrained (as determined by a course grained preprocessing stage) solution space experiments are performed for both types of evolutionary algorithms. Good preliminary results are obtained.
Sputtered films of superconducting ternary molybdenum sulfides

Abstract The preparation of superconducting ternary molybdenum sulfide films of the formula M x Mo 3 S 4 , where M = Pb, Sn, Cu, and Ag, with the technique of RF sputtering from a composite target is described. The transition temperatures of these films are 13.3, 11.0, 10.7, and 8.8°K, respectively.
Fighting for life : American military medicine in World War II

Fought on almost every continent, World War II confronted American GIs with the unprecedented threats to life and health posed by combat on Arctic ice floes and African deserts, in steamy jungles and remote mountain villages, in the stratosphere and the depths of the sea. This book is a history of military medicine in that war. Penicillin brought the anti-biotic revolution to the battlefield, air evacuation plucked the wounded from jungles and deserts, and a unique system brought blood, still fresh, from America to soldiers all over the world. It chronicles the skill, courage, and dedication or a formidable force of surgeons, physicians, enlisted medics, psychiatrists, and nurses, who achieved a spectacular victory.
Synthesis of [1-13C] and stereo-specifically [1-2H] labeled fluorinated substrate analogues of IspH enzyme in the deoxyxylulose phosphate pathway

Abstract IspH in the deoxyxylulose phosphate (DXP) pathway catalyzes the reductive dehydration of ( E )-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butenyl diphosphate (HMBPP) to isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and its isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), which are the starting materials for the synthesis of thousands of isoprenoids. Several models have been proposed in the literature to account for this unique transformation, and most of them involve the formation of an allylic radical intermediate. To facilitate trapping and characterizing the proposed intermediates in the IspH-catalyzed reactions, in the present work, we report the synthesis of four isotopically labeled IspH substrate analogues. These isotopically labeled mechanistic probes will be utilized in the future for characterizing the proposed IspH reaction intermediates by the combination of bioorganic and biophysical approaches.
Goading the discipline towards unity: Teaching communication in an internet environment—a policy research analysis

This essay proposes a set of policy strategies and procedures for responding in a collective, comprehensive, and coherent way to the increasing demands to create online communication courses and curricula. Twelve specific policies focusing on inter‐department cooperation and standards, faculty development, assessment and feedback systems, and future research projects are outlined to achieve this objective. This essay specifically proceeds by first identifying the basic features (of a policy research analysis as a method for analyzing a social issue linked to technology, applies this method to the basic course taught in a web‐based learning environment, and then isolates and identifies twelve policy areas and propositions for dealing with a web page version of the basic course in ways that foster discipline‐wide cooperation, the shared use of resources, and a pooling of pedagogical insights relevant when responding to the technological changes embedded in the web page version of the basic course.
What Acupuncture Can and Cannot Treat

Acupuncture has been used for over 2000 years to treat a variety of diseases. It is safe and effective, especially for conditions such as pain, geriatric diseases, and exercise-related diseases. There are 361 acupuncture points located throughout the body on meridians. Meridians are the energetic channels that connect all the points to each other. These points are stimulated by various means to produce a physiological effect in the body. All points have various functions throughout the body that can be used to treat different diseases. Certain precautions must be taken when treating weak, debilitated, or pregnant animals.
THE EVOLUTION OF RNA POLYMERASE II IN RED ALGAE

Whether red algae are the sister group to green plants has been an intriguing question for over a century. We are investigating both the evolutionary and functional significance of differences in DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II between rhodophytes and other eukaryotic organisms. Results of both phylogenetic and genetic complementation studies are consistent with an origin of the Rhodophyta that was independent of the common ancestor of green plants, animals, fungi and several related protistan groups. Examination of long-branch attraction among Pol II gene sequences indicates that this separate emergence of red algae is not the result of an artifactual grouping of rhodophytes with more rapidly evolving taxa. The absence in red algal pol II largest subunits of a canonical C-terminal domain (CTD), an essential component of mRNA transcription in plants, animals and fungi, further supports the proposition that red algae diverged independently of these groups, and before CTD function was incorporated fully into Pol II function. Evolutionary complementation, that is, in vivo replacement of the wild-type CTD from yeast with RPB1 C-terminal sequences from a red alga, further supports the hypothesis that fundamental differences exist in Pol II function between red algae and organisms with a CTD-based mRNA transcription cycle.
Use of Mu phages to isolate transposon insertions juxtaposed to given genes of Escherichia coli

The small sizes of the DNA fragments transduced by lysates of phage Mu and of mixed lysates of Mu and mini-Mu18A-1 (an internally deleted Mu phage) provide a method for the selection of insertions of transposon Tn10 located very close to givenEscherichia coli genes. Generalized transduction with Mu lysates selected for those insertions located within 38 kilobase pairs of the gene of interest whereas insertions located within about half that distance are directly selected by use of mini-Mu phages. Use of these transduction systems avoids screening of individual colonies by phage P1 transduction for those transposon insertions closely linked to a given gene. Such insertions are most useful for localized mutagenesis and for in vitro molecular cloning.
Searching for a one-dimensional random walker: Randomized strategy with energy budget

In this paper we study the problem of designing search strategies to find a target whose motion is described by a random walk along a one-dimensional bounded environment. The sensing model and the characteristic of the environment require the searcher and the target to be on the same site at the same time to guarantee capture. The objective is to optimize the searcher's motion, given by a sequence of actions (move right, left or remain stationary), so that the probability of capturing the target is maximized. Each action is associated with an energy cost. The searcher strategy is constrained by a total energy budget. We propose a class of randomized strategies for which we provide an analytical expression for the capture probability as a function of a single parameter. We then use this expression to find the best strategy within this class. In addition to theoretical results, the algorithms are analyzed in simulation and compared with other intuitive solutions.
Response to Measles Vaccine in Haitian Infants 6 to 12 Months Old: Influence of Maternal Antibodies, Malnutrition, and Concurrent Illnesses

To study the factors affecting the serologic response to measles vaccination, we evaluated 595 Haitian infants from 6 through 12 months of age, and their mothers, at the beginning of an immunization program. Thirty-four per cent of the infants had preexisting serologic evidence of measles infections by 11 months of age. Among infants more than nine months of age, those who had had measles had a significantly lower nutritional status than those who had not (P less than 0.01). After vaccination, seroconversion rates increased from 45 per cent at 6 months to 100 per cent at 12 months. The lowest rate of vaccine failure compatible with acceptably low rates of natural infections could be achieved by vaccination after eight months of age. Infants born to mothers with low levels of antibody to measles (hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers less than 1:40) were significantly more likely to have had natural measles (P less than 0.01) or to have seroconversion after vaccination (P less than 0.001) at 6 to 10 months of age than were infants born to mothers with higher of age than were infants born to mothers with higher titers. Malnutrition and acute infections did not affect seroconversion rates. These data support the World Health Organization recommendation to administer measles vaccine in under-developed countries as soon after nine months of age as possible, regardless of nutritional status or the presence of minor illnesses.
John Stuart Mill's Famous Distinction Between Production and Distribution

In the final sentence of the "Preliminary Remarks" to the Principles of Political Economy (1848), John Stuart Mill declaresThe laws of Production and Distribution, and some of the practical consequences deducible from them, are the subject of the following treatise. (1848, p. 21)It is almost two hundred pages before Mill asserts thatThe laws and conditions of the Production of wealth partake of the character of physical truths. There is nothing optional or arbitrary in them. … It is not so with the Distribution of wealth. That is a matter of human institution solely. (1848, p. 199)
Transforming Possession: Josephine and the Work of Culture

Abstract This article presents the case of a Sri Lankan woman who tells of an early life fraught with suffering and problematic dissociation. After a 30-year career as a priestess during which she became renowned for deep possession trances, firewalking, and blood sacrifices, she no longer participates in these activities. The analysis of this case argues that problematic dissociation outside a ritual context can be used in and transformed by involvement in culturally available possession rituals to promote healing. This counters Melford Spiro and others who have viewed possession experiences as necessarily abnormal, psychotic, and symptomatic of mental disorder. It supports Gananath Obeyesekere's assertion that engagement with these symbolic systems can lead to “progressive transformations.” Parallels between this priestess' lifestory and Western psychotherapy extend Obeyesekere's conception of “the work of culture” beyond the domain of meaning and symbol to include roles for embodied practice and interpersonal relationships. [spirit possession, Sri Lanka, dissociation, healing, mental health]
The Influence of Argument-Structure Complexity on the Use of Auxiliary Verbs by Children With SLI

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of argument-structure complexity on the omission of auxiliary be verbs in a group of children with specific language impairment (SLI). These children were compared to a group of younger, normally developing children matched for mean length of utterance (MLU) and a group of children matched for chronological age (CA). Using a story-completion task, the children (N = 30) were required to produce sentences of varying length and argument-structure complexity. The results of the study indicated that the children with SLI omitted more auxiliary forms than either the MLU or CA controls. In addition, both the children with SLI and the MLU controls were more likely to omit the auxiliary forms when attempting sentences with greater argument-structure complexity. These results suggest that argument-structure complexity may be a contributing factor to children's omissions of grammatical morphemes.
Performance analysis of WDM optical networks with grooming capabilities

In this paper, we analyze the performance of WDM networks with traffic grooming capabilities supporting low-rate circuit-switched traffic streams. Traffic grooming in WDM networks collectively refers to the multiplexing, demultiplexing and switching of lower-rate traffic streams onto high capacity lightpaths. Networks which perform grooming only at the OADMs present in the nodes are referred to as Constrained Grooming Networks. Networks whose nodes switch traffic streams between wavelengths and perform grooming at the OADMs are referred to as Sparse Grooming Networks. Given the network topology, the traffic matrix and the node locations of grooming and traffic stream switching, we present an analytical model, using link-independence and wavelength-independence assumptions, to calculate the blocking performance. We illustrate the benefits of sparse grooming over constrained grooming in the mesh-torus and ring network topologies, using both simulation and analytical results.
Association of urinary leukotriene E4 excretion during aspirin challenges with severity of respiratory responses.

Abstract Background: Asthmatics with aspirin- (ASA) sensitive respiratory disease (ASRD) have a spectrum of respiratory reactions during oral ASA challenge that vary in severity and are temporally associated with leukotriene (LT) formation. Objective: This study investigates the relationship of the severity of ASA-induced respiratory reactions to urinary LTE 4 excretion. Methods: Asthmatics with suspected ASRD underwent oral ASA challenges. Urinary LTE 4 levels were measured at baseline, during the reaction, and after acute ASA desensitization. Results: Asthmatics who had respiratory reactions during oral ASA challenges were divided into 3 groups: asthmatics with naso-ocular reactions and 1 values (group 1), asthmatics with a decline in FEV 1 of 20% to 30% (group 2), and asthmatics with a decline in FEV 1 of >30% (group 3). There were no significant differences in age, baseline FEV 1 values, use of inhaled corticosteroids, daily prednisone doses, prednisone bursts, duration of reactions, or average provoking doses of ASA among the groups. At baseline group 3 asthmatics had significantly higher urinary LTE 4 levels than those in groups 1 or 2. At the time of respiratory reaction to ASA, the urinary LTE 4 levels rose significantly in all groups but were significantly greater among group 3 asthmatics compared with those in groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: The severity of the respiratory reactions during oral ASA challenges was associated with the degree of elevation of baseline LTE 4 synthesis. Our results suggest that asthmatics with ASRD have a spectrum of respiratory tract reactions in which leukotrienes play a distinguishing role. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104:559-64.)
Moderating factors of video-modeling with other as model: a meta-analysis of single-case studies.

Abstract Video modeling with other as model (VMO) is a more practical method for implementing video-based modeling techniques, such as video self-modeling, which requires significantly more editing. Despite this, identification of contextual factors such as participant characteristics and targeted outcomes that moderate the effectiveness of VMO has not previously been explored. The purpose of this study was to meta-analytically evaluate the evidence base of VMO with individuals with disabilities to determine if participant characteristics and targeted outcomes moderate the effectiveness of the intervention. Findings indicate that VMO is highly effective for participants with autism spectrum disorder (IRD = .83) and moderately effective for participants with developmental disabilities (IRD = .68). However, differential effects are indicated across levels of moderators for diagnoses and targeted outcomes. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
The murine Hoxc cluster contains five neighboring AbdB-related Hox genes that show unique spatially coordinated expression in posterior embryonic subregions

A common feature of the murine Abdominal B (AbdB) -related Hox genes, located in the 5′ regions of the four Hox clusters, appears to be a function in patterning the developing limb. As a prerequisite for studying the role of the AbdB-related Hoxc genes during limb development, we have isolated and mapped the three predicted AbdB-related Hoxc-11, -12, and -13 loci, thus defining the 5′ end of the Hoxc cluster. Sequence comparisons based on the homeobox sequences of presumably all murine AbdB-related Hox genes strongly support the concept of a two step process in their evolution. As expected, Hoxc-11, -12 and -13 exhibit nested and extremely posteriorly restricted expression domains, whose anterior boundaries reflect their map positions, in accordance with the colinearity rule. A limited comparison of the primary expression domains of all five AbdB-related Hoxc genes in the developing hindlimb revealed nested and increasingly restricted domains of expression in the mesenchyme for only Hoxc-9, -10 and -11. However, separate localized expression was detected for Hoxc-9, -10, -11, -12 and possibly -13 in distal epidermal regions of the developing hind- and forelimb, whereas no expression of any of the five genes was observed in mesenchymal tissues of the developing forelimb. These data suggest a specific role for the AbdB-related Hoxc genes in patterning the hindlimb and pelvic girdle, which is separate from a second role relevant for both hind- and forelimb development.
Fatal agranulocytosis due to tridione therapy.

Abstract Fatal agranulocytosis due to Tridione therapy has been described. The oral findings of ulceration and bleeding may be the earliest sign of toxic effect. Awareness of this may lead dental practitioners to suspect injury to bone marrow in susceptible patients receiving anticonvulsant drugs. Consultation sultation and close cooperation with the physician handling the case are indicated in these instances.
Metal vapor synthesis of (η5-cyclopentadienyl)(η5-cyclohexadienyl)iron

Abstract The cocondensation of iron atoms and benzene onto a liquid nitrogen cooled surface gives a reactive intermediate which, when reacted with cyclopentadiene, gives Fe(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(η 5 -C 6 H 7 ). An isotopic labelling study indicates that the hydrogen transfer from cyclopentadiene to coordinated benzene occurs exo ] with respect to the metal and is intermolecular in nature.
An Examination of the Therapeutic Benefits of Focus Groups on Elderly Worriers.

This study examines the effects on elderly worriers, of a focus group discussion about the topic of worry. All subjects (N = 21) were self-designated worriers, and at least seventy years of age. Pretest and Posttest measures included questionnaires on worry, life satisfaction, and psychological symptom domains unrelated to the focus group topic. The percentage of the day spent worrying variable, which was the criterion variable for admittance into the groups, showed a significant reduction from pre to post. The focus group participants also evaluated the focus group experience as positive and beneficial. The value of focus groups for therapeutic effectiveness and data collection with the elderly are discussed.
Studies on the stability and protein adsorption characteristics of heparinized polymer surfaces by radioisotope labeling techniques.

A series of studies were performed using S35-labeled heparin to determine the amount and the permanancy of heparin grafted onto nonthrombogenic surfaces. The calculated thicknesses of the heparin layers (based on geometrical areas) ranged from 100 to 1500 A. It was shown that the surface having a 100-A layer of attached heparin was nonthrombogenic. The stability of the heparin attached to polypropylene, silicone rubber, hydrin rubber, and graphite–benzalkonium-heparin (GBH) surfaces in distilled water, isotonic saline, and human plasma was measured. The results showed that after exposure to water and saline, the first three surfaces retained most of the attached heparin (>90%) in contrast to the GBH surface which retained only 31%. After contact with human plasma for 3 hr at 37°C, polypropylene retained 32% and GBH surfaces 19% of the heparin which was initially present. In another series of experiments, the adsorption of P32-labeled proteins onto unheparinized, quaternary ammonium, and heparinized surfaces was measured. The results indicated that the amounts of albumin, Hageman factor, thrombin, and γ-globulin adsorbed onto heparinized surfaces were equal to or greater than the amounts adsorbed onto unheparinized surfaces. The implications of this in terms of the nonthrombogenicity of the heparinized surfaces are discussed.
Rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition of in-situ boron doped polycrystalline Si x Ge 1- x

In-situ doped polycrystalline SixGe1-x (x = 0.7) alloys were deposited by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) using the reactive gases SiH2Cl2, GeH4 and B2H6 in a H2 carrier gas. The depositions were performed at a total pressure of 4.0 Torr and at temperatures 600° C, 650° C and 700° C and different B2H6 flow rates. The conditions were chosen to achieve high doping levels in the deposited films. Our results indicate negligible effect of B2H6 flow on the deposition rate. The depositions follow an Arrhenius type behavior with an activation energy of 25 kcal/mole. Boron incorporation in the films was found to follow a simple kinetic model with higher boron levels at lower deposition rates and higher B2H6 flow rates. As-deposited resistivities as low as 2 mΩ-cm were obtained. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) in the temperature range 800-1000° C was found to reduce the resistivity only marginally due to the high levels of boron activation achieved during the deposition process. The results indicate that polycrystalline SixGe1-x films can be deposited by RTCVD with resistivities comparable to those reported for in-situ doped polysilicon.
Prediction of tensile cracks in road pavements

This paper describes briefly and uses an already recognized mechanisms which is believed to be the cause of the development of surface cracks on roads constructed on expansive soil deposits and in semi-arid regions where the water table is usually located at great depths. The analysis uses a numerical procedure combining the finite difference and finite element techniques incorporated in a specifically developed computer program CONPAVE
Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 242

Abstract Information pertaining to the nuclear structure of all nuclei with mass number A=242 is presented. Various decay and reaction data are evaluated and compared. Adopted data, levels, spin, parity and configuration assignments are given. When there are insufficient data, expectations from systematics of nuclear properties or/and calculations are quoted. Theoretical investigations concerning nuclear structure and properties of A=242 nuclei, are briefly mentioned.
Using Popular Nonfiction in Organic Chemistry: Teaching More Than Content

Assigning a popular nonfiction book as a supplemental text in organic chemistry can help students learn valuable skills. An analysis of student feedback on assignments related to a nonfiction book in two different organic courses revealed that students applied the information from the book, improved their communication skills, and were more enthusiastic about organic chemistry. Although a few students complained that the additional work was burdensome, the generally positive response to the popular nonfiction suggests that assigning such works can help organic teachers teach more than just the content of the course.
Testing asset market models of the exchange rate: a VAR approach

The uncovered interest rate parity hypothesis and three variants of the monetary approach to exchange rate determination are assessed under a vector autoregression representation of the available information variables, using monthly data on six major US dollar exchange rates over the period 1978–90. A large information set is used, and the time series properties of the information variables are taken into account. The cross-equation restrictions imposed on the estimated parameters are tested statistically and the economic significance of the models is evaluated independently on the basis of appropriate volatility tests. A weak test for exchange rate bubbles, based on a decomposition of market noise, is proposed.
Communication and psychological safety in veterans health administration work environments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore employee perceptions of communication in psychologically safe and unsafe clinical care environments. Design/methodology/approach – Clinical providers at the USA Veterans Health Administration were interviewed as part of planning organizational interventions. They discussed strengths, weaknesses, and desired changes in their workplaces. A subset of respondents also discussed workplace psychological safety (i.e. employee perceptions of being able to speak up or report errors without retaliation or ostracism – Edmondson, 1999). Two trained coders analysed the interview data using a grounded theory-based method. They excerpted passages that discussed job-related communication and summarized specific themes. Subsequent analyses compared frequencies of themes across workgroups defined as having psychologically safe vs unsafe climate based upon an independently administered employee survey. Findings – Perceptions of work-related communication differed across clin...
Sensorimotor Knowledge and Naïve Realism

It is a pleasure to be commenting on Alva Noe's Action in Perception. The book is easy to read, stylish, and sweeps through a fresh set of ideas on a fundamental topic. It seems to me that the emphasis on the sensorimotor and the embeddness of perception are entirely correct, and that they find their natural home in a broadly naive realist view of perception. I shall focus, though, on my reservations, which have to do with a reductionist thread running through Noe's discussion.
Some optical-model analyses of the elastic scattering of 40Ar at 1760 MeV☆

Abstract The elastic scattering cross sections for 40 Ar on 60 Ni, 120 Sn and 208 Pb at 1760 MeV were reanalyzed using both Woods-Saxon and folding-model potentials. The latter required renormalizing by factors N ≲0.7. This provides further evidence that the real potentials at this energy are substantially weaker than those obtained for other systems at lower energies. This was confirmed by comparison with data for 40 Ar + 208 Pb at 236 MeV. The 1760 MeV data appear to determine the values of both real and imaginary potentials in the vicinity of a strong-absorption region, nearly 1 fm inside the rainbow radius.
Electoral Institutions, Partisan Status, and Political Support in Lesotho

Abstract Does the introduction of proportionality in electoral systems help to boost popular evaluations of democracy? This article takes advantage of an electoral reform in Lesotho to conduct a natural experiment. We trace shifts over time in popular political support, using Afrobarometer data collected before and after reform to measure mass satisfaction with democracy and public trust in political institutions. We find both direct and indirect effects. In the aggregate, Lesotho's transition from a majoritarian to a mixed electoral system is directly associated with increased levels of citizen support for the country's state and regime. Importantly, however, formal institutions have only indirect effects at the individual level, where a person's informal partisan status – as a member of a winning majority or losing minority – mediates the impacts of institutional change.
Is integrated coastal management sustainable

This essay sets the parameters for the research papers within this theme issue by introducing the Integrated Coastal Management Sustainability Research Project, providing socio-economic and ecological background on study sites, and discussing the most current analysis of factors influencing integrated coastal management success and sustainability. The factors influencing sustainability span social, economic, institutional, bio-physical, and legal conditions.
An Isoperimetric Theorem in Plane Geometry

Abstract. Let P be a simple polygon. Let the vertices of P be mapped, according to a counterclockwise traversal of the boundary, into a strictly increasing sequence of real numbers in [0, 2π) . Let a ray be drawn from each vertex so that the angle formed by the ray and a horizontal line pointing to the right equals, in measure, the number mapped to the vertex. Whenever the rays from two consecutive vertices intersect, let them induce the triangular region with extreme points comprising the vertices and the intersection point. It is shown that there is a fixed α such that if all of the assigned angles are increased by α , the triangular regions induced by the redirected rays cover the interior of P . This covering implies the standard isoperimetric inequalities in two dimensions, as well as several new inequalities, and resolves a question posed by Yaglom and Boltanskii.
Acute asthma management in children: factors identifying patients at risk for intensive care unit treatment.

The hospitalization and mortality rates incurred from childhood asthma continue to rise despite recent progress into the pathophysiology and treatment of reactive airway disease. We believe that there are specific factors that identify children at risk for death from asthma. The objective of the study was to determine those risk factors that identify children at increased risk for nonfatal, but life-threatening asthma exacerbations resulting in pedi-atric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Patients aged 10 months-16 years admitted to Brenner Children's Hospital for status asthmaticus between April 1991 and December 1992 were evaluated with regard to the prevalence of eight different factors using two categories for asthma: (1) life-threatening asthma requiring PICU admission and (2) non-life-threatening asthma requiring routine hospitalization. Risk factors associated with an increased prevalence of non-fatal, but life-threatening asthma requiring PICU admission were female gender, lack of third-party ...
To cease or to proliferate: new insights into TCTP function from a Drosophila study.

Tor (Target of Rapamycin) pathway underlies a major signaling mechanism for controlling cell growth and proliferation1. Rheb (Ras homolog enriched in brain) is a small GTPase in the Tor pathway2-4. Similar to other small GTPases, Rheb cycles between a GTP-bound active state and a GDP-bound inactive state. TSC2 (Tuberous sclerosis complex 2), a gene mutated in an autosomal dominant disease Tuberous sclerosis, was shown to be the Rheb-GAP (GTPase activating protein)5, 6. However, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rheb had been missing. Human TCTP (Translationally controlled tumor protein) has been implicated in cancer, but its function in vivo has not been clearly elucidated. Recently we reported a molecular genetic characterization of TCTP function in Drosophila7. Drosophila TCTP (dTCTP) displays GEF activity to Rheb and is essential for Rheb activation in organ growth. Thus, our study provides a tight linkage of dTCTP to the Rheb-TOR pathway. In this addendum, we will briefly overview our fin...
Palpable insecurity and Sen’s comparative view of justice: anthropological considerations

Amartya Sen’s comparative approach to justice makes clear that notions of justice are shaped by human agency and experience, and both his focus on the ‘internal view’ of well-being that emphasizes suffering as a central feature of illness and his recognition that social and cultural factors shape perceived injustice are critical to this approach. However, Sen questionably depicts the contributions of anthropological research to this project as limited to ‘the sensory dimension of ill-health.’ Focusing on mental health in the context of global justice, I argue that Sen’s treatise on justice can be refined through an ethnographic method that synchronizes attention to (1) cultural knowledge and social relations in ecological settings; (2) fundamental human needs; and (3) levels of analytic specificity involving situations, categories, and events. This method integrates analysis of internal phenomenology and external constraints of political economy and ideology. To demonstrate I discuss three cases involving...
Visualization of the receptor for transferrin on K562 cells by a rosette-forming assay

Abstract A method is described to visualize the receptor for transferrin by a rosette-forming assay. K562 cells, a human pre-erythroid leukemia cell line, were used as a source of receptor-positive cells. Bovine erythrocytes coated with human transferrin by the CrCl 3 method were used as indicator cells. Rosette formation occurred at 37°C but not at 4°C, and was inhibited by soluble transferrin in a dose-dependent manner. Human lactoferrin, which is known to have considerable amino acid sequence homology with transferrin, did not inhibit rosette formation with transferrin-coated bovine erythrocytes. A variety of blocking and non-blocking monoclonal antibodies against the human transferrin receptor (42/6, B3/25 and OKT9) inhibited rosette formation. Rosettes are able to withstand low-speed centrifugation (130 × g , 2 min) making this method potentially useful for cytochemical identification of receptor-positive or receptor-negative cells. Also, it was possible to enrich receptor-positive cells by separation of rosette-forming from non-rosette-forming cells using a density gradient centrifugation technique.
EFFECTS IN DOGS OF HYPERVENTILATION AND HYPOTHERMIA ON BODY OXYGEN STORES

Six anaesthetized, paralyzed, hypothermic (30° C) dogs were hyperventilated for 2 hours. During the final 30 minutes, die inspired mixture was altered from oxygen to air. The rates at which alveolar and arterial oxygen concentrations approached their new steady state values were represented by the half-times (t12;) of 0.19 and 0.26 minutes, respectively. The turnover rate in venous blood oxygen content proceeded at a considerably slower rate, t12;=0.90 minutes. The close agreement of results during hypothermia with results obtained during normothermia indicates that hypothermia per se has no significant effect upon oxygen turnover rate
Emerging targets for antidepressant therapies

Despite adequate antidepressant monotherapy, the majority of depressed patients do not achieve remission. Even optimal and aggressive therapy leads to a substantial number of patients who show minimal and often only transient improvement. In order to address this substantial problem of treatment-resistant depression, a number of novel targets for antidepressant therapy have emerged as a consequence of major advances in the neurobiology of depression. Three major approaches to uncover novel therapeutic interventions are: first, optimizing the modulation of monoaminergic neurotransmission; second, developing medications that act upon neurotransmitter systems other than monoaminergic circuits; and third, using focal brain stimulation to directly modulate neuronal activity. We review the most recent data on novel therapeutic compounds and their antidepressant potential. These include triple monoamine reuptake inhibitors, atypical antipsychotic augmentation, and dopamine receptor agonists. Compounds affecting extra-monoamine neurotransmitter systems include CRF(1) receptor antagonists, glucocorticoid receptor antagonists, substance P receptor antagonists, NMDA receptor antagonists, nemifitide, omega-3 fatty acids, and melatonin receptor agonists. Focal brain stimulation therapies include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), magnetic seizure therapy (MST), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Sensory adaptation as optimal resource allocation

Visual adaptation is expected to improve visual performance in the new environment. This expectation has been contradicted by evidence that adaptation sometimes decreases sensitivity for the adapting stimuli, and sometimes it changes sensitivity for stimuli very different from the adapting ones. We hypothesize that this pattern of results can be explained by a process that optimizes sensitivity for many stimuli, rather than changing sensitivity only for those stimuli whose statistics have changed. To test this hypothesis, we measured visual sensitivity across a broad range of spatiotemporal modulations of luminance, while varying the distribution of stimulus speeds. The manipulation of stimulus statistics caused a large-scale reorganization of visual sensitivity, forming the orderly pattern of sensitivity gains and losses. This pattern is predicted by a theory of distribution of receptive field characteristics in the visual system.
Symptomatic hyponatremia with hypoxia is a medical emergency

Patients presenting with the combined finding of severe symptomatic hyponatremia and hypoxia have such high mortality rates that they should be admitted to an intensive care unit and intubated sooner rather than later. Without delay, these patients need rapid correction of their serum sodium by 8–10 mequiv. per liter and an increase in their partial pressure of arterial oxygen to values above 70 mm Hg.
Quick takes and random musings

Life in materials science is full of its worries: where's my career going, is the field leaving me behind, and how do I gain attention?
The Evaluation of Potential New Product Alternatives

In evaluating new product opportunities through the use of a rating scheme, account must be taken of the fact that the individual factors on which the product is being assessed interact in producing an overall result. A score for a product may be thought of as a point in n dimensional space in which are located two density functions, one representing scores of successful products and the other of unsuccessful products. Linear discriminant analysis provides the means for utilizing the likelihood ratio of success to failure for any given potential product point. The question then arises as to whether to accept the decision dictated by the discriminant analysis or to collect more information concerning the location of the point. Both a posterior and a preposterior distribution can be obtained, yielding the value of additional information and thus determining whether to make the decision now or to postpone it.
Evaluating fuel ethanol feedstocks from energy policy perspectives: A comparative energy assessment of corn and corn stover

Abstract Concerns surrounding the continued, un-checked use of petroleum-based fuels in the transportation sector, the search for more sustainable, renewable alternatives, and the constraints of the existing supply infrastructure in the United States have placed a spotlight on biomass-derived fuels. The central question of the ethanol debate has changed from “Should we make ethanol?” to “ From what should we make ethanol?” emphasizing the importance of understanding the differences between specific biomass supply systems for fuel ethanol. When presented with numerous options, the priorities of an individual decision maker will define which feedstock alternative is the most appropriate choice for development from their perspective. This paper demonstrates how energy data can be successfully used to quantify assessment metrics beyond a standard net energy value calculation, thus quantifying the relative “value” of ethanol supply systems. This value is defined based on decision-maker priorities that were adopted from national energy policy priorities: increased national energy security and increased conservation of energy resources. Nine energy assessment metrics that quantify detailed system energy data are calculated and a straightforward comparative assessment is performed between corn and corn stover feedstocks produced under the same farm scenario. Corn stover is shown to be more compatible with the national energy policy priorities and it is recommended that additional research be performed on utilizing this feedstock from the corn farm.
Scalar Nonet, Semileptonic K Decays, and Spectral-Function Sum Rules

In this paper we show that if one takes $\ensuremath{\epsilon}(700)$, the broad isoscalar $s$-wave dipion resonance for which there exists considerable evidence, along with the as yet not firmly established ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{V}(1071)$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}_{V}(1016)$ and a ${K}_{V}$ (perhaps the one at 1080), as forming a scalar nonet, then the widths and branching ratio for the decay of these resonances into two pseudoscalar mesons are quite consistent with observation. In addition, the mixing of $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ and ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{V}$ explains the puzzling smallness of the branching ratio $\frac{({\ensuremath{\eta}}_{V}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi})}{({\ensuremath{\eta}}_{V}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K\overline{K})}$ and simultaneously accounts for the ${K}_{e4}$ axial-vector form factors. Finally, these scalar resonances are found to fit quite well in the framework of current algebra and spectral-function sum rules stemming from $\mathrm{SU}(3)\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\mathrm{SU}(3)$ symmetry.
Fate of HERS during Tooth Root Development

Tooth root development begins after the completion of crown formation in mammals. Previous studies have shown that Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) plays an important role in root development, but the fate of HERS has remained unknown. In order to investigate the morphological fate and analyze the dynamic movement of HERS cells in vivo, we generated K14-Cre;R26R mice. HERS cells are detectable on the surface of the root throughout root formation and do not disappear. Most of the HERS cells are attached to the surface of the cementum, and others separate to become the epithelial rest of Malassez. HERS cells secrete extracellular matrix components onto the surface of the dentin before dental follicle cells penetrate the HERS network to contact dentin. HERS cells also participate in the cementum development and may differentiate into cementocytes. During root development, the HERS is not interrupted, and instead the HERS cells continue to communicate with each other through the network structure. Furthermore, HERS cells interact with cranial neural crest derived mesenchyme to guide root development. Taken together, the network of HERS cells is crucial for tooth root development.
Mechanical properties of HT-9 as a function of heat treatment

In support of work to assess the failure resistance of HT-9, we have investigated the mechanical properties of specimens heat treated to twenty-five combinations of austenitization temperature, Tγ (950–1200°C), tempering temperature (650–780°C), and tempering time (0.5–56 h). Hardness, strength, and dynamic (lower shelf) fracture toughness were found to be relatively insensitive to Tγ. For a given Tγ the strength was found to decrease and the dynamic (lower shelf) fracture toughness was found to increase slightly with increasing tempering time and temperature. Analyses of the data suggest that the critical cleavage fracture stress σf* decreases with increasing Tγ above 1050°C for a number of tempering conditions, and that σf* decreases with increasing tempering temperature and time for a given Tγ.
A methodologic problem in mortality studies of migrant populations

Abstract Using U.S. census reports of state of birth for 1950, 1960 and 1970, we performed a cohort-analysis of black men born in New York State and in three Southern states. There were large increases from one census year to the next in the number of middle-aged men reported to have been born in New York State. Conversely, there were larger than expected decreases from one census to the next in the number of men reporting the Southern states as their birth place. We believe these changes represent errors in reporting state of birth in the census. Such reporting errors will result in erroneous death rates for migrant and non-migrant populations when death certificate data and census data are used to calculate the rates. In New York City, death rates for black migrants were higher than was actually the case and those for non-migrants lower.
Stem Cell Niche Dynamics: From Homeostasis to Carcinogenesis

The stem cell microenvironment is involved in regulating the fate of the stem cell with respect to self-renewal, quiescence, and differentiation. Mathematical models are helpful in understanding how key pathways regulate the dynamics of stem cell maintenance and homeostasis. This tight regulation and maintenance of stem cell number is thought to break down during carcinogenesis. As a result, the stem cell niche has become a novel target of cancer therapeutics. Developing a quantitative understanding of the regulatory pathways that guide stem cell behavior will be vital to understanding how these systems change under conditions of stress, inflammation, and cancer initiation. Predictions from mathematical modeling can be used as a clinical tool to guide therapy design. We present a survey of mathematical models used to study stem cell population dynamics and stem cell niche regulation, both in the hematopoietic system and other tissues. Highlighting the quantitative aspects of stem cell biology, we describe compelling questions that can be addressed with modeling. Finally, we discuss experimental systems, most notably Drosophila, that can best be used to validate mathematical predictions.
Effect of lot variability on ultraviolet radiation inactivation kinetics of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficiency of ultraviolet (UV) radiation for the inactivation of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum. In these studies inactivation is measured as reduction in oocysts. A primary goal is to estimate the UV radiation required to achieve a high degree of inactivation. Different lots of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts are used in these studies, and the inactivation rate may vary depending on the lot of oocysts used. The goal of this paper is to account for the error in estimating the amount of inactivation after exposure to UV radiation, and for the effect of lot variability in determining the required UV radiation. A Bayesian approach is used to simultaneously model the logistic dose−response model and the UV inactivation kinetic model. The oocysts lot variability is incorporated using a hierarchical Bayesian model. Posterior distributions using Markov Chain Monte Carlo method is used to obtain estimates and Bayesian credible interval for the required UV radiation to achi...